Overview
San Candido is immersed in an idyllic setting, at an altitude of 1,174 metres, squatting at the foot of the Dolomites. Arriving in San Candido, you will be particularly surprised by the presence of an imposing bell tower, that of the Collegiate Church of Ss. Candido and Corbiniano, by the surprising number of "minor" churches and by bulky military structures and barracks, some abandoned and others still in use. There is also a military shrine from the Fascist era that looks like a Roman fortress: it can be found by continuing on to Prato alla Drava, towards the border with Austria, which is a stone's throw away. These constructions are closely linked to the key position in which San Candido stands, in a historic border area and at the crossroads of two important roads, those of Val Pusteria and Valle di Sesto, which cross the Monte Croce di Comelico pass and lead to Veneto: for this reason, the Romans founded a village here, Littamum, and in the eighth century, the dukes of Bavaria had a Benedictine monastery built as a bulwark of Christianity, against the invasions of the Slavic peoples from the east. It was from that monastery, starting in 1143, that the Collegiate Church, with its splendid decorations, originated. To learn about its history, intertwined with that of the town, you can visit the Collegiate Museum, housed in the ancient chapter house. To discover the natural heritage of San Candido and the Dolomites, in the eclectic Villa Wachtler, the interactive museum DoloMythos has been set up, which also offers many recreational and educational activities for children and teenagers. If you prefer fantasy to history and science, just look to the south, where the Rocca dei Baranci stands out with its spellbinding atmosphere, a mountain at the centre of legends that tell of epic clashes between giants and valley dwellers: at the station, upstream of the chairlift that climbs to the summit, children will find the Realm of the Giant Baranci – Dwarf Village, a small theme park. Another entertaining experience is the return to the valley with the 1700-metre-long Fun Bob summer toboggan run.
