Gais is located at the entrance of the Valle Aurina, only a stone’s throw from Brunico and the Plan de Corones
Gais, a municipality at the entrance of the Valle Aurina, does not only comprise the homonymous chief village, but also the villages of Villa Ottone, Riomolino and Montassilone and stretches from 819 m up to 3,171 m a.s.l. The name of the municipality derives from the Germanic language and means “alluvial land”. Gais is by the way surrounded by fields and forests and is ideal for extended promenading.
Gais belongs to the Vedrette di Ries-Aurina nature park and is a good starting point for tours, e.g. on the Cima del Vento (3.045 m). Also popular is the cycle path of Valle di Tures, running through the village and proceeding to Campo Tures. Gais also offers a natural lake for bathing, attracting those who would like to make a refreshing jump. Castello di Chela and Castel Neuhaus are buildings in the municipality that are steeped in history. The former has also a role to play in literature, as the most significant lyric of that period, Hermann von Gilm, staged the “Kehlburger Maifestspiele” in this castle. Castel Neuhaus, however, is closely intertwined with Oswald von Wolkenstein.
The most famous citizens of Gais are the alpine skier Christof Innerhofer and the bishop of the diocese Bolzano-Bressanone, Ivo Muser.
