Völs: Local History, Nature and Cycling

Völs offers a variety of ways to enjoy a stay: local history and churches, the Völser Badl open-air swimming pool, the Völser pond, and opportunities for hiking and cycling. If you are looking for a hotel in Völs, consider which of these themes are especially important for your trip. The historic sites tell different chapters in the municipality’s story; the information about the Badl, pond and cycling routes offers other points of interest.

Churches, Museum and Local History

The Thurnfels Museum is housed in the historic municipal building, the former Thurnfels residence, also known as the Tower of Völs. St. Blaise’s Church, dedicated to Saint Blaise, is a landmark of Völs. It was first mentioned in 1286 and was already a popular pilgrimage site in the 15th century. For orientation: the Way of the Cross leading to the church begins near the village square.

The Old Parish Church also preserves a historic feature: fragments of Gothic frescoes depicting the Last Judgement remain there. The Emmaus Church was built in 1966/67 as a new church centre for the municipality of Völs, based on plans by architect Josef Lackner. Völs thus brings together evidence from different periods: the medieval heritage of St. Blaise’s Church and a 20th-century church building.

The Emmaus Church contains a large nativity scene in an Oriental style. The local association of nativity-scene enthusiasts built it in 1997, in more than 1,000 hours of work. Another artistic representation can be found in the Chapel of Saint John of Nepomuk: a statue of the saint, described as artistically valuable, stands in a pointed-arch niche; it is thought to date from the first half of the 19th century.

The Calvary group at the plague cemetery lies north of the old village centre, near the railway on Kranebitter Straße. It is dated to the mid-17th century and commemorates 1637, when the plague almost completely depopulated Völs. Places like these connect their visible design with specific moments in local history.

Leisure at the Badl and the Pond

The Völser Badl open-air swimming pool is located below Blasiusberg on a 12,000-square-metre terraced slope. The pool complex includes a sports pool suitable for competitions, an adjoining teaching pool and a children’s area with a spacious play stream. The swimming pool café has a viewing terrace with panoramic views. The facility therefore offers pools for different purposes as well as a dedicated play area.

The Völser pond is a 3,700-square-metre recreational area, with a maximum depth of 1.3 metres. It is also a wetland habitat for animal and plant species worthy of protection. These include the common toad, common frog, European tree frog and green toad, as well as eleven dragonfly species. When planning your trip, you can therefore consider both the pond’s recreational use and its special status as a wetland habitat.

Hiking, Cycling and Winter

Thanks to its central location, Völs is considered a starting point for numerous hikes in the surrounding area and the nearby Karwendel Mountains. For a cycling tour, the Nasses Tal route (Route 34) is listed as moderately difficult, 11.7 kilometres long and with 289 metres of elevation gain. These figures give you concrete points of reference for assessing the tour by distance and elevation gain.

Winter also brings its own activity: part of the artificial turf pitch at Völs sports ground is artificially iced over. The activities mentioned therefore differ not only by interest, but also by season. When choosing your stay, you can balance culture, nature and activity to suit your preferences.

Discover more destinations: Reith bei Seefeld, Ellbögen, Ampass, St. Jodok am Brenner, Birgitz, Götzens, Lans, Volderau.

Go to the overview of the wider region: Innsbruck-Land.