The highway from Verona winds past vineyards : Vernatsch, Lagrein... the wine appellations can only be translated into German, Italian or Ladin, official languages of this autonomous province, where the Alps meet the Mediterranean climate.

Downtown Bolzano, multicolour medieval house façades are in a line, with arches on the ground floor, for fashion or local products shops. The region is prosperous in natural resources and full of creativity : apples, grapes, milk, wild herbs and edelweiss are used in cooking and in cosmetics, and also the mountain pine or the hay of the ‘Alpe di Siusi’, that can be both used in infusion for the bath or as the main ingredient of delicious sorbets.

Composed of exiguous valleys carved into the mountains, the powerful environment influences the daily life, the minds and the arts : a fashion collection, drawn by Ivana Omazic, has been launched with sustainable fabrics made of recycling material and only by mechanical process, while the ex-top model Norbert Öttl designs bags, accessories and luggage with sheets of wood. One hour far from Bolzano, has been built the ‘Turm Chalet’, an incredible round tower, attached to the mountain’s side, with a pool on the ground floor and an observatory on the top. Designed by Werner Tscholl for the Rizzi family, it was built from local materials, chestnut tree, stone, white marble associated with glass and metal, in complete harmony with the mountain rock.

Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, Merano and its palm trees is a curiosity. The town is frequented Since Roman times for its micro climate and its rejuvenating waters : Charles V appreciated the place and the empress Sissi stayed here.
The new rebuilt therms have been recently opened to the public, with a surprising variety of cares, like the apple cream exfoliation.
Beautiful architectures are proof of the attractivity of the place along the centuries, such as this hunting lodge of the 17th century transformed into a luxury hotel, which Spa proposes the « alchemist care », exclusively composed of herbs freshly picked and which development lasted two years.
Overlooking the town, the botanical garden has an R&D center which is offering a lecture about local flora.

Upon completion of this course, Heinrich Schneider, Chef, established his own restaurant, high in the mountain at the end of the winding road. With his sister Gisela, sommelier, he runs the boutique hotel that has been built around the restaurant ‘Terra’, which has been honored with two Michelin stars in 2017. The Chef is often seen, carrying a basket filled with wild grass, that he has picked himself on surrounding pastures: the result is a breathtaking, light and surprising cooking.
According to a legend, one hour from the hotel, several sculptures, inhabited by elves and laid out in a circle, radiate harmony, energy and inspiration.

(*) also called Sud Tyrol

Travel
VIP: Paris-Zurich (1h20) then air taxi to Bolzano aerodrome
Premium: Paris-Munich, then renting car (3h)
Affordable: Paris-Verona or Paris-Venice, then renting car
Bolzano aerodrome - Via Aeroporto Francesco Baracca, 1, 39100 Bolzano BZ, Italie - +39 0471 255255

Stay
Auener Hof >>
Hôtel Greif >>
Adler Mountain Lodge >>
Turm Chalet >>

Eat
Terra by Heinrich Schneider >>
Tilia by Chris Oberhammer >>
Castel Fragsburg >>

Organic food
Harald, gardener of forgotten vegetable>>
Pur Südtirol >>

Fashion designers
By Dimitri >>
Rebello >>
Embawo >>

Cosmetics
Castel Fragsburg >>
Treh’s with alpine pine>>
Merano therms >>