Merano fascinates with its Mediterranean climate, Alpine landscape and numerous attractions. Culture vultures can visit the many attractions in Merano, ranging from museums, the gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle and the Kränzelhof maze gardens to Castel Tirolo and the historic centre of the spa town.

Juval Castle at the entrance to Val Senales is the residence of mountaineering legend Reinhold Messner and location of one of his MMMs – Messner Mountain Museums. MMM Juval is dedicated to the magic of mountains. It also offers a small zoo for mountain animals, home-grown products in the Gasthaus Schlosswirt restaurant, excellent wines in the Unterortl vineyard and a farm shop at the foot of the castle hill.

Coira Castle’s armoury is of world-wide renown: It is the largest collection of its kind and it contains over 50 custom-made suits of armour belonging to the owners of the castle of incomparably valuable artistic design.

With just 900 inhabitants Glorenza is one of the smallest towns in the Alps. A special characteristic of this town are the completely preserved city walls. In the times of the Romans Glorenza was already an important town where the Via Claudia Augusta and the trading route to nearby Switzerland intersected.

Marienberg Abbey is situated above Burgusio at 1,350 m. It is one of the highest Benedictine Abbeys in Europe. The crypt houses a cycle of frescoes dating back to 1175-1180. Inside a museum a film offers insights into daily life in the monastery.

At an altitude of 2,757 m Stelvio Pass is the highest mountain pass in Italy. It links Bormio in Lombardy with Val Venosta. The road with an incline of 7-15% has 82 bends over 49 km, 48 on the South Tyrolean side and 34 in Lombardy. The road represents an incredible pioneering achievement that was started during the reign of Austrian Emperor Franz in 1818 and completed in only 7 years. In 1990 the road was extended to accommodate cars. The pass route is generally open from the end of May to the end of November.