Autumn delights in Schenna: culture, cuisine and golden days in Merano and environs
Autumn is in the air
A clear autumn morning unfolds above Merano. Wisps of mist still linger in the valleys, while the peaks, lightly dusted with the season’s first snow, are already bathed in sunlight. Setting out from Hohenwart for a walk at this time of year, you look across vineyards glowing deep gold and crimson. The air is crisp and clean, yet even this early, the autumn sun is strong, promising a day of blissful warmth.
On many autumn days, Schenna’s village centre is alive with activity: music fills the air, while the scent of freshly fried Bauernkrapfen pastries, savoury dumplings and roasted chestnuts drifts through the streets. Autumn reveals itself in all its glorious colour, and from mid-September to the end of October, village life is every bit as vibrant as the surrounding landscape. It is a time for setting out and stopping awhile, for breathing deeply and enjoying good things together.
An opening note of music and tradition
Culinary delights, culture, and warm conviviality lend autumn in Schenna its most vibrant hues. Right from the outset, living traditions in the village set a deeply atmospheric stage.
Autumn Festival of the Schützen Corps in Schenna (19 & 20 September)
With the Autumn Festival of the Schützen Corps – Schenna’s historic local marksmen’s association – living tradition fills the streets, heralding a time of harvest thanksgiving, time-honoured customs and celebration.
The highlight is the colourful festival parade, with groups in traditional dress and brass bands making their way through the village. Decorated floats featuring an enormous apple crown or outsized bunches of grapes, together with the Saltner, the traditional guardian of the vineyard, recall what lies at the heart of these celebrations: gratitude for the harvest safely gathered in, for nature’s generosity during the growing season, for the livestock returning safely from the high pastures and for barns, larders and cellars stocked for winter.
Törggelen, Bauernkuchl and the Autumn Market: October’s culinary pleasures
October marks the beginning of South Tyrol’s “fifth season”: Törggelen. Across Merano and environs, wherever vines and chestnut trees grow, people gather around the table to share Sußer, the still-sweet, gently fermenting grape must, and traditional farmhouse dishes.
Törggelen in Schenna and at Hohenwart: a living tradition
On selected Sundays, convivial late-morning gatherings known as Frühschoppen, accompanied by traditional Böhmische brass ensembles, provide the perfect setting for Törggelen in the village centre. On selected dates, Schenna’s Törggelen afternoons turn the centre into a welcoming place to meet: the scent of roasted chestnuts fills the air, fresh Sußer is poured and market stalls selling regional produce invite visitors to taste and linger.
At Hohenwart, too, the sweet scent of freshly roasted chestnuts drifts across the terrace in the afternoon. We serve them with our own Sußer, made from grapes grown in the family vineyard.
Days of the Romanesque at the Round Church of Saint George (10 & 11 October)
Autumn reveals its cultural side. The Round Church of Saint George, one of only three surviving round churches in South Tyrol, opens its doors for guided tours of the late-Gothic winged altarpiece by Hans Schnatterpeck and the 14th-century frescoes. On Saturday, gentle harp music and a tasting of locally grown apples complete the programme.
Bauernkuchl – Schenna Farmers’ Kitchen (Tuesday 20 October)
From 11 a.m., Schenna’s women farmers turn Raiffeisen Square into a large open-air farmhouse kitchen. South Tyrolean dumplings with cabbage salad are served, traditional snack platters known as Marendbrettl are prepared and fresh Krapfen pastries are fried on the spot, while Duo Vincent & Fernando sets a festive musical tone.
Autumn Market in Schenna (Wednesday 28 October)
Once again, the village centre fills with life and colour. Restaurateurs and farmers, craftspeople and artists showcase their produce, crafts and artwork. The unmistakable scent of freshly roasted chestnuts hangs in the air, while music lends the day a distinctly South Tyrolean note.
140 years of the Merano Grape Festival: the city takes the stage
From 16 to 18 October, attention turns a few kilometres downhill to the spa town of Merano. The time-honoured Merano Grape Festival celebrates its 140th anniversary. Since 1886, the festival has brought together the rural traditions of the Burgraviato – the region surrounding Merano – and the city’s cosmopolitan history. At its heart are the celebration of the harvest, wines from Merano and environs and regional specialities.
The highlight is the grand parade on Sunday 18 October, beginning at 2.15 p.m. Richly decorated floats, historic horse-drawn carriages and groups in traditional dress make their way from the Vinschgau Gate along the Kurpromenade and across the Theatre Bridge to Thermenplatz. Among the best-known floats are the famous Marling apple crown and the “Kundschafter” created by the Lagundo Young Farmers, with its giant bunch of grapes.
Hohenwart’s recommendation for the festival: leave the car behind and avoid the festival traffic. From Schenna, a beautiful walk of just under an hour follows the Mitterplattweg through vineyards and sunny apple orchards directly down into the centre of Merano.
The fifth season
The pleasures of autumn in Schenna begin among richly coloured vineyards, apple orchards and chestnut groves. They continue in the clear notes of musical encounters and find expression in festival parades, harvest traditions and regional cuisine.
The fruits of the season are gathered with gratitude and then brought to the table, to be tasted and shared in good company and accompanied by music. All of this belongs to the pleasures of autumn in Schenna.
Here, the golden season is alive with warm colours, living traditions and the simple pleasure of spending time together.