The charming little spa town of Merano offers
visitors many contrasts with its southern European flair, narrow
Medieval alleyways, ancient town gates and fortified walls, elegant
public buildings, various places of worship, beautiful parks and
gardens and exotic vegetation all set against a background of
snow-capped mountain peaks over 3,000 metres.
Fascinating Merano
Merano is known for its shady central Arcades with their tempting
shops and boutiques, cool, quiet walks along the river Passirio/Passer
and its numerous historic sights. The town also hosts an interesting
calendar of entertainment and events to suit all tastes.
A stroll around Merano
The Winter and Summer Promenades, the Gilf Walk and the famous
Tappeiner Promenade are the most attractive and well-known of
the town’s paths. You might choose to stroll along following
in the footsteps of Austrian Empress Sissi past exotic tropical
trees and colourful flower beds and, summer or winter, there is
always a comfortable wooden park bench in the sun somewhere for
you to sit on and relax for a while as you admire the splendid
panorama. The whole Merano basin is criss-crossed by numerous
Waalwege, shady, flat, narrow paths which meander along the farmers’
irrigation channels and which are so popular with visitors and
locals alike.
Merano by night
Take a look at what Merano has to offer night owls! As the sun goes
down leaving the surrounding mountain peaks tinged with a warm pink,
the atmosphere really does begin to heat! The floodlights of the
cathedral and the decorative Liberty-style Kurhaus, emblem of the
town and one of the finest examples of this style to be seen anywhere,
help create a special romantic atmosphere in town.
Trauttmansdorff
Castle and the Botanical Gardens
The Botanical Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle host a myriad
of plants from all over the world as well as more traditional,
South Tyrol scenes. Well-laid out paths wind their way from one
setting to the next - from water gardens to hanging gardens, from
perfumed gardens to a typical Japanese-style setting, from an
area dedicated to cactus to Mediterranean groves planted with
olive trees and grape vines.
The gardens, which cover a 12 hectar sight
towards the east of the town, rank as the top visitors´
attraction not only in Merano itself but in South Tyrol as a whole.
With over 80 different landscaped areas to choose from, the exotic,
Mediterranean-style gardens are a truly unique experience. They
extend over a natural amphitheatre surrounded by terraces up to
100 metres in height and give splendid,
unforgettable views of Merano, the surrounding countryside
and the nearby mighty mountain peaks.
Trauttmansdorff
Castle and the Museum of Tourism
Trauttmansdorff Castle, a stately home with over
700 years of history, stands just above the Botanical Gardens of the
same name. It was one of the favourite residence of Empress Elisabeth
of Austria and her family when they came to Merano for spa treatments
and has, since 2003, housed South Tyrol’s Regional Museum of Tourism.
The renovated castle
opened to visitors in 2008 and now houses a permanent exhibition dedicated
to the Empress and her many visits to Trauttmansdorff. The view over
the gardens changes according to the season, with springtime tulips
followed by magnificent rhododendrons, peonies and perfumed roses. Summer
days are filled with the scent of lavender, lotus flower and water
lilies while autumn sees the gardens bathed in the special warmth of
seasonal colours.
Events – romantic evenings accompanied by World Music events or
breakfast with Sissi, exotic flower-inspired cocktails and ... much
more!
