Merano and environs Tourism

- Merano and surroundings: travel 365 days a year
In the heart of South Tyrol, where they begin the Alps, the town of Merano and over fifteen neighboring municipalities are very particular geographic area indicated as Merano and its surroundings.
In this area the rugged mountains meet the plains, the Alps meet the Mediterranean lands, giving rise to a series of pleasant contrasts that make this area unique.
Merano has earned the nickname "Garden City" because it enjoys a mild climate that has allowed to live together in the years that alpine with Mediterranean flora, encouraging the cultivation of palms and magnolias, with the massive Alpine Group Tessa (over 3000mt) in the background.

- Merano and surroundings: Places and Nature
Seen from above, Merano and surroundings look like a star in the center of which lies the town of Merano and whose rays are represented by the Val Venosta, Val Passiria and Val d'Adige.
Along these valleys grow beautiful and typical villages over the years have made tourism its natural resource focus in offering the guests all the attention and services necessary to grant them a wonderful holiday. These include the Alta Val di Non, Avelengo, Caines, Lana, Langundo, Marengo, Nalles, Naturno, Parcines, Prissiano, Rifiano, Scene, Tesimo, Tyrol, Val d'Ultimo, Val Passiria and Val Senales.
Returning, however, be said that natural appearance in Merano, since 1930, the municipal gardening takes care of the lawns and parks throughout the city in April it plays an important biennial event, Meranflora and the beautiful botanical garden of Castle Trauttmansdorff, appointed in 2005 most beautiful parks in Italy, is open to the public for most of the year.

- Merano and surroundings: Sports and Motion
The offer of sporting activities is another strong reminder to all those who decide to stay in Merano and surroundings. Skiing is guaranteed by the plants of Glacier Val Senales, open all year, and those of Val d'Ultimo. Merano 2000 is able to offer about 40 km of slopes just above the town of Merano, making it possible to combine skiing with the typical life of the city.
Sport, but not just skiing. Merano and environs offers, indeed, many other opportunities for movement such as the famous half-marathon in the spring, April 26, trains and places equipped for cyclo-tourists, golf courses (to Lana and Passeiertal), facilities and centers sports, hundreds of trails for trekking and hiking activities.
The Texel Group Nature Park offers beautiful trails that satisfy both the demands of lovers of mountain roads that require challenging both the needs of the most peaceful groups and families. Along the trail there are many huts and refreshment areas offering snacks and local specialties such as cheese, bacon and dishes.
It 'important to note how in Merano and the surrounding areas have been built in the many chairlifts and cable cars can carry tourists directly share, allowing them to enjoy the flavors right from the beginning day of high mountains.
A particular feature of walking in nature is represented by Paths, paths, everywhere scattered Merano and its surroundings, which line the wall, old water canals built since the thirteenth century and designed as a massive system of irrigation, to ensure the crops. Rediscovered and proposed again, these paths stretching for many miles, offering extraordinary opportunities for movement and are ideal for all families.
For those seeking less demanding physical activity, over 18 km of beautiful walks cut the length and breadth of the region, offering breathtaking views, with the scents of the gardens along the route.
Special mention goes to the Walk of Summer and the Winter along the river Passer, in the center of Merano, and the Way of Poetry, with benches carved from the verses of great poets Italians, Austrians and Swiss, as Luzi, Sanguinetti, Artmann and Kirsch reflecting the multiculturalism of the whole area of Merano.
More than 6,000 beds available across the area complete the landscape of this region, to satisfy every interest, providing services and facilities and various different but whose common denominator is the high quality and attention to detail in every proposal.

- Merano and surroundings: A Brief History
The first signs of human presence dating back to 5300 years ago when Ötzi, whose famous mummy was found in Val Senales at 3200mt, through this region.
Before the Romans, who settled here since 15 BC the region was occupied by the networks who founded the Rezia. The Romans, however, built a military camp in the area, the Castrum Majense of fundamental strategic importance because it is located along a major trans-Alpine routes between north and south. More recently, in the twelfth century the counts of Vinschgau settled in Castle Tyrol, and in this period witnessed a major growth phase of the city of Merano and the whole area. Then the entire region experienced a period of about five hundred years marked by a gray torpor and a slow decline.
The found glory began in the nineteenth century when they were discovered the exceptional therapeutic effects of climate. Arrival of Princess Sissi is the incredible renaissance of the city which was elected by a resort for many noble continent, becoming the star spa in Europe.