Merano is a lovely place in the heart of South Tirol. To arrive there, don't take the flight to Milano Malpensa, but if you can Munich or Innsbruck. Innsbruck is close to South Tirol. Sometimes you can find flight connection with AirDolomiti from Munich to Bolzano.....and from Bolzano to Merano are only 30 km highway....... If you arrive by car from Munich or from Innsbruck, you have to pay in Austria the Europe Bridge. A few km after the border Austria-Italy, if you want to take a break, you can stop in a nice town called Vipiteno/Sterzing. If you don't need any break, drive straight to Bolzano South. Here you have to go out from the highway and take the highway to Merano. This highway is not at payment. After 25 km go out at Merano South..
Merano has a long history, more as 7000 years, and I will not bored you. In this way I will try to explain some small things about this town.
South Tirol belonged to the Austrian - Hungaric empire until the end of the 1° World War, when it passed to Italy. The natural beauties and the climate and the good air of Merano's aerea were things very knowed also in the passed. As date, for the beginning for the tourist valorization of Merano in modern sense of the word, we can say year 1836, when an Austrian doctor wrote an artichel in which exalted the terapica effectiveness of Merano's air, of the cure of the grape and of the cure with the milk serum goat in the respiratory affections and in the heart's problems. The customers belonged to the more elevate social ranks of Europe, but especially of Austrian-Hungaric empire and Germany; between the hosts there were even the monarchs of Austria, of Prussia and Belgium. But unfortunatly the 1° World War stoped everything and the connection of South Tirol to Italy didn't help the increase of the tourism. During the 2° World War, and for some years after the end of it, the great Merano's hotels were used as military hospitals. In this way, the city has not been bombed, and so you can find a town with a nice liberty architecture.
Except for a month (November) or little more at the beginnig of the winter, it can be said that's is the only not tourism period. The basic resources of Merano's tourist economy are the beauty of the nature, the goodness of the climate in any season, the radioactive water, the nearly inexhaustible cure of the grape, possibilities of walks and excursions to every level of altitude and engagement, the works of art, the castles and the Race course starting in the late Spring time and finished in October. All is valued from an excellent hotel equipment. You can find 5 stars hotels as B&B as many Beauty Farms.
web address for hostels: www.ostello.bz
Passeggiata Tappeiner: Tappeiner's Walk
The Tappeiner Walk is the most famous and attractive green area of the town. Its name is dedicated to doctor Franz Tappeiner who exercised the profession of doctor in the city of the Passirio (the creek) to the end of the past century and that he was also a fan of anthropology and above of all of he loved botany. At the beginning of 1900 began the work on this walk. The realization happened in three periods, was not easy and could not done very fast. The Tappeiner Walk measure 3,184 km and it finds to an altitude of approximately 380 meters, therefore 60 meters over the city. Belive me, it's a lovely walk, no cars and very safe if you have children because they can run araound without problems. On the walk you can find restaurants where you can eat or only have a drink and it's possible to admire, inserted in the native flora, the charming subtropicale and Mediterranean vegetation. It's sounds strange, because we are in the North of Italy, but it's true.
Passeggiata lungo Passirio: Walk long the Passiro
The Passirio is the creek that crosses the city and this is the city walk, with the Kursaal and very nice flower-beds. On the passaggiata, in December, you will find the Christmas Market with all the handcraft of this part of Italy.
In Merano you have a lot to do and to see....and if you want, arround the tonw there are many castels, lakes, village to visit. ....or if you prefer in a small small village called Foresta/Forst only a few km from Merano, you con enjoy your time visit the famous factory of the beer Forst. This factory is like a beer town. There you can find a restaurant where you can eat the dishes of South Tirol like: Speck, Knoedel, Spinatspazeln ecc.
If you like to pratic sports, you have only to choose: tennis, swimming, golf, horse riding, football, mini golf and it's perfect for skiing in winter time, because you have a few ski traks in the area called Merano2000 or if you prefer you are close at the Superskipass Dolomiti circuit.......or you can take you your relax at Merano's terme&spa.
In all South Tirol you will find everythings wroten in two language : Italian&German
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