Kronplatz Tandem Paragliding Flight from Brunico

Kronplatz summit: the take-off point

Kronplatz, called Plan de Corones in Italian, is a broad, rounded mountain rising to about 2,275 m directly above Brunico. Its gentle grassy top makes it one of the finest launch sites for paragliding in the Dolomites: there is room to lay out the wing, and the open slopes face several directions, so pilots can choose the side that matches the day's wind. On the summit you also find the great Concordia peace bell, panoramic terraces and mountain restaurants.

How to get to Kronplatz? The main gondola starts at Riscone (Reischach), just a few minutes by car or local bus from the centre of Brunico, and climbs to the top in about a quarter of an hour. Your cable car ticket is bought on the spot. Arrive a little early so you can enjoy the view before meeting your pilot: on a clear morning you see from the Zillertal glaciers to the pale towers of the Dolomites.

The tandem flight over the Puster Valley

After the briefing your pilot checks the wind, prepares the wing and attaches you to the front of the tandem harness. You take a few running steps down the slope and the wing gently lifts you into the air. From then on you just sit back: the pilot steers, finds rising air when conditions allow and points out the peaks, villages and valleys below. Your feet dangle above forests, mountain huts and the ski runs that cover the slopes in winter.

The flight lasts about 20 minutes and drops more than 1,000 m of height, so it feels smooth rather than fast. If you like, the pilot can add a few gentle turns; if you prefer calm, he keeps it relaxed. Landing is in a flat meadow on the valley floor near Brunico, usually standing up with a few soft steps. Paragliding in the Dolomites is weather-dependent, which is why the exact slot is fixed with the pilot on the day.

Brunico: the main town of the Puster Valley

Brunico, or Bruneck in German, is the lively main town of the Puster Valley in South Tyrol, where both German and Italian are spoken. Its compact old town lies along one long, colourful main street lined with arcaded houses, small shops and cafés, closed at each end by old town gates. Above the roofs stands a thirteenth-century castle built by the prince-bishops of Brixen, now home to a mountain museum, with a pleasant path through the woods up to its walls.

Is Brunico worth visiting before or after your flight? Yes: a slow stroll along the main street, a coffee in the square and a look at the castle hill fill an easy hour or two. Brunico is about 1 h 15 by road from Bolzano and is linked by train to the Brenner line, so a Brunico day trip combined with the flight works well even if you are based elsewhere in the Dolomites.

The Dolomites panorama and the best time to fly

From the air the view opens in every direction. To the south rise the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009, with famous summits such as the Sass de Putia and, on clear days, the snowfields of the Marmolada. To the north the main Alpine ridge carries permanent glaciers along the border with Austria. Below you the Puster Valley spreads out with its villages, onion-domed church towers and patchwork of fields.

The best time to visit Kronplatz for paragliding depends on what you want: summer and early autumn bring green valleys and long, warm days, while winter flights over snowy forests are magical and the air is often very clear. Morning slots are usually calmer; afternoons can bring stronger valley winds. Flights run all year, but the pilot always has the final word on safety, and slots can move within the day if the wind changes.