Merano, an hidden gem on the Alps. Spa, Food & Gardens
South Tyrol, in northern Italy, is a wonderful mash-up of cultures and has its national colours.
Colours are represented by the whiff of strudel in the air, the medieval pointed churches and the wonderful wooden chalets and of course the prevalence of German as a language.
At the foot of the Dolomites, South Tyrol is one of the most spectacular alpine scenery.
Merano is a pearl of South Tyrol and it offers palm trees and cacti in the Alps, art nouveau villas, a great medieval centre and a long tradition as a warm climate spa town.How does all this variety survive here?
Merano, panoramic view
Really it is the strange, protected sunny microclimate which makes much of this possible, and the rest of it is due to its popularity with Hapsburg royalty and Austrian celebrities, who came to relax and enjoy the pretty boulevards and admiring the medieval street.
Many of the best places where to stay in Merano belong to the spa hotel traditions, so there are plenty of options if you are looking to recharge.
The origins of Merano as a spa town date back to the 19th century, when the first guests began frequenting the spa at the newly established health resort. Merano soon became a popular spa resort for the aristocracy and bourgeoisie from all across Europe.
Trauttmansdorff Castle, böhringer friedrich [CC BY-SA 2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)]
Nowadays, the main tourist highlights are the Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle and the Terme Merano thermal baths.
Merano and surroundings also offers a wide range of destinations for trips with kids as well as activities dedicated to families with kids. The city of Merano has got twenty children’s playgrounds to offer for families with kids, moreover, there is plenty of space for playing in the surroundings.
If you might seek cultural offers, visit the library of Merano where you can find lots of books and readings, also for kids. What we also recommend in family holidays is a visit to one of the castles in the surroundings of Merano, your kids’s eyes will bright. Another highlight, not only for children, is a visit of the bird care centre of Castel Tirolo with raptor flight shows.
Photo Gallery
