Quirky Travel Question: where in Europe is South Tyrol?
Now be honest. No quick checking on Google. How many of you answered Austria? That was my immediate thought when I received an invitation to visit South Tyrol (also known as Alto Adige or Südtirol). However, I soon learnt that it’s actually in ITALY, its northernmost province which, according to the tourist board website, combines, “Alpine staidness with Italian joie-de-vivre, the Dolomites – a UNESCO World Heritage site – and cultural diversity. South Tyrol is a region abounding with contrasts, between Mediterranean landscape and Alpine peaks, deeply rooted tradition and cosmopolitan curiosity.” Sounds great, doesn’t it!
South Tyrol and the Dolomites
I’m going to spend a weekend in this intriguing region to see what gastronomic delights it has to offer. I hear it is choc-a-bloc with top-quality cheeses and award-winning wines. I’ll be travelling with fellow travel bloggers Heather Cowper ‘Heather on her Travels’ who’s trying some outdoor activities and Abigail King ‘Inside the Travel Lab’, who will be focusing on the architecture and design.
Bolzano region of South Tyrol
We’re staying in historic Bolzano, the provincial capital of South Tyrol, at the More Magdalener Hotel, which looks very modern. It even has its own ‘Philosophy’; “more ‘space for your dreams” which sounds fab but not sure our busy itinerary will allow much time for dreaming …
More Magdalener Hotel, Bolzano
My Lonely Planet Guide to Italy says of Bolzano, “Its quality of life – one of the highest in Italy – is reflected in its openness, youthful energy and an all-pervading greeness.” However, the city’s most famous inhabitant is anything but youthful; the ‘Iceman’ exhibited in the Archaeological Museum lived over 5,300 years ago. Bolzano looks a lovely mix of the old and new with a beautiful backdrop of the Dolomite mountains.
Bolzano City
On the Saturday I will be in the Val de Vizze near the Austrian border, learning how Speck cheese is made, visiting the Pretzhof, a traditional farm and having lunch there.
Pretzhof farm restaurant
In the afternoon I’m hoping to be able to wander round Bolzano and discover a bit more of its history and culture.
Quirky Travel Fact
The village of Termeno/Tramin, located on the South Tyrolean Wine Route, has given its name to the Gewürztraminer grape. This area is rich in vineyards and one of my pleasures on this trip will be tasting a few of the wines, including those at the Nals Margreid winery, which I read has some excellent vintages. Lunch will be at the Hotel Miramonti with Chris Mayr, president of the Sommelier Association of South Tyrol, who will be talking about the Alto Adige wine region.
Wine grapes – Nils Margreid vineyard
Finally I’m really looking forward to visiting The Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle. Those of you who read this blog regularly know how much I love history and culture and this is my chance to learn more about this side of South Tyrol. With its origins in the Middle Ages and a neo-Gothic look created in the 19th c, Trauttsamndorff Castle has been restored with rooms reflecting its historic heritage. It also houses the region’s Tourism Museum and has world-famous gardens. Hopefully I will have plenty of time to explore its many attractions; I’ll have to be careful not to have TOO much wine during the day.
Trauttsmandorff Castle
So, that’s my deliciously different Italian weekend with South Tyrol Tourism as part of the Travelator Media group. You can follow our quirky travels with the hashtag #insouthtyrol on Twitter and other Social Media platforms and there will, of course be a blog post or two on my return. Ciao …
Update
Here’s what I found on my delicious gastronomic tour of South Tyrol – as you can see, it more than exceeded expectations!
I knew where it was! That’s because I hold a special place for the Tyrollean highlands as of a few years ago. I chanced across an amazing photo, looked it up on the map, and have wanted to go there ever since. I got the closest two years ago in Napoli, but didn’t quite make it. Is it relatively hard to get there via public transport? Or what’s the best way to arrive? 🙂
Margaret, I will be able to tell you more when I get back – leaving on Friday. However, I know the nearest Italian airport is about two hours away. I am flying into an airport near Milan (we looked at Venice) then being picked up but I am getting a train back to Milan. There are good rail links from all the airports and major cities so that would be your best bet. The South Tyrol website has more details //www.suedtirol.info/en/Plan-Your-Trip/How-To-Get-There.html and also plenty of info on what to see and do. Hope you make it soon!
Can’t wait until we’re out there, looking forward to tasting some of those wines myself!
You’ll deserve a bottle or two after your wine route cycle ride Heather!
This will be my first visit back to Italy since I visited as an English teacher on SS Uganda with hundreds of school children 30 years ago! I’ve only been to Venice and Naples so this trip will be a great opportunity to get to see some other parts of this lovely country. I’m adding an extra couple of days to stay with a fellow travel blogger Simon Falvo in Milan. Hopefully it won’t be so long before I return 🙂
It looks stunning and quite different from the regions in Italy that I have visited. I can’t wait to hear more about your visit. Very envious!
It was even better than it looked Kat. Just back and full of delicious cheese, meats, bread, excellent vino and mountain scenery 🙂 It’s sort of Austria with a hearty helping of Italian dolce vita 😉 Hope you get to visit one day.
What’s there to do for teenagers?
Bolzano is very lively with a big student population for the university so there are quite a few bars and clubs. They enjoy plenty of outdoor activites including cycling, riding, swimming, hiking and winter sports including skiing and snowboarding. The cable car is good fun and most of the museums etc have activities for children.