Five Days in Bolzano

As soon as you arrive you will be tired from the journey and hungry! Leave your luggage at the hotel and don't wait any longer; head to the historic center in search of typical Bolzano street food. Whether it's a sausage at one of the typical 'standl' or a pretzel, Bolzano's street food will win you over.

Now is the time to start discovering the city and why not do it from above? From the old town center head towards Ponte Talvera and take the Talvera promenade up to Sant'Antonio bridge. From there, walk up the gently winding St. Oswald Promenade, which leads to a terrace overlooking the old town, from which you can admire the bell towers of the cathedral, the Dominican and Franciscan churches, and the Teutonic Order tower. Towards the left you will see the hill of Santa Maddalena, where you can taste the red wine of the same name in one of the many family-run wine cellars.

In just over an hour, you'll have a breathtaking view of the entire city and the Dolomites. And that's just the first day!

Don't forget to check the events calendar for an evening concert or take a look at our Cityguide with lots of tips on where to eat.

After seeing Bolzano from above, it's time to dive into its streets and alleyways. A stroll through the streets of the center will take you to the main museums, discovering the history and traditions of the city and the numerous churches. A must-see is the Archaeological Museum, home to the mummy Ötzi, the oldest inhabitant of the city. Also not to be missed are the Natural Science Museum and the tower of the Civic Museum, with its permanent exhibition on the history and traditions of Bolzano. If you love art, be sure to visit Museion, a museum of modern and contemporary art and the Eccel Kreuzer collection of 1500 works from 1900 to the present day. Outside the historic center, we also recommend a visit to the Antonio Dalle Nogare Foundation Museum of Contemporary Art, which is also architecturally interesting.

Don’t forget to have a snack with typical local products! At the stalls in Piazza delle Erbe it will be difficult to choose between sweet and savoury, seasonal fruit or speck and cheese.

ATTENTION: Monday is usually the day museums are closed. Exceptions are the Mercantile Museum and the Archaeological Museum in July/August/December.

After so much culture, you need a little exercise! So why not get around the way we Bolzano people like to do things: by bike to discover the other districts of the city? Thanks to the more than 50km of cycle paths, you can quickly reach the countryside of Gries and Don Bosco, the district built in the 1930s which today is famous for its melting pot, popular street art and multilingualism. If you love street art, you can go as far as Bolzano Sud, where the walls along the cycle paths are adorned with colorful murals.

Take a coffee break and snack at the B-Bar or the Patio restaurant at the Four Points by Sheraton hotel, then head to the NOI Techpark to experience the innovative atmosphere of Bolzano's start-up center.

From Bolzano Sud you can continue in the direction of Appiano and visit Castel Firmiano, home to the famous Messner Mountain Museum Firmian. It is about a 30-minute ride with a 200m difference in altitude, initially along the Adige River and then in the shade of cool woods. Alternatively, you can return to the center along the cycle path along the Isarco river and then leave it behind and follow the Talvera river to the entrance to the Sarentino valley. Park your bike at the start of the path and climb up to visit the Roncolo Castle.

Please note:

MMM Firmian is open from the 3rd Sunday in March to the 2nd Sunday in November. Closed on Thursdays. Roncolo Castle is closed on Mondays.

Today we fly by cable car! An adventure in the nature of Colle, where the woods cool down on hot summer days and surprise you halfway up: a breathtaking view of the Dolomites, specifically of the Latemar and Catinaccio groups.

The Renon Plateau is also amazing. The ascent by cable car, the ride on the historic train that connects the villages of Soprabolzano and Collalbo, the visit to the earth pyramids and the constant backdrop of the Dolomites that accompanies you throughout the plateau, it seems as if you are in a fairy tale of yesteryear!

For those not afraid of heights, we recommend continuing up to the Corno del Renon, where you can reach 2000m by cable car and, with a walk of less than an hour, reach the top at 2260m, where you'll be treated to a 360° view, with no obstacles between you and the surrounding mountains!