Kräuterlust – Opening of the Genussfrühling with the Herb Market

The herb market that opens the Spring of Taste

The Kräuterlust is the event that, every year at the beginning of May, officially kicks off the Genussfrühling (Spring of Taste) in the tourist area of Chiusa-Barbiano-Velturno-Villandro, in the heart of the Isarco Valley. The setting is the Castaneum in Velturno/Feldthurns, the town's civic and cultural center, which comes alive for the occasion with a rich herb market, organic product stalls, and a program of taste, music, and tradition.

A market dedicated to herbs and natural well-being

The absolute stars of the event are the herbs. Local herbalists, farmers, and artisans offer herbal teas and aromatic blends, herb salts, natural cosmetics and oils, handmade soaps, herbal chocolates and sweets, as well as aromatic and vegetable plants ready for your home garden. The stalls are complemented by natural remedies for body and mind and small handcrafted creations, for a morning dedicated to well-being and connection with nature.

Show cooking, wines, and folk music

The highlight is the inauguration of the Genussfrühling, featuring wild herb show cooking led by an award-winning South Tyrolean chef, accompanied by specialties from the Velturno farmers' associations and Isarco Valley wines offered by local wineries. The festival is rounded off by folk music and Schuhplattler groups, the characteristic Tyrolean dance, which create an authentically South Tyrolean atmosphere. The Velturno library also sets up a table with herb-themed books, and in recent years, a quality second-hand clothing market has been added in the Castaneum hall.

In the heart of the Isarco Valley Genussfrühling

The Kräuterlust is the first stop on a long spring calendar that unites the four villages of Chiusa, Barbiano, Velturno, and Villandro: the following weeks feature open cellar days, food and wine excursions, and a festival dedicated to the valley's white wines. Located in the Province of Bolzano, in Trentino-Alto Adige, the event is an ideal opportunity to discover South Tyrolean herbal and culinary traditions in a sunny village overlooking the Dolomites.