Ueberetsch. Kaltern. Mendel. Railway from Botzen to Kaltern, 12 M.,
in 47 min. (2 K. 48, 1 K. 24 h.); from Kaltern to the Mendel, 2 ½ M., mountain
railway in 37.50 min. (3 K. 50 or 2 K. 50 h., descent 2 K. 50 h. and 2 K.).
Through-tickets from Botzen to the Mendel and back 9 or 6 K. (carriages
changed at St. Anton). — The line crosses the Adige to (3 M. ) Ueberetsch
(on a hill to the left rises the conspicuous castle of Sigmundskron, built
in 1473 and now used as a powder-magazine), and ascends to the right,
passing the ruins of Wart and Altenberg, to (8 ½ M.) Eppan-Girlan ( 1345 ft.;
Hôtel Hocheppan), ¼ M. to the E. of St. Michael in Eppan ( 1345 ft.;
Eppaner Hof; Sonne; Rössl), a well-built and thriving village, where the
Mendel road diverges to the right (to the Mendel Pass 3 hrs.; short-cuts
for pedestrians). The railway thence proceeds across the vine-clad plateau
viâ (10 ½ M.) Montiggl to (12 M. ) Kaltern ( 1390 ft.; Rössl), the capital of
Ueberetsch, noted for its wine ('Seewein' is the best).
The Mendel Railway, constructed by the Swiss engineer Strub and
opened in 1904, is an ordinary narrow-gauge line as far as (1 ¼ M. ) St. Anton
( 1673 ft.), where carriages are changed for the electric wire-rope railway
(1 ½ M. long; maximum gradient 64:100), which ascends the steep, wooded
slope in 26 minutes. The Mendel Pass (4475 ft.), in well-wooded environs,
with a cool and refreshing breeze even in the height of summer, is much
frequented as a health-resort. About 3 min. from the station are the
Mendelhof Hotel (R. 3-4. pens. 8-16 K.), on the left, and the Grand Hôt.
Penegal (R. 3-4, pens. from 9 K.), on the right of the road, and 1/3 M.
farther on are the Pens. Villa Maria and the Hôt. Adler. Pleasant excursions
may be made from the Mendel to the N. to the (1 ¼ hr.) Penegal (5685 ft.;
inn in summer) and to the S. to the (3 hrs.) Monte Roën (6940 ft.), both
commanding splendid views. — The road descends from the Mendel to
(7 M. ) Fondo (3240 ft.; Posta) and thence viâ Cavareno and San Zeno, with a
celebrated pilgrim-resort, to (16 M. ) Cles in the Val di Non (see p. 161 );
diligence from the Mendel Pass viâ Cles, Malè and Dimaro to (55 M. )
Madonna di Campiglio (p. 161) daily in summer in 9 hrs., fare 11 K 40 h.;
carr. and pair from Botzen in 14 hrs., 96 K. and fee.
17. From Botzen to Meran.
Comp. Map,p. 142.
20 M. Railway in 1 ¼ hr. (fares 3 K. 40, 2 K. 10 h., no second class).
The train crosses the Talfer and at (3 ½ M. ) Sigmundskron (castle,
see above) enters the valley of the Adige. We traverse embankments
viâ (6 M. ) Siebeneich (to the right, on a precipitous rock, the ruined
castle of Greifenstein) to (7 ½ M. ) Terlan (Hôtel-Pens. Steindlhof,
R. 1-2 K.), famous for its wine, with a Gothic church of the 16th
century. Beyond (10 M.) Vilpian (825 ft.), to the left, is the large
village of Nals and the hills of Tisens, overtopped by the wooded
summit of the Gall (5350 ft.); more in the background, the Laugen-
spitze (p. 153). The Meran hills appear shortly after (15 M.) Lana.
To the left is Oberlana, with the ruined castle of Braunsberg. —
18 ¾ M.Untermais (950 ft.), at the foot of the Marlinger Berg; to
the left is the château of Lebenberg (p. 152). The train crosses
the Passer.
20 M. Meran. — Hotels (most of them closed in summer). Erzherzog
Johann (Pl. b), in the Sand-Platz, with garden; Meraner Hof (Pl. a), on
the left bank of the Passer, with garden; Kaiserhof (Pl. c), Habsburger
Hof (Pl. d), Tiroler Hof (Pl. e), these three near the station; Hôt.Windsor
(Pl. f); Savoy Hotel (Pl. g); Hôt. Spitkó (Pl. h); at these, R. from 3,
pens. 8-9 K.; Hassfurther (Pl. l); Graf Von Meran (Pl. i); Hôt.