Bolzano Italy: attractions, how to get, hotels, shopping - Trentino

Bolzano (Bolzano) - the capital of the province of Alto Adige (Alto Adige), in the north of the Italian Republic (Repubblica Italiana) at the Swiss and Austrian borders. The city is attracted by its International Piano Competitions, Festivals of Ice Music ("Ice Music Festival"), tournaments on card games, Christmas markets, holidays of spring tulips.

Story

The city of Bolzano is located in a flat area at an altitude of 264 meters above sea level between the mountain ranges - these places are called the gates to the Dolomites (Dolomiti), many legends are composed about them.

It is these lands in German legends called Rosengarten - the Rose Garden, in which elves, dwarves live with their king Laurin.

The city and the province are inhabited by representatives of three main nationalities: German, Italian, Ladin. Therefore, Bolzano is often called the city of three cultures.

Sights

The city attracts travelers with magnificent mountain views and lakes, ski resorts, fun folk festivities and monuments of history and culture.

Conventionally, Bolzano can be divided into historical and modern areas. The main attractions and decoration of the old city are castles:

San Antonio (Castel Sant'Antonio), built in the XIII century and noticeable from afar thanks to a high tower with small windows for circular defense and a pyramid-shaped roof;
Mareccio (Castel Mareccio)founded in the XII century, reconstructed today and decorated with a new tower building and frescoes by modern masters;

Firmiano (Castello Firmiano)founded by knights in the X century, since 2003 serving to host the expositions of the Mining Museum (Museo della montagna);
Flavon (Castel Flavon), which appeared in the XII century and surrounded by a powerful fortified wall, used for celebrations and scientific events and as a restaurant.

Traveling around the city and its environs will introduce you to a large number of unique treasures of ancient architecture from different centuries.

Walther Square

Piazza Walter, named for Walther von der Vogelweide, a poet of the Middle Ages, is the center of the city where active market trade takes place and public holidays are held.

The main building on the square is the medieval Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin (Duomo di Bolzano), decorated with a 65-meter Gothic bell tower of the 16th century. In the cathedral you can see the fresco painting of the beginning of the 14th century by the students of Giotto and the end of the 15th century by Friedrich Pacher (Federico Progetti).

The square was built in the 19th century on the territory of the imperial vineyards and very quickly surrounded by houses. The monument to the medieval poet was erected in 1889.

Also on the square is the luxury shopping center Greif Center.

Portikov Street

Porticov Street (Via dei Portici) is one of the oldest streets, stretching for 300 m, connecting the two squares. In the era of the early Middle Ages, it began from a stone gate and a fortress wall. Here are the most beautiful historical buildings, decorated with frescoes of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance (Rinascimento), Baroque stucco decorations, windows with carved wooden shutters and arches.

Now on Via dei Portici are the most popular shops.

Argentienti Street

Silver Street (Via Argentieri) originated in the Middle Ages and began from the house with the nickname Silver (Argento casa). Via Argentieri is decorated with palaces, for example, the Palazzo Mercanti built in 1635, which now houses the Museum of Commerce (Museo commercio). This is a unique museum with a rare collection of documents, rare items by craftsmen-furniture makers, paintings, etc.
Silver Street invites tourists to shops of famous brands, restaurants, cafes.

Day Bottai Street

Via dei Bottai, called the beginning of the Old Town, began at the city gates of Wangen. Now there are souvenir shops of artisans with forged signs of old masters, restaurants with local dishes. Here is the Museum of Nature of South Tyrol (Museo di Scienze Naturali dell'Alto Adige).

Via della Mostra

Via della Mostra is one of the fashionable houses of the famous aristocratic families of Bolzano of different centuries, decorated with elegant facades with rich decor.

Some of the old palazzos are now converted into hotels.

Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta

The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta) is called the pearl of architecture, representing the features of the Romanesque and Gothic style.

A Romanesque style cathedral was built in the 12th century on the foundation of a church dating back to the birth of Christianity. In the 14th century, it was rebuilt by the Zioni brothers-architects in the Gothic style. One of the elements decorating the facade of the cathedral is the gargoyle, the figures of mythical creatures.

