Jaufen Pass
The Jaufen Pass in South Tyrol connects the Eisacktal Valley with the Passeiertal Valley and is also open in winter (during the day). The winding SS 44 pass road from Sterzing to Meran opens up dream panoramas and is particularly popular with motorcyclists and racing cyclists in summer. The mountain landscape around the Jaufen Pass also offers hiking trails, mountain bike routes, several huts and a ski area.
Facts & information about the Jaufen Pass & the SS 44
The Jaufen Pass offers fantasctic views of the Alpine mountain landscape
Unsplash | reisetopia- The Jaufen Pass/Passo Giovo lies at an altitude of 2,096 metres.
- It is the northernmost Alpine pass in Italy and connects the Eisacktal Valley with the Passeiertal Valley.
- The mountain pass is generally also open in winter, unless the weather does not allow it. In winter, however, it is closed at night between 6 pm and 8 am.
- From Gasteig (municipality of Ratschings) to St. Leonhard in Passeier, there is a driving ban for articulated lorries and all vehicles with trailers over 4.50 m in length.
- No toll is to be paid for the Jaufen Pass.
- The SS 44 is the shortest connection between Sterzing and Meran with a length of around 60 kilometres.
- The road sections Sterzing- Jaufen Pass, Jaufen Pass -St. Leonhard and St. Leonhard-Meran are each approx. 20 km long.
- The northern section of the SS 44 or Jaufen Pass road is often referred to in German as Jaufenstraße and the southern section as Passeirer Straße.
Dream tour for racing cyclists & motorcyclists
Jaufen Pass is the link between Eisacktal and Passeiertal.
HansThe pass road over the Jaufen Pass has 10 hairpin bends on the Eisacktal valley side and 11 on the Passeiertal side. The maximum gradient is 8% on the Passeiertal side and 7% on the Eisacktal side, although the gradients are steeper on the Eisacktal side. The breathtaking views and the winding challenge make the Jaufen Pass one of the top passes for motorbike and road bike tours in Italy, but the pass road also attracts car drivers.
The pass, which is dominated by the Jaufenspitze (2481 m) and the Saxner (2358 m) peaks, connects the Sarntal Alps in the east with the Stubai Alps in the west and offers impressive views. The Maria Heimsuchung chapel is a popular photo motif. The Edelweißhütte is located directly on the Jaufen Pass, but there are other huts and mountain inns in the surrounding area.
Nature & culture
View of St. Leonhard and Jaufenburg Castle
Tourismusverein Passeiertal - Benjamin PfitscherAround the Jaufen Pass, there are many opportunities for sporty mountain lovers. The alpine landscape on both the Passeier side with the Waltental valley and on the Eisacktal side with the Jaufental and Ratschingstal valleys has an unspoilt charm that is best discovered on hikes and mountain bike tours. The Ratschings-Jaufen ski area offers not only ski slopes but also a high-altitude cross-country ski trail and a toboggan run.
On the Passeiertal side, there is also a narrow access road from the SS 44 to Jaufenburg Castle above St. Leonhard: the keep is a branch of the MuseumPasseier and can be visited in summer. Fancy more culture: Meran and Sterzing offer beautiful historic town centres and a variety of sights.