Fresh, fruity, and irresistible – that’s strawberry season in Val Venosta/Vinschgau valley. From vast strawberry fields to sweet recipe ideas – we’ll show you how to make the most of the season.
The sweetest time of the year
Val Venosta/Vinschgau valley is renowned for its many popular exports, including mountain cheese, speck, and apples. But the start of summer heralds a special time in the region: the fields turn red, a sweet scent hangs in the air, and happiness can be picked in baskets in the form of a small berry.
Summertime is strawberry time! Now is the time to pick strawberries, make jam, and enjoy the variety of this sweet fruit in all its forms.
For example, at the
Val Venosta/Vinschgau valley Strawberry World, which is open daily from mid-March (except Mondays and Tuesdays) and welcomes visitors with a fruity selection of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, redcurrants, and cherries. The Strawberry World is also the starting point of the
South Tyrolean Strawberry Trail. This themed trail takes you past various stops at strawberry fields and producers’ farms, offering an insight into the cultivation of this popular fruit.
Europe’s highest strawberry-growing region
There’s a good reason why
Val Martello/Martell valley is known as the “Beerental” (strawberry valley). At an
altitude of 1,300 metres, it’s home to Europe’s highest contiguous strawberry-growing region. This side valley of Val Venosta/Vinschgau valley offers ideal conditions for strawberry cultivation: thanks to the altitude, the Alpine environment, and warm days and cool nights, the berries ripen more slowly than elsewhere, giving them more time to develop their full flavour.
The best time to try these strawberries is during the
Martell Strawberry Days. From late June to mid-July, you’ll find a colourful programme of events and traditional dishes with a fruity twist around the region. And at the
berry market held at the sport & leisure centre Trattla, you’re sure to find a sweet souvenir made from top-quality berries.
The taste of summer in a jar
Strawberries reveal their full flavour when transformed into homemade jam. To make one portion of
strawberry jam, you’ll need around 1.5 kilograms of strawberries, one lemon, and a packet of 3:1 jam sugar. Wash the strawberries, remove the green tops, and heat them in a saucepan. Squeeze the lemon, add the juice together with the jam sugar, and then purée the mixture. Bring everything to the boil and simmer for at least three minutes, stirring constantly. Then pour the jam into clean jars as quickly as possible, seal tightly, and turn them upside down immediately. Leave to cool and enjoy!