In the 16th century, a Gothic tower was added to the cathedral. The cathedral is distinguished by a wealth of interiors, for example, a carved wooden episcopal department of the beginning of the 16th century with images of the apostles was installed there, as well as fragments of fresco paintings by the Giotto school and icon paintings of the Mother of God.

Archaeological Museum of South Tyrol

The Museum of Archeology (Museo archeologico dell'Alto Adige) presents a story about the area from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages. An interesting exhibit is the mummy of the unknown, frozen in the Alpine mountains 5.5 thousand years ago and discovered in 1991.

Modern Art Museum

Museion, which opened in 1987, presents avant-garde art paintings. In the museum halls are held shift exhibitions of artists - our contemporaries, as well as forums, conferences, seminars.

Muri Grass Monastery

Abbazia di Muri Gras, located a 20-minute walk from the center of Bolzano, was founded by the monks of the Order of San Benedetto and is one of the most significant historical and cultural monuments in South Tyrol. The building presents striking features of the Baroque style, known for its giant bell weighing 5 thousand kilograms.

Part of the ensemble of the monastery is a 12th-century castle belonging to representatives of the Austrian count family Mori-Greyfenshteyn. In the first half of the 15th century, the monks of the Order of St. Augustine (Sant'Agostino) settled in the castle, placing bells in the watchtower. In the 18th century, the Baroque church of St. Augustine was erected, painted with frescoes by a master from Tyrol, Martin Knoller.

Now Muri Gris is a unique museum representing the exposition of Christmas nativity scenes (Collezione di presepi del Convento Muri Grie), the oldest of which dates back to 1750.

The Abbey has been famous for several centuries as a wine center. Even Augustinian monks broke vineyards with varieties of Santa Magdalena, Malvasia, Lagrain, Kretzer and Pinot Grigio and make wines, and from the 20th century the best varieties of local traditional wine began to be sold abroad.

Roncolo Castle

Roncolo (Castello Roncolo), otherwise called Runkelstein (Ryunkelshtayn), is located in the neighboring town of Ritten (Ritten). It was built in 1237, fortified as an impregnable citadel.

Significant transformations were carried out in the second half of the 14th century by merchants of the Vintler family: the total area of the castle was increased, additional rooms appeared, the rooms were decorated with fresco paintings based on works of literature and historical events, and a summer house was built.

At the Habsburgs (Asburgo) the castle was restored, the painting was restored. However, in the first half of the 16th century, the walls of the castle and the tower collapsed almost completely subsequently in a powder warehouse explosion and fires. Only in the second half of the 19th century did the castle go to the emperor of Austria, Franzco Giuseppe, who restored the castle and presented it to the townspeople as a gift.

Gourmet lovers

Bolzano is a constellation of varied dishes of Tyrolean and traditional Italian cuisine. Dishes in the Austrian traditions that can be found in most restaurants will not leave anyone indifferent:

Gnocchi kadliks (gli gnocchi);
Grestl with potatoes and different types of meat (grestl);
Braised venison (gulasch di cervo);
Pork with sauerkraut garnish (filetto di maiale con crauti);
Dishes from freshwater fish (lake trout, grayling, etc.);

Strudel with apples, cinnamon and raisins (strudel);
Chocolate cakes (torta con cioccolato);
Cream Cake (torta con crema);
Christmas cupcake with dried fruits and candied fruits (cupcake di natale), etc.

The union of recipes of the two peoples represents original dishes:

Ravioli (ravioli) with different fillings;
Polenta with deer meat (polenta con cervo);

Spinach stuffed ravioli (schlutzkrapfen);
Cakes with soft cream cheese (dolci con la ricotta), etc.

Be sure to taste the bacon and spicy bread with unusual additives (poppy seeds, caraway seeds and dill). If you arrive in Bolzano on the penultimate Sunday of May, you will come to the Speck Festival ("Speckfest Alto Adige").

Try the local traditional wines: Santa Maddalena, Riesling, Pinot, Merlot and Cabernet. The wines of South Tyrol are dedicated to the annual summer festival.

