Sagra dei Canederli: Vipiteno’s Alpine Dumpling Celebration

Region: Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol
Province / Nearest City: Bolzano / Vipiteno (Sterzing)
Title: Sagra dei Canederli – The Alpine Dumpling Festival

In September, the medieval streets of Vipiteno (Sterzing) are filled with the smell of sizzling butter, herbs, and cooking broth. During the Sagra dei Canederli, the popular Alpine bread dumpling is feted in all its tasty guises and transforms the town center into one large open-air restaurant.

Meaning and Origin:
The festival is a joyful tribute to one of the region’s most iconic dishes, born from the peasant tradition of transforming stale bread into hearty, filling meals. What began as a small community event has grown into an international food attraction, drawing visitors eager to taste canederli in both traditional and creative variations.

Atmosphere of
Imagine the long communal tables running down Vipiteno old town, under the pastel-hued facades and the backdrop of the Alps. Locals in dirndl and lederhosen are bringing piping hot plates laden with dumplings—speck, cheese, spinach, beetroot, mushroom, and even dessert apricot-flavored ones. A brass band plays in the background, and the murmur of the diners blends with the clinking of the glasses of wine. The atmosphere is permeated with the aroma of butter, sage, and rich stock.

What to Expect and How to Join:
The Sagra dei Canederli tends to fall in the second Sunday of September. Admission is gratis and food is for sale by stalls on the main street, the Via Città Nuova. Tasting portions can be purchased and consumed as many times as desired throughout the day. Live music, stalls for local artisans and children's entertainment complete the day as a family affair.

Address: Via Città Nuova, Vipiteno (Sterzing), Bolzano Province

How to Get There:

By car: From Bolzano, travel on the A22 Brennero motorway northward; approximately 70 km (50 minutes).

By public transport: Trains leave regularly from Bolzano to Vipiteno in about 1 hour 15 minutes. From the station, the festival site is a short walking distance away.

Nearby Food & Stay:
Stay in Vipiteno's Hotel Lamm for Alpine atmosphere and ease of access to the festival. Besides canederli, sample strudel di mele (apple strudel) or schlutzkrapfen (spinach-filled pasta) in local restaurants.

Prepayment La Sagra dei Canederli is about more than a meal; it's about Alpine tradition, ingenuity, and camaraderie. Arrive with an appetite, depart with a full heart, and a new admiration for the unpretentious bread dumpling.