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A Pinch of Gold for the Nose

The Parcines waterfall is a health resort with air as pure as in the Arctic. And there is gold in the air.

Like a cloudburst in the sunshine, masses of water rush over the freestanding cliff face and fall 97 meters into the depths. Like a never-ending curtain of shiny water, the Parcines waterfall leaves a lasting impression on visitors.

Parcines/Partschins, located near Merano/Meran, is home to many picturesque lanes and historic buildings as well as the highest waterfall in South Tyrol. Particularly impressive is the natural spectacle of the waterfall during the snowmelt in May and June or after heavy rains. During these peak times, up to 10,000 liters of water per second thunder down over the rocks. Can you imagine the sound?

The best time to visit the waterfall is on sunny days between ten and twelve o'clock, when the fine spray sparkles in all colors of the rainbow. The air at the waterfall is especially clean before sunrise and after sunset (or when the sky is cloudy). During this time, particle concentrations between 800 and 1200 / cm³ can be measured, which is close to that of the world's most outstanding clean air areas over the Northeast Atlantic or the Arctic.

In the summer alone, the humidity and evaporation of the cold are highly refreshing. But not only that: there is a special healing climate in the air. The concentration of active oxygen ions is particularly high near the impact of the waterfall, speeding up to more than 50,000 ions per cm³. For comparison, city air has 200 ions per cm³, and in the mountains or at the sea it is closer to 5,000.

Ions bind fine dust and exhaust gases, stimulate the immune system, cleanse the respiratory system, soothe the nervous system, aid circulation, and generally exert a revitalizing effect. They also facilitate the exchange of breath in the lungs, which is why the "waterfall cure" is recommended in particular to those sufferering from allergies or asthma.

A recent study by the Technical University of Munich found that clean, germ-free water flows at the Parcines waterfall and that the quality of the air is excellent. Incidentally, 1 μῦ ("My") gold was also detected in this water. So you can not only breathe healthily, but also enjoy the small treasure that lies in the air!