Bozen, the best micture between North and South
Bozen in South Tyrol is not only the capital of the Alpine province, but also the cultural, economic and political centre.
There would be lots to say about the beauty of the landscape, the climatic advantages and the cultural peculiarities, but the famous author Herbert Rosendorfer from Munich sums it up very nicely in a few lines: “The city is dark, yet warm from the heat of the day. Only at the Talfer there is a cool breeze blowing from the Sarn Valley. The scent of bacon, olive oil and parmesan softly covers the water promenade. The Rose Garden changes its colours and it looks as if it were glowing. The silhouette of the Mendel dips the sky in an incredibly shade of purple. It is an Arcadian light…”
The best place at the sun...
Yet these are no exaggerations; Bozen in South Tyrol is situated in the bottom of a valley surrounded by three high mountain chains and has the benefit of a superb environment: The Mediterranean climate bestows the area with some really exquisite wine. There are also plenty of hiking paths into the surrounding mountains, to the ‘Empire’ of King Laurin to ‘his’ Rose Garden, where – so the legend says – he spends the evenings walking about, so that the entire mountain shines in splendid magenta. You can also go mountain biking up the Mendel which is one of the most famous and also most popular training routes in Bozen. In short: There are innumerable hiking, trekking and biking routes, some of them still waiting to be discovered though!
But do under no possible circumstance give Castle Runkelstein a miss: Built as a means of protection, it towers like a powerful shield at the entrance of the Sarner Gorge and contains some of the broadest mural paintings which nowadays belong to the most significant Gothic frescoes. A walk through the still perfectly intact inner city of Bozen is also certainly worthwhile. Stroll through the narrow traditional lanes which are ornamented with inns and restaurants.
Mixed and unique
Bozen also is the most Italian of all South Tyrolean cities, where you will not only find the relicts of fascist architecture, such as the court of law or the highly controversial Monument of Victory, but where you can also find gastronomic delicacies sharing the table with local specialities.
When strolling along the alcoves, you will find countless shops on either side of the road with some of the best shopping opportunities in the whole of South Tyrol. At the end of the alcoves you will reach one of the town’s landmarks: the fruit-market. Beside piles of South Tyrolean fruit and vegetables, you can comfortable sit and enjoy a good cup of cappuccino while taking pleasure in the infatuating scent of the market or warm your hands with a bag of freshly roasted chestnuts in a cold autumn day or think of the next chance to go to a traditional festival.
Ötzi & Co.
From the fruit-market, you can easily get to yet another sight which definitely also is worth a visit: The parish church of Bozen at the Walther Square, named after the minstrel Walther von der Vogelweide who is said to have been from South Tyrolean. You may as well want to go to the nearby Goethe Street and visit the archaeological museum which hosts the oldest and possibly most famous South Tyrolean: Oetzi the Iceman or Frozen Fritz – the well-preserved mummy from Hauslabjoch. On the opposite side of the museum, at the Talfer Bridge you can even consume an Oetzi, because an inventive ice-cream maker has named his tasteful creation after him. (No worries: it only contains raisins and vanilla cream). Right across the bridge is where the well-known water promenade starts. This undoubtedly is the best, most celebrated and surely most scenic view point of Bozen. Alongside vineyards and the Fortress Maretsch the Rosengarten arises in the evening twilight and makes a lasting impression that you should definitely not give a miss!