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- - Sued Tyrol (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/sued-tyrol-274496/)

Hello - I haven't seen many postings about the Sued Tyrol region in Italy or about Meran. We are planning to go in Feb. and were curious about the area. Any help??? Thanks, Fred

Südtirol (South Tyrol) was a part of Austria until 1918, when it was given as war booty to Italy after WW1 when the Habsburg empire collapsed. This region has been German for centuries, but Mussolini tried to Italianize the area between the two world wars. Just like Elsass/Alsace is a charming and interesting mixture of German and French, Südtirol/Alto Adige is a charming and interesting mixture of German and Italian. The most famous südtiroler is of course Ötzi (who died more than 5000 years ago).

The Südtirol is indeed a blend of Austrian and Italian cultures. Most of the people speak German as a native language. The mountains are beautiful, and lie on the so called sunny side of the Austrial Alps. The region west from Meran to the Swiss border is mountainous and beautiful. I wandered around the valleys as a young man, and was astounded at the beauty. Just because the absolute elevations are in the 8 to 10,000 foot range, don't estimate those peaks. They often tower 6,000 to 7,000 feet above the floor of the valley. The food in that region is unique. And many fine wines are produced in small vineyards that are on the steep slopes. Many of the valleys have a southwesterly exposure that makes for a lot of sunshine in the summer. The highways are not high speed however.

Hello Fred, This is one of the most beautiful areas in Italy IMO, and Merano is a pleasant little Tyrolean town. If you plan to visit the Dolomites, though, Merano is not ideal as a base as it's a fair distance to the main Dolomites, - so it really depends how you want to spend your time, and whether you will have a car. Steve

Thank you for the replies. We are looking at ataying at the Grand Hotel Palace. Has anyone been there? Are there some restaurants or sights you would recommend? Thanks, Fred

If you travel to many of the small villages in the mountains surrounding Merano and Bolzano, you will find only Italian spoken. We have never assimilated into the Austrian culture--always fiercely Italian.

Our Italian relatives insist that the area is definitely Italian and resent hotels and businesses answering the phone in German. We, being Americans, found the Alto Adige charming. Stayed in Merano, Bolzano, Trento and then drove to Bologna. Very interesting trip to see how things become much more Italian as you travel south.

Fred, The hotel you mentioned is in the town center of Merano and you can walk to shops and restaurants from that area. I have not stayed there so I can't comment on the hotel. Merano is an old spa town and as a result most hotels focus on health, beauty and spa treatments. There are many old castle hotels in the surrounding area and this is my preference but I haven't been there in the dead of winter as you will be. The natural beauty is breathtaking and we found the area to be much more Italian (especially in the kitchen!)with a hint of German although most locals speak both languages. If you decide to stay outside of town I would suggest half board and having dinner at your hotel since driving up the mountains at night can be a bit hairy--Make sure you pick a hotel with a good restaurant! The wineries are famous for whites but also produce some excellent under rated reds including my current favorite of the moment, Terlano Lagrein Porphyr Riserva. You will drive by the Terlano castle on the autostrada between Bolzano and Merano. Great choice!

Thaks everyone - Kam - you mentioned Bologna. We are actually going there for a trade show after being in the Sued Tyrol area. I'll have a rental car but due to costs I am currently driving from the region to Innsbruck, dropping the car and taking the train to Bologna. I'm hoping this isn't crazy????

It doesn't sound crazy, just sounds like a hassle. I'd call every other car rental company. Did you check into dropping the car off in Bolzano?

Traveling by train from Innsbruck. Would like to spend 2 nights in this region. Can Merano be reached by train, I think Bolzano can be. Looking for a cute hotel in town center around 200E...any info would be appreciated.

One of the things I found most interesting is that while the food remains mostly Italian the portion size becomes more Austrian as you move farther north.