Bolzano (bohl-ZAH-no; pop. 100,000) is most famous for 5000-year-old Ötzi the Iceman, a partially decayed body found frozen in 1991, held in the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology. The best sights in the city, however, don’t charge admission. Winter hikers climb to the snowy peaks, while summer visitors bike along the crystal-green Talvera River, wander up the stone pathway to Castel Roncolo, or gaze at the steep hills, resplendent with rows of grape vines. Whether it is the duomo ’s mixed architecture or the city’s two languages, Italian and German, Bolzano seems to rise above national borders.
Trains: in P. Stazione (☎ 0471 48 89 93). Ticket office open daily 6am-8:50pm. Info office open M-Sa 8am-7pm, Su 9am-1pm and 2-5pm. Customer service open daily 7am-9pm. To: Bologna (3hr., 16 per day ...more
The centro storico lies between the train station and the Talvera River (Talfer Fluss) . All major piazze are within walking distance. Visitors should consider renting bikes, Bolzano’s transportation ...more
The tourist office lists affordable agriturismi options, but most require private transportation—rent a bicycle and enjoy the countryside or reserve ahead for the inexpensive accommodations in ...more
For a full smorgasbord of Bolzano’s hybrid cuisine, start with a bowl of rindgulasch (beef stew); then try wurst (spicy sausage), speck (smoked bacon that tops pizzas and breads across mainland Italy) ...more
Duomo. The bell tower’s spined hollow spire and the ornate masonry around its eaves demonstrate Bolzano’s transition from Romanesque to Gothic religious architecture, while paintings ...more
Bolzano is technically located at the beginning of the Alps, despite local allegiance to the Dolomites. The hiking here pales in comparison with that of the Alps to the west or the Dolomites to the ...more
While most of Bolzano’s activities center around hiking, camping, and bicycle trips through the city and surrounding mountains, those seeking a fun evening should head to Piazza Erbe, where hordes ...more
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