Chiusa (German: Klausen) sits in the Isarco (Eisack) valley between Bolzano and Bressanone, 30km north of Bolzano, where the valley narrows to a gorge below a dolomitic cliff on which the Sabiona Monastery clings. It was a significant town in the medieval period, a bishopric until the 15th century, a staging post on the Brenner route, a center of Tyrolean wine production. Today it has 4,500 inhabitants, a perfectly preserved medieval center, and the extraordinary silhouette of Sabiona above it. The trains on the Bolzano-Innsbruck line pass through it at a speed that gives passengers a three-second impression of something extraordinary below the monastery cliff, and almost none of them stop. This is their mistake.
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What to See in Chiusa
The medieval center of Chiusa follows the narrow floor of the valley, a single main street (Via Brennero/Brennerstrasse) with arcaded buildings of the Tyrolean Gothic style, towers, and the remains of the city gates. The Church of Sant'Andrea (Gothic, 14th-15th century) has an altarpiece by Michael Pacher's school. The local museum (Museo Civico/Stadtmuseum) has an interesting collection of devotional objects and records of the medieval Bishopric of Sabiona, the first Christian diocese in Tyrol (dissolved in the 10th century when the seat moved to Bressanone). The towers of the medieval walls are partially accessible on foot from the main street.
Sabiona Monastery: The Eagle's Nest above Chiusa
The Abbazia di Sabiona (Klausen Monastery) is the most dramatic monastic site in South Tyrol, a cluster of white buildings on a vertical cliff 300 metres above the valley floor, accessible only by a steep path (40 minutes up from Chiusa). The site was a fortified bishopric from the early Christian period, converted to a Benedictine convent in the 17th century, which it remains today, a community of enclosed nuns who are almost never seen by visitors. The path up passes through vineyards and chestnut forests with views over the valley that widen as you climb. At the top: the exterior of the churches (several, of different periods), the fortification walls, and the vertiginous view north and south through the Isarco gorge. The interior of the monastic enclosure is accessible only for religious retreat. The outer chapel and the viewpoint are open to walkers. The climb is mandatory for anyone physically able.
Wine: Müller-Thurgau and the Vineyards of Chiusa
The south-facing slopes above Chiusa produce Müller-Thurgau grapes (a German-Swiss variety that thrives at altitude) and some of the finest examples of this grape variety in Italy. The Valle Isarco DOC covers the area and specialises in white varieties. Kerner, Veltliner, Sylvaner, Gewürztraminer, and Müller-Thurgau, produced at 600-900m altitude on terraced vineyards carved into the dolomitic slopes. The wines are lighter, more aromatic, and higher in acidity than the South Tyrol whites from the valley floor around Bolzano. Several small producers in Chiusa and the surrounding hamlets sell directly. Ask at the local Cantina (co-operative winery, open for tastings) on the main street.
Questions About Chiusa / Klausen
How do I get to Chiusa from Bolzano?
Train from Bolzano (regional service, 20-25 min, €3.50, approximately every 30 min). The station of Chiusa is 5 minutes walk from the medieval center. By car on the A22 motorway: Chiusa/Klausen exit, then 2km to the town center. The drive from Bolzano is 30km.
Is the walk to Sabiona Monastery difficult?
Moderately strenuous. 300m of altitude gain on a well-marked path in about 40 minutes. The surface is paved (cobbles and stone steps) for most of the route. Good walking shoes are recommended. Sports sandals are borderline on the steeper sections. In winter, the path can be icy, use caution or wait for better conditions. The climb is worth every minute regardless of season.
What is the best time to visit Chiusa?
Spring (April-May) when the vine shoots are coming out on the terraced vineyards and the valley is green. October for the wine harvest and the golden light on the dolomite cliffs above. The Christmas markets in Chiusa (late November-December) are smaller and more genuine than the famous ones in Bolzano and Merano, the type of market that existed before the phenomenon became internationally organized. Winter skiing: the Gitschberg-Jochtal ski area is accessible by cable car from Chiusa, a mid-sized South Tyrolean ski area (50km of runs) that is largely unknown to non-German-speaking visitors.
Where to eat in Chiusa?
South Tyrolean mountain cooking: Schlutzkrapfen (fresh pasta half-moons filled with spinach and ricotta, very Tyrolean, excellent with local butter and sage), gulasch with Knödel (bread dumplings), Speckbrettl (a plate of local smoked prosciutto, cheeses, and pickles, the definitive South Tyrolean snack). The Gasthof zur Goldenen Krone on the main street has been serving this food in the same building for generations. Prices are reasonable by South Tyrol standards (which means slightly above Italian mainland standard).
Is Chiusa better than Bressanone as a day trip from Bolzano?
They're complementary rather than comparable - Chiusa is smaller and more visually dramatic (the Sabiona monastery makes it unique). Bressanone is larger with a cathedral complex and more facilities. If you have a full day from Bolzano: Chiusa in the morning (walk to Sabiona), train or drive to Bressanone for lunch and afternoon. If you have only a half-day: Chiusa.
Historical Notes: Chiusa and the Bishopric of Sabiona
Sabiona was the first bishop's seat in Tyrol, established in the early Christian period (4th-5th century). The bishops of Sabiona held jurisdiction over a territory that eventually became the Diocese of Bressanone (Brixen), still active today as one of the oldest continuous Catholic dioceses in the German-speaking world. The choice of this cliff above the Isarco gorge was defensive, the narrow valley could be controlled from above, and the cliff provided natural fortification. When the episcopal seat moved to Bressanone in the 10th century, Sabiona became first a fortified church complex and later, in the 17th century, the Benedictine convent that still occupies the site. The nuns of Sabiona follow the Benedictine rule in enclosed contemplative life, their presence on the cliff is continuous since the 17th century, and their daily rhythms (bells for the canonical hours, visible movement in the enclosed garden) are sometimes visible from the outer viewpoint.
What Nobody Tells You About Chiusa
The view from Sabiona looking south down the Isarco valley toward Bolzano, with the valley widening gradually, the vineyards on both sides, and the road and railway threading through the gorge below, is one of the great landscape views of the Alps. It isn't famous. It isn't in any photography collection of "best views in South Tyrol." It is simply there, at the top of a 40-minute walk, free, available to anyone who makes the climb. This is the consistent pattern of the best things in Italy: they aren't hidden, they are simply not announced. Go to Chiusa. Walk to Sabiona. Look south. That's it. See also: South Tyrol guide · Bolzano · Bressanone.
