Almfest Schliniger Alm

An alpine pasture festival in the heart of the Vinschgau Valley

The Almfest at the Schliniger Alm is the summer festival of the Slingia (known as Schlinig in German) mountain hut, a small hamlet in the municipality of Malles Venosta/Mals, in the Vinschgau Valley, located in the westernmost part of the province of Bolzano/Bozen and the Trentino-Alto Adige region. The hut sits at an altitude of 1,868 meters in the upper Slingia Valley, at the foot of the Sesvenna range and just a short distance from the Swiss border.

It is one of those festivals that truly captures the soul of the South Tyrolean mountains: during the summer, about seventy cows graze on these meadows, and for over twenty years, the cheesemakers have been producing alpine cheese, butter, yogurt, and fresh cheese on-site. The festival is the moment when this hard work is shared with hikers, families, and curious visitors who have made the trek up.

The cheese cutting, the heart of the day

The central ritual of the Almfest is the official cutting of the alpine cheese (Käseanschnitt), which kicks off the tastings: the large wheels aged in the alpine pasture are opened and offered to those present. The rest of the festival unfolds around this moment, featuring local gastronomic specialties, drinks, and plenty of open-air conviviality.

Music and mountain atmosphere

There is no shortage of live music, accompanying the day with folk and alpine sounds typical of South Tyrolean pasture festivals. The landscape does the rest: pastures, larch forests that ignite with color in autumn, and the massive Sesvenna range providing the backdrop.

How to reach the mountain hut

The Schliniger Alm can be reached via an easy walk starting from Slingia/Schlinig, following the comfortable forest road that climbs up the valley; the route is also suitable for families with strollers. Those who love cycling or e-biking can ride up from the Malles train station through Sleeis/Schleis and Slingia. The hut is open from late May to early November and, in winter, is a popular destination for cross-country skiers and snowshoers.

A piece of Vinschgau tradition

In the calendar of summer festivals in the Vinschgau Valley, the Almfest at the Schliniger Alm is a genuine, non-touristy event that allows you to experience alpine culture up close: the cheese, the pastures, the work of the herdsmen, and the joy of being together at high altitude. A perfect opportunity to combine a mountain excursion with a festive day in the municipality of Malles Venosta.