Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol

It is the most northern region in Italy; spreading over the southern side of the Alpine chain, it borders with Switzerland to the north-west, with Austria to the north and with the Italian regions of Lombardy to the south-west and Venetia to the east and south-east.   Known as Venetia-Tridentina until the end of the Second World War, it has been an autonomous region with a special Statute since 1948. 

Trentino welcomes you to a world of holiday opportunities.  Beautiful scenery, fun and educational attractions, active holidays, art and culture, historic buildings, culinary diversity - Trentino has it all! 

Practicing sport in Trentino is natural and instinctive.  Thanks to its particular conformation, this region offers an incredible variety of landscapes and climates, and can satisfy every kind of desire.   From the everlasting glaciers (3000 mt high), where you can ski even in August, to the Mediterranean climate of the Lake Garda (famous in the whole world for windsurfing and sailing), Trentino is considered a real paradise for outdoor activity.

Trentino region has got an unbelievable number of downhill ski slopes and cross-country ski centres among the most renowned of the entire Alps Valley after valley tourists can admire the wonderful view of Dolomites (300 ski lifts transporting more than 300 thousand skiers per hour, 800 chilometers downhill ski slopes; many cross-country ski centres with 500 chilometers of tracks).  Moreover it's also possible cross-country ski-touring and ski orienteering.

Two of the greatest ski circuits in the Alps are the Dolomiti Superski and the Skirama Dolomiti Adamello Brenta, which cover almost the whole of Trentino and offer the possibility to enjoy many slopes and different landscapes with just two lift passes. 

The two main cities are Bolzano (Bozen) and Trento. The region is divided into two provinces: Bolzano-Bozen (in the north, with the city of Bolzano (Bozen) as the capital) and Trento (in the south, with the city of Trento as capital).

The province of Bolzano-Bozen wanted more autonomy, because the main German-speaking community of Italy lives there.   In the province of Trento, the people speak Italian.   It has 339 official towns.

The recorded history of Bolzano began with the arrival of Roman garrisons in the 1st century BC, although the area had been inhabited at least 2.500 years earlier.

Today's town center began 900 years ago and is characterized by Gothic architecture.   It was constructed by the bishops of Trento at a key junction between North and South and included an arcaded avenue to display goods, with German-speaking tradesmen on one side and their "Italic" counterparts on the other.

Although it was often touched by war, Bolzano has preferred peace, favouring first the exchange of merchandise, later languages and customs. 

The wealth that rolled out of the arcades helped the church to erect such artistic monuments as Giottoesque frescoes, a cathedral bell tower designed by a Swabian architect, and the carved wooden altar by Michael Pacher. With the 20th century came Jungenstil and Neo-Gothic styles.

Under fascism, Mussolini mobilized the most talented artists in Italy for the Triumphal Arch and the courthouse.

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The most important cities are:

Province of Trento (Trentino): Trento and Rovereto 
Province of Bolzano-Bozen (Alto Adige/Südtirol): Bolzano (Bozen), Merano (Meran) 

The two main groups are German in ALTO ADIGE(where live also Italian-speaking) and Italian (they live in the Trento province as majority and ALTO ADIGE in the principal cities), but a minority group called the Ladins lives in the Dolomites region: they speak an old Rheto-romanic language.   Words and ways of talking in this area are spread in the valleys around the Dolomites mountain group: Gardena, Badia Mareo Valley (ALTO ADIGE)and Fassa Valley (Trentino).   Ladin is also spoken in the town of Cortina d'Ampezzo and areas around there.  The Ladin language of the Fassa Valley, Ladin is more like italian: the Ladins of this valley speak a language with a lot of Italian or Trentino style sentences.

Trento, capital of Trentino, is not far from the Dolomites and the numerous lakes that can be found near by, it is a city of art that has a strong Renaissance mark, which characterises it for its colours, its buildings and make it unique in the entire Alpine arch. 

Trento maintains a close link to tradition throughout the various seasons and can be admire in its many folded facets: "Città in giardino" after the awakening of Spring, its tasty products in the Autumn period, kept alive by its historical re­enactments during the S Vigilio festival at the end of June or illuminated by the "warm" Christmas market lights during Advent.

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Monguelfo -Tesido  (ger. Welsberg-Taisten)

Monguelfo is a good starting place to explore the valleys and towns; Brunico, Dobbiaco, San Candido, Cortina etc,.

The Village of Monguelfo seen from the place-name Monte Serlall is certified as Waeltsperch and Welischperg in 1375 and derive from the name of the castle of the family Welsberg, ie "Monte dei Guelfi".

Above the village of Monguelfo, entering into the Valley of Casies, is the castle of Monguelfo and the castle Thurn.     The castle of Monguelfo, the village of Monguelfo and that of Villabassa, is found the clearance for the Valle di Braies, where you can reach the Braies lake - here one can walk around the beautiful lake with breath-taking sceneries.

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Merano 

Merano is a very charming little town, with mountain background, the Passirio river, shops and arches, well-maintained gardens and parks, showing a great influence of Bavaria and Austria.   Infact, it was first popularised by the empress Elisabeth of Austria better known as Princess Sissi, still a popular name in the region.   Although a less visited and known town, for the general "tourist", (Tuscany, Lazio, Campania and Liguria being the favorite preference) it is still a favorite amongst the Italians and Austrians.   

The thermal resort, is one of the main tourist destinations.  Merano is still catering to jet-setters from all over Europe thanks to diet and anti-aging guru Henri Chenot’s well-being center at the hotel Palace Merano, which has recently welcomed Pavarotti, Princess Caroline of Monaco and Zidane, the recently retired French soccer star.  Concomitantly, the newly designed Merano Thermal Baths attracts the beautiful people living in Northern Italy and beyond.

Recently opened to the public is the il Giardino Botanico di Sissi in the Castello Trauttmansdorff  (The Botanical Garden of Sissi - Trauttmansdorf Castle).   It was the winter residence of .   The botanical garden spreads over 12 hecters of ground where some rare plants are grown, because of the mild climate, it is possible to cultivate trees coming from the hot climates.   The layout is divided into different zones for different plants: japanese forest, plantation of rise, plants grown in Messico and the swamps of Florida, mediterranean vegetaation etc.

Garden and nature lovers mustn't miss out on the walk along the aquatic and terraced gardens and the small paths that takes you to the English and Italian gardens, also not to be missed is the floreal clock, the cave and aviary all to be admire following the suggestive walk of Sissi.
There is a walk which you can follow from her residence, which  passes down through the magnificent villas to the town center, as you decend or asend.

The region also boasts fantastic architecture, food, beer and wine, all of which reflect Italian and Austrian influences.    In December, don’t miss the beautiful Christmas markets of Alto Adige.   Art from Tyrol is also of interest, “tribal baroque”, a sort of weird genre where horns of mountain goats feature prominently.