Once you leave Merano, you follow a road through the woods for about 5km to reach Castel Fragsburg, a small, fairytale-like residence with an elegant feel and guestrooms decorated in the traditional style of the southern Tyrol. At the gourmet Prezioso restaurant, in fine weather lucky diners can choose to sit on one of the most spectacular terraces in Italy, perched high above the valley. In the kitchen, chef Egon Heiss demonstrates his culinary talent on a single tasting menu of creative dishes which are made mostly from local mountain ingredients, sourced from the restaurant’s own kitchen garden and other producers from the nearby mountain valleys. The menu nearly always features char and trout, as well as wild game and top-quality meat – the Val di Funes lamb served in two courses (the first as a pink fillet served with its own jus and confit tomatoes, the second a mouthwatering shoulder of lamb with aromatic herbs served with parsley polenta) is truly delicious.