Bolzano, placed in the Italian region called Trentino Alto-Adige, is also well known as the “Dolomites door”. It is visited by many national and international tourists thanks to its ski slopes and its typical Christmas street market.

Bolzano has been constructed in a dell characterized by many vineyards. Its mild climate panders to palms, agaves, cypress and olive trees to grow up wonderfully. This typically Mediterranean vegetation contrasts with this city’s background characterized by the Dolomites tops often covered by snow.

Nowadays Bolzano is a very charming city that offers really many attractions to tourists, starting from its historical Medieval centre that was constructed during the XII and the XIII century.
Visiting this city you can admire its architecture characterized by Nordic and Mediterranean elements and the Belle Epoque atmosphere of the Walther Square that represents the urban centre of this city. Here you can admire the monument dedicated to the most important German poet Walther Von Der Vogelweide.

In this square you can find the imposing Gothic Dome (XIV-XV century) with its unique polychrome roof, its Romanic main door, its rose window, its fresco of the “Madonna col bambino” (Madonna with Child)(1475) and which one of the “Crocifissione” (The Crucifixion) that dates back to the end of the XIV century. Inside the Dome you can admire the Gothic pulpit, the monumental main altar made up by polychrome marble (1710-20), the ancient Crucifix, and the Baroque Cappella Delle Grazie with frescos by Karl Henrici (1771).

Near the Dome there is the Gothic Chiesa Dei Domenicani (Dominicans Church) and its cloisters. In both these two constructions you can find beautiful frescos date that bake to the XIV and the XV century.

In Piazza Delle Erbe (Delle Erbe Square) there is a spirited and coloured fruit and vegetable market. At the corner with Via dei Portici (dei Portici Street) there is the Fontana del Nettuno (1745) called Gabelwirt (innkeeper with fork).  In front of this fountain there is also the ex Albergo del Sole that hosted Goethe, Herder and the Emperor  Jospeh II.

Going through Via dei Francescani (dei Francescani Street) you can visit the Gothic Church of Franciscan that hedges in a precious wooden altar by Hans Klocker (XVI century). The cloisters of this church is ornamented with beautiful frescos.

Via Bottai is the most typical street of the historical centre thanks to its ancient wrought iron signs, its inns and artisan workshops. At the and of this street there is the Museum of the Natural Science of the Alto Adige.

Via dei Portici is the most famous street in Bolzano and it has an important commercial function. Here you can admire beautiful porticos that dates back to the XV-XVIII century, the Baroque Palazzo Mercantile (Mercantile Palace) , the ancient chemist “alla Madonna” considered a little museum of oils, dyeings, essences, ointments, and of herbal teas and the Cooperative of the Atesini Artisans. Another very ancient place is Piazza del Grano: in this square there was the market of the grain and here there is also the picturesque Casa della Pesa (XVII century).

The XVII century palaces of the local bourgeoisie can be admired in the square and street Della Mostra: Palazzo Campofranco, Palazzo Menz, Palazzo Pock.
Visiting the Civic Museum you can have a overview on the archaeological history, the ethnography and the local art of Bolzano.

In the ex climatic station of Gries there is the Abbey of Benedectine, the Church of Sant’Agostino, the Vecchia Parrocchiale of Gries that hedges in two important artistic treasures:  the altar by Michael Pacher (1471-75) and the Romanic wooden Crucifix that dates back to the XIII century.

Other important monuments are: the Monastery of the Teutonic Order (XVI-XIX century), the Church of San Giorgio (XV century) and the little Church of San Giovanni in Villa built during the XII century and characterized by precious frescos.
So it is evident that all the museums, castles and the unique fusion between the Mediterranean and the Central European culture make Bolzano a very original place in Italy. The Gothic style of the ancient churches frescos, the plasticity of the works by Pacher, the religious silence that characterizes the room of the “Otzi” (the 4300 years old mummy preserved in the local Archaeological Museum), the cycle of profane frescos of the Castle Roncolo and that of the Renaissance ones of the Castle Mareccio are some of the things you can’t miss once in Bolzano.

The deep green of gardens and vineyards together with the cableways that will rapidly bring you to the top of mountains in a wonderful alpine atmosphere, give to this city both an agriculture and a mountain character.

Staying in Bolzano you can not only admire the local nature, culture and art but you can also taste the typical dishes like the knödel with speck and the prestigious local wines: among them, for example, there are the native Lagrein and Santa Maddalena.

From the end of November to the 23th of December you can also visit the fascinating traditional Bolzano Christmas markets.

Road Connections
A22 Brennero – Modena, exit Bolzano Sud or Bolzano Nord
Motorway (Strada statale) SS 12 (from Trento to Brennero)
Motorway (Strada statale) SS 38 (from Passo Resia)
Motorway MeBo Bolzano – Merano.

Railway connections

Line Verona-Brennero. From Milan it will take three or four hours to arrive in Bolzano. The railway station of Bolzano is placed exactly at the centre of the city. The train represents the best solution to arrive there.

Aerial Connections

In the Southern part of Bolzano there is a little airport conncted to Rome. You can get more information using this number: 0471 255255.

…Enjoy your stay in Bolzano!

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