The desire for discovery

Plants from all over the world come together in the 80 garden landscapes around Trauttmansdorff Castle: from the Japanese garden to the Mediterranean garden landscapes to the typical South Tyrolean flora. Trauttmansdorff Castle, the former winter residence of Empress Sissi, is now the home of the Touriseum, which provides an insight into the history of Alpine tourism. In summer, the lily pond with its lake stage is the venue for top-class open-air concerts.

The elegant complex has 25 indoor and outdoor pools and a huge sauna area. A special highlight: the five-hectare park with its majestic old trees and romantic water lily pond. The thermal water reaches the pools from the Vigiljoch via granite-rich mountain tunnels. On its long journey it absorbs radon, fluorine and rare metals.

Palm trees and mountains, flowering plants and snow-covered peaks, dolce vita and South Tyrolean warmth: In Merano, Mediterranean flair and Alpine scenery blend into a harmonious whole like nowhere else. The Art Nouveau townscape still exudes the charm of a historic imperial city, which in its day already knew how to enchant Empress Sissi. See for yourself with a shopping spree in the medieval Laubengasse or while strolling along the spa promenade.

On the single chairlift you slowly float through the vineyards and forests of Algund to Vellau. From there, the nostalgic basket lift takes you directly to the Leiter Alm at an altitude of 1,550 metres. Once you have reached the top, you can treat yourself to a Kaiserschmarrn pancake in the popular alpine hut or start a scenic hike along the Merano High Mountain Trail.

The Waal was once built to supply water to the fertile and sunny but dry vineyards above Algund. Following this path you can enjoy the soothing sounds of the water as you pass through vineyards and orchards towards Merano. The views sweep over the entire Etschtal valley. And at Merano, the Waalweg seamlessly joins the famous Tappeinerweg.