On a trip through South Tyrol, you simply must visit the charming resort town of Merano. It’s a lovely place on its own, but with a visit to the nearby garden and Trauttmansdorff Castle (which I’ll cover in a separate story), the day spent here will be one of the highlights of your trip.
In Merano, you can visit the Terme Merano (Address: Piazza Terme, 9, 39012 Merano BZ, Italy), explore Tirol Castle (Address: Via del Castello, 24, 39019 Tirolo BZ, Italy), which gave the region its name, or take a lovely walk along the Tappeinerweg (Address: Tappeiner Promenade, 39019 Merano, Autonome Provinz Bozen – Südtirol, Italy). You can also stroll around the town, shop, and have lunch at the excellent beer restaurant Forst (Address: Freiheitsstr. 90, 39012 Meran, South Tyrol, Italy) – the kitchen is open non-stop, and the beer is brewed in the outskirts of Merano.
But there is another place that is also a must-visit. It’s the small town of Scena.
In my personal opinion, this is one of the most charming places in South Tyrol. Mainly because of the view that opens up from the town’s terraces over the entire valley. There is a castle here, though it is private, and visits are only possible a couple of times a day and only with a guided tour. You’ll also find the mausoleum of the Habsburg Archduke Johann and the ancient Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, as well as numerous hotels, mostly 4-star ones with pools and SPAs. The place is extremely well-maintained and beautiful, surrounded by greenery, flowers, apple orchards, and vineyards.
You can reach here from Merano by bus, and then walk back down to the city along a route that passes, among other things, through Empress Sissi’s favorite promenade, named after her, the Sissiweg.
And don’t forget to have lunch or simply enjoy an Aperol or a cup of coffee at the restaurant of the Schlosswirt hotel in Schena. I’m sure the view from the terrace will stay in your memory forever.
There is much more useful and interesting information about traveling in the group Helping You Travel Through Europe
