Did you know that one of the oldest natural human mummies in the world was found in Val Senales? When Ötzi was discovered by chance in 1991 by two mountaineers, he was dated to around 3,200 BC. Since then, his body, equipment and clothing have been studied in great detail and have provided us with many valuable insights into his fate and the living conditions at the transition from the Neolithic to the Copper Age.
Sounds exciting? You can still meet the Iceman Ötzi in many places in Val Senales today! Here are the most important ones:

Ötzi Glacier Tour
The hike to the Ötzi discovery site is probably the most direct way to encounter the Iceman. The glacier mummy was found at 3,210 metres above sea level on the so-called Giogo di Tisa, a dip between the Punta di Finale and Similaun peaks, which connects the Italian Val Senales with the Austrian Ötztal valley. Ötzi's discovery site is therefore only a few metres from the national border, and it is thanks to this fortunate circumstance that Ötzi the Iceman is now considered an Italian. Tours to the site where Ötzi was found are offered all year round and start from Maso Corto at the end of the valley. The Ötzi Glacier Tour is a beautiful glacier hike in summer and a ski tour in winter. To take part, you need to be in good physical condition and (in winter) have skiing and ski touring experience. You can register with archeoParc Val Senales.

Iceman Ötzi Peak
View the glacier through Ötzi's eyes! From the award-winning Iceman Ötzi Peak viewing platform at 3,212 metres on the Val Senales Glacier, you can see 126 three-thousand-metre peaks and even the Adriatic Sea in good weather! And the best thing? The platform is located just a few metres from the mountain station of the Val Senales Glacier Cable Car and can be reached in around 10 minutes via safe steel steps. This breathtaking, unspoilt natural paradise has hardly changed since Ötzi's time. Can you imagine what it must have been like back then to cross the Alps with Stone Age equipment?

archeoParc Val Senales
The archeoParc is the Ötzi museum in Val Senales and it is located in the village of Madonna di Senales. The museum is open in summer and tells the story of the Iceman from Italy in an exciting and family-friendly way, displaying faithful replicas of the artefacts found around Ötzi in Val Senales. The centrepiece of the museum is the outdoor area, the ‘Ötzi Village’, a replica of a Neolithic village. There is a lot to discover here, especially for the little ones, from archery and bread baking to fire demonstrations. The cafeteria and bookshop invite you to linger and browse.

Bolzano Archaeological Museum
If you want to see the real Ötzi, you have to visit the Bolzano Iceman Museum! A rainy day in your holiday in Val Senales is the perfect chance for a day trip to the provincial capital. There you can not only see Ötzi the Iceman himself, but also all of his original clothing and equipment. Information boards provide details about his life, the circumstances of his death and discovery, as well as archaeological findings in South Tyrol in general. The museum is suitable for visitors of all ages!

Experience Val Senales
Val Senales is one of the most rustic valleys in South Tyrol. You can easily imagine what it might have looked like in Ötzi's time. When hiking in winter or summer, you literally walk in his footsteps, even if it is fortunately a little easier today. You can rely on well-maintained paths and don't have to find your own. A tasty break also awaits you in our inviting mountain huts, where you are served fresh and healthy local produce without having to collect it yourself first. And in the evening, instead of a tent, you can stay in one of our cosy accommodations, where you'll sleep as well as if we were still the Stone Age, far away from the noise of the city. So, where do you want to meet the Ötzi mummy first in Val Senales?