10 Reasons You Need to Visit Bolzano, Italy

Generally speaking, Bolzano isn’t the first name that comes to mind for people thinking about a vacation on the Italian peninsula. However, it is important to note that the city has its own particular charm, which can make it an excellent choice for a wide range of visitors.

Here are 10 reasons that people should consider visiting Bolzano:

Location

First and foremost, Bolzano is the biggest of the alpine towns that can be found in the Italian province of South Tyrol. As a result, it should come as no surprise to learn that it is situated close to the Dolomites, which are a mountain range that offer plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation.

Culture

South Tyrol is one of the three places that make up the historical region of Tyrol, which was once one of the numerous states that made up the Holy Roman Empire. As the joke goes, the Holy Roman Empire was neither holy nor Roman nor an empire, which is why South Tyrol has a lot of German influences in the local culture. The result is something that can be found nowhere else in Italy, meaning that visitors can expect an one-of-a-kind experience in that regard.

Convenience

Bolzano is the capital of South Tyrol. This means that it is connected to the other sites of interest throughout the region, meaning that it is an excellent starting point for people who are interested in seeing South Tyrol as a whole rather than sticking to a single place.

Comfort

The city of Bolzano is famous for having a high quality of life. In fact, it managed to secure the top spot in a 2014 ranking of Italian cities, which is rather impressive to say the least.

Climate

Bolzano’s location puts it close to a number of climates. For example, it is similar to a humid subtropical in the sense that it has hot summers and cold winters, but in practice, it doesn’t actually meet the conditions for something to be considered humid subtropical. As a result, most of Bolzano is said to have a semi-continental climate, though some of its suburbs have what is called an oceanic climate because of their cooler summers.

Walther Square

Walther Square is one of the more famous sites that can be found in Bolzano. For a lot of people, it is best-known for its statue of its namesake, Walther von der Vogelweide, a medieval poet who was famous for his love songs. Besides that, he was also the first poet to start writing about political matters in German, meaning that he is a rather notable figure when it comes to German culture.

Laubengasse

Speaking of German culture, the Laubengasse is an excellent example of the influences that have combined to result in modern Bolzano, as shown by the fact that its other name is Via dei Portici. Nowadays, the 300 meter-long street is packed full of shops, thus providing plenty of shopping opportunities to both locals and tourists.

Gothic Cathedral

Bolzano was important enough to have its own Gothic cathedral built in the Middle Ages. Like a lot of cathedrals out there, this particular example had a rather interesting building history, as shown by the fact that it started being built in 1184 and hadn’t reached its fully-completed state until the early 16th century.

South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology

The South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology is exactly what it sounds like. As a result, it is most famous for being home to Otzi the Iceman, a prehistoric man who was mummified as a result of the cold temperatures at the altitudes at which he perished. Suffice to say that he is famous not just in Italy but in countries situated all around the world, not least because he provided a fair amount of insight into a little-known part of the human experience.

Museion

For someone who is more interested in more modern scenes of interest, there is the Museion. In short, said institution is home to more than 4,000 pieces of art, which have a particular focus on both contemporary and modern art from Bolzano and the rest of the surrounding region. As a result, if someone is fascinated by what South Tyrol’s culture has been producing in modern times, the Museion is a good place to get started with the learning experience.

You can also read: