Who has been to South Tyrol? Obviously many of you, because I received a lot of feedback on my photos.
However, South Tyrol was still somewhat of a blank spot on the map for us. Although we have driven through here or been nearby, we have never actually stayed overnight here. So it was time to fill this gap. And that's why we booked three nights in Bolzano.
The provincial capital of South Tyrol is centrally located, easily accessible by train, and is a gateway to the Dolomites. And as an extra bonus, there are more than 300 sunny days here every year.
Even Goethe made a stop here on his trip to Italy on September 11, 1786. And even back then, Bolzano had a fruit market that was so colorful that Goethe raved about it.
We can understand that to some extent, because now that we are also staying here in mid-September, there are still many fruit and vegetable stands from Monday to Saturday noon. They are one of Bolzano's trademarks.
Not far from the market, you will find another famous place in Bolzano, the Laubengasse. The shops line up under arcades here. It is the main shopping street in the city, even though Walther Square is larger. By the way, Bolzano was founded in 1180 and is therefore characterized by a lot of interesting architecture.
However, we had to save some of it for a future visit. Because we also wanted to take advantage of another advantage of Bolzano's location, and that is the nearby mountains.
Oberbozen, Klobenstein, and the Fennpromenade
For example, the Ritten cable car goes directly from the city to Oberbozen at 1,221 meters above sea level. Those who, like us, received the Bozen Card for free with their hotel booking, can use this cable car, as well as all public buses and local trains.
From Oberbozen, an ancient cogwheel train continues to Klobenstein. From here, you can get a great view of the Schlern. The 2,563-meter-high mountain is also known as the symbol of South Tyrol because of its characteristic shape.
If you want to see more, we recommend the Fennpromenade. You will find it at the eastern edge of Klobenstein. As the name suggests, it is an easy hiking trail that was created in 1898.
And as befits a promenade, there are plenty of benches for those looking for a rest.