During the days of flower fairs, the city's restaurants present flower menu dishes. The fall months are reflected on the local menu with pumpkin dishes in honor of the Pumpkin Fair.

Shopping

In Bolzano, shopping enthusiasts will find boutiques of most popular Italian brands. Besides the above Greif Center, also worthy of your attention:

Biggest shopping mall Twenty, located at via G. Galilei, 20. Public transport is available on buses N6, 7A-7B, 110 and 111.
Centrum - a shopping center located on Via Galvani 3, it is most convenient to get there by your own car or taxi.
Piazza delle erbe - a market where you can buy all local products including high-altitude honey, various types of cheeses, wines, pastas, spices, as well as fresh vegetables and fruits. In the fountain in the square you can get drinking water for free.
Sacher shop - The official store of the Sacher confectionery company is located on Voltaire Square. Recommended for all sweet tooth.

Hotels

In Bolzano there are about 100 accommodation options for different levels of comfort and a wide price range. We have selected the best hotels for you according to the reviews of tourists and readers of our site.

3 stars

Three-star hotels are distinguished by a high level of comfort, quality of service in restaurants, and the availability of additional services. Vacationers are offered a choice of 3 star hotels - you can settle in the city center or in a quiet suburb.

Hotel figl

Figl is a family-friendly hotel surrounded by a small garden with the highest customer ratings for convenient location. It is located in the pedestrian zone of the old city, near the city station. At a distance of 50 m from Figl - convenient paid parking. The hotel rooms are equipped with comfortable bathrooms, air conditioning, TV, mini-bars. Guests are offered a buffet breakfast.

The hotel attracts vacationers with the opportunity to work out in the gym, visit the pool and mini-golf course, a playground for children's games. It provides services for organizing horse riding, cycling, tennis, downhill skiing.
The hotel is equipped for the convenience of guests with disabilities.

Hotel hanny

Hotel Hanny, located in a quiet part of the city, at a distance of 2.5 km from the central quarters, invites you to relax in comfortable rooms with the necessary appliances, split systems, Internet access. For guests, there is a restaurant where you can try a buffet breakfast and delicious national dishes.

The hotel is surrounded by a garden, has a terrace and offers wonderful mountain views. Guests can use bicycles for free, and children can play in the children's room. The hotel provides free parking spaces.

4 stars

Luxurious four-star hotels located in historic buildings offer tourists a wide range of services and varied local cuisine.

Hotel greif

Set in a historic building in the middle of the garden, Greif Design Hotel overlooks the Dolomites and Piazza Walter. The rooms with original design, natural wood flooring, elegant living rooms, marble bathrooms, new appliances, cosmetics.

The hotel invites you to a fitness room, pool, wellness center, massage parlor. Children can play in a comfortable area. All guests enjoy free use of bicycles, a garage and parking.

Breakfast can be enjoyed on the terrace with mountain views or in the luxurious restaurant with a menu of local specialties. The hotel has everything prepared for guests with disabilities.

Parkhotel laurin

Parkhotel Laurin, built in the early 20th century in the city center on the principles of Art Nouveau style, close to the cathedral, is surrounded by a small park.

Rooms with modern furniture design, picturesque paintings by Italian artists attract guests. The hotel provides spacious halls with the latest equipment for celebrations, social events, scientific conferences, banquets, exhibition seasons.

Vacationers can have breakfast and lunch on the terrace or in the garden, which serves Tyrolean and Italian cuisine.

Apartments and B&B

Apartments in Bolzano are designed for families with children, as well as lovers of skiing. The rooms are comfortable in the warm and cold season, beautiful furniture, appliances.

Park residence apartments

Set in a garden in the center of Bolzano, Park Residence Apartments feature kitchen space and various home appliances in each room.

The hotel has parking spaces. Guests can use free internet access and, if necessary, connect an air conditioning or heating system. The hotel welcomes guests with young children.

Attico belvedere

Attiko Belvedere apartments are equipped with air conditioning, technical equipment in the kitchen facilities of each room, comfortable bathrooms. Hotel guests can relax on the balconies or on the terrace while admiring the mountain views.