Merano is South Tyrol’s second-largest city. By the middle of the 19th century, the town on the Passer river had risen to become one of the most famous spa towns of the Imperial and Royal Period, becoming the “South-facing balcony of the Habsburg monarchy” and attracting the rich and famous from all over Europe. This heyday has left visible traces in Meran. A multitude of villas are scattered all over the city, but especially the magnificent promenades along the Passer. At one of these promenades you will also find the Kurhaus, an Art Nouveau building that still enchants onlookers today.

If you want to shop in Meran, you will find plenty of chances to do so in Freiheitsstraße and in the picturesque medieval arcades. There are a variety of shops and small businesses, but also cosy cafes, where you can take a break along the way. Speaking of taking a break: if you’d enjoy a longer rest, make a stop at the Merano Spa. There are not only several pools awaiting the guests here, but also a huge wellness area.

Finally, Merano has a special attraction with the gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle. Around the castle, in which Empress Sissi once stayed, a beautiful garden was created, which today is one of the most beautiful in Europe. Here, you can walk between native and exotic plants and let yourself be warmed by the sun. A visit to the Touriseum in Trauttmansdorff Castle, a museum that is as well worth seeing as it is entertaining, takes care of the necessary shot of culture, by revealing the tourism history of South Tyrol.