South Tirol - Itinerary advice (December Advent 2021))
 

Hello,
I am hoping to explore the Christmas Markets of South Tirol this December... I would love some advice on my itinerary (using public transportation). In addition to Christmas markets, I am hoping to do some casual winter/hiking and exploring. I also love good food, cooking classes, and I would love to find a calm and family-friendly Krampus experience. I, unfortunately, do not speak German or Italian - only English.

I arrive in Innsbruck on December 2.
I plan to take the train to Bolzano on Friday, December 3, and continue up the funicular to Soprabolzano for 3 nights. While here I hope to take a Winter hike - Rittner Horn - Corno del Renon and visit the Rittner Christbahnl - Christmas Train Market. I also plan to visit the Bolzano market and perhaps take a day trip to another nearby market (Chiusa or Sarntal).

After Bolzano, I plan to transfer via train/bus to Merano for 3 nights (6 Dec to 9 Dec). In Merano, I hope to The visit the Merano Chistmas Market, the Christmas Forest at FORST Brewery, and Castel Rametz (weekend Christmas Market) and TIROLER SCHLOSSADVENT (December 4&5, December 7&8 )

I am also interested in the Bressanone Christmas Market, Vipiteno/Sterzing market and/or the
weekend-only Medieval Christmas Market in Chiusa. and also Christmas Magic at Lake Carezza/Magie Natalizie al Lago di Carezza (weekends only).

I realize I cannot fit everything in... I prefer to limit my time to 2 places and take day trips rather than transition to a new place every 2 nights.

I need to depart via train to Munich on Saturday, 11 December. In total, I have 8 nights to explore. How should I best schedule my time in South Tirol?

Thanks for your suggestions, ideas and additional recommendations on unique must-see/do experiences.

Sorry that I can't help with your query but just want to say how wonderful it is to see actual posts again planning trips that can be taken as this pandemic subsides. So hopeful. So nice to be looking ahead to more travel rather than looking behind to relive trips already taken. So as Swandav always says, "have fun as you plan." Hope you have a wonderful trip.

BTW You appear to already have done some good planning/scoping out. Thanks for opening my eyes to this area for Christmas markets. We love Innsbruck and Munich but the places you mention in between sound very worthy of exploration for more Christmas markets--one of my favorite reasons for trips--both planning and taking them. Enjoy. I (and I'm sure lots of others) will be following along as you collect intel.

I'm planning a similar month long trip in December as well. We will begin and end in Munich, and spend time in the Dolomites and/or the Otzal, Innsbruck, Salzburg and a small Austrian town or two. We've been to Innsbruck and Salzburg in December a few times and have also spent time in the Salzkammergut in December.

I have no advice to offer as I'm still researching myself, but I look forward to the suggestions you might receive.

All the places you mention are of easy reach from Baolzano /Bozen, namely:
Meran/Merano: 40 min by train, trains every 30 min from 6am until 11pm
Klausen/Chiusa and Brixen/Bressanone: 20 resp 30 min by train, trains every 30 to 60 min from 5.30am until 10.30pm
Sterzing/Vipiteno: 1 hr by train, trains every 30 to 60 min from 6am until 9.30pm
Buses to Karersee/Lago Carezza run from Bolzano/Bozen too, but much less frequently.
Bolzano/Bozen would be a good base for most of your day trips. Chose a hotel in the medieval city center, but as close as possible from the railway station.

Thank you for your reply. Is it very difficult and time-consuming to get to Soprabolzano via the funicular? Soprabolzano seems a bit more charming and relaxing. I realize this will probably add 30 minutes each way to every day trip, but perhaps it is worth it??

I visited Bolzano briefly in 2015

Thanks for your thoughts on Soprabolzano

Oberbozen/Soprabolzano may be very calm in early December.
Transportation is not a problem, however. The gondolas to Bolzano/Bozen run every 4 minutes and the journey lasts 12 minutes only. From there you can reach the Suburban Bus Terminal in 5 minutes and the main railway station in less than 10 minutes on foot.
At Oberbozen/Soprabolzano most hotels are situated less than 5-10 minutes on foot from the cableway. The following hotels are farther away:
Schluff, Pipos Lodge, Moar Hof, Pranzagerhof, Lanerhof, Geynerhof

We’ve been to the Vipiteno and a Bressanone Christmas markets. Vipitenos was very, very small and limited. Bressanones was like the others you’ll see.

Thank you for taking the time to reply!

What we did like was Hall in Tirol, near Innsbruck. Very local feeling Christmas Market. Dinner at the Burg Tavern there is excellent.