The Neighborhood
The spa town of Merano lies in the heart of the region of South Tyrol on the southern side of the Alps. Due to its location, this multicultural city is considered as the gateway to the south of Europe, as well as a meeting place between different cultures. Merano and its surrounding towns and valleys benefit in many ways from their favorable location. The Merano basin offers a mild climate year round, creating a unique atmosphere where Mediterranean gardens in full bloom sit beneath snow-covered Alpine peaks. This mixture of Germanic and Italian culture has also led to a specific local cuisine characterized by both Mediterranean and Alpine traditions. www.merano-suedtirol.it
Events
The region of Merano and Environs in South Tyrol/Südtirol has an all year-round events program offering a wide choice of things to do. Here is an overview of all the events taking place in Merano and Environs including searches for specific events, topics and locations. www.merano-suedtirol.it
Thermal Baths
Though the treatments offered still include radon-containing mineral water (radon spa), the Merano Thermal Baths of today do not have much in common with the traditional health resort of the past. An impressive oasis of well-being has been created in the heart of the city. A transparent cube of glass and steel with warmly accented wooden elements, arches above the thirteen indoor pools. In the 50.000 sq. meter park belonging to the thermal baths, thirteen open-air swimming pools have been added. The overall effect offers pure relaxation in the midst of nature. www.thermemeran.it
Shopping
Meran's town centre is a veritable paradise for everyone who loves shopping. There are exclusive boutiques, trendy jeans outlets, branches of the most famous fashion chains, gourmet shops, bookshops and jewellers. There is nothing you will not find here. Just come and see! Check out these fantastic shops
Merano Arte
In a finely restored building in the Lauben (porticos), the Meran art society stages exhibitions of contemporary art, architecture and literature as well as offering a programme of events with guided tours, excursions, concerts and readings. The historical hall of the building is also available for external events. The Caffè Kunsthaus is the meeting place for the Meran cultural scene. www.kunstmeranoarte.org
Women Museum
The women's museum documents two hundred years of women's history with numerous collector's items: women's dresses, accessories, personal implements and items from everyday life relate the different social roles and the development of women – a collection unique in Europe. Besides the permanent exhibition with its emphasis on "Ideals of Beauty, Typical Women's Roles and Women & Work", special exhibitions are organised on women-specific topics, as well as cultural meetings and readings. There is also a specialist library with original literature on the subjects of costume, fashion and women's studies. www.museia.it
Restaurants & Bars
In Merano/Meran you will find restaurants serving traditional South Tyrolean delicacies as well as those featuring Mediterranean and international cuisine.
It is common in south Tyrol to combine these culinary traditions, mixing ingredients and typical recipes to create exciting new combinations. Modern restaurants with an international focus can be found in Merano next to traditonal inns filled with the distinctive woody smell of the Tyrolean "Stube". Click here for a list of restaurants & bars
Botanic Garden Trauttmansdorff
The botanic garden of Trauttmansdorff Castle in Merano truly deserves the quality mark "most beautiful gardens in Italy", which it was awarded in 2005. And if there were an award for the diversity and individuality of the flora, it would certainly go to this garden. The visitor may in fact experience the whole world in a garden. This is made possible by the special climate of the sun-drenched Merano health resort. Being the area with the mildest winters in the entire central European area, it allows both the exotic ornamental plants from the Mediterranean areas and the sturdy plants of the whole Alpine area to flourish. Botanic Underworld: Tthe new "Botanic Underworld" is a 200 metre long tunnel into the huge, rocky mountain. Inside the mountain, visitors can explore a mysterious underworld where water, earth, nutrients, root systems and light are the focus of this spectacle about life under the earth's surface. www.trauttmansdorff.it
The Kurhaus
Artists, musicians, scientists and congress participants are all equally impressed by Merano's Kurhaus. As a member of the HCCE (Historic Conference Centres of Europe) it is one of Europe's most renowned conference centres. In the second half of the 19th century the city of Merano enjoyed the patronage of famous guests. An annual stay in this Alpine town with its mild climate on the "southern balcony" of the Habsburg monarchy became socially de rigueur for Europe's aristocracy and rising middle classes. The sleepy little country town gradually became a spa resort. At first there was a lack of suitable places to stay and entertainment for the noble guests. Only following several initiatives by ambitious citizens of Merano and a costly planning and building phase was the first Merano Kurhaus finally opened on 14 November 1874. Built in neo-classicist style according to plans by Josef Czerny, it housed a reading room with periodicals from all over the world, a smoking salon, a ladies' room, a hall of mirrors with a movable stage for concerts, gambling and entertainment as well as carbonated baths for the cure. But by the turn of the last century this Kurhaus, today's west wing, had become too small. Today visitors are received in the elegant foyer with its wide staircase. The magnificent Kursaal is decorated with light-hearted paintings and delicate art nouveau ornamentation, while the Rotunda and the Gallery offer views from above. Musicians of all styles appreciate the Kursaal for its excellent acoustics. Organisers from widely-differing fields book it because of its elegant radiance, while guests from around the world love it for its festive yet relaxed atmosphere. On the south side there is a fine terrace with visitor access to the famous Passer Promenade, while dancing graces salute strollers from the roof. The whole architectural work is surrounded by an atmosphere of lightness and elegance. The silhouette of the Kurhaus in the centre of Merano's Old Town can be seen from afar, with the shops and restaurants under the attractive porticoes just a short distance away. On the other side of the River Passer stands the new Merano Thermals Baths and the adjacent "art drive in" car park. The large Kursaal with its stage, gallery, cloakrooms and gastronomy, the Pavillon des Fleurs and the numerous other convention and exhibition rooms offer the perfect setting for congresses, trade fairs, concerts, conventions and conferences, meetings, gala dinners, dance events and celebrations. Kurhaus of Meran
Merano Mais Racecourse
The Meran Mais Racecourse in Untermais is among the largest in continental Europe, and one of the most beautifully-situated in the world. It was opened in 1935 on a 40 Hectare site, after only one year of construction work. It has a rich and varied programme of events to thrill racing fans. Among the special highlights are the traditional 'Farmers' Steeplechase' with world-famous Hafling horses, the 'Maia Oktober Festival' and the 'Meran Grand Prix'. The latter, the oldest race held at this course, dates from its opening in 1935. It is an international Steeplechase of over 5,000 m., with high-value prizes, linked to the Italian National Lottery. There is a colourful programme of fringe events during the race meetings, offering diverse events, involving music, art, culinary specialities and folklore, to meet every taste. www.meranomaia.it
Puccini Theatre
From 1870 on, tourism resulted in a wave of building activity in the now-fashionable spa resort of Meran. The remaining sections of the city walls disappeared. Guests taking the cure strolled along the Promenade. There was the Kurhaus with baths, a casino and a festive hall of mirrors. But the calls for a proper theatre became louder, and thus the city commissioned the Munich architect Martin Dülfer with the building of a municipal theatre. The building provoked considerable enthusiasm and Art Nouveau became the in thing in Meran. The façade, in classicist style, was an attractive mixture of roughcast, smooth surfaces, stucco works, Art Nouveau ornamentations and a splendid porch on columns with a balcony. The interior was an outstanding example of Art Nouveau decoration. The Theatre was officially opened on 1 December 1900 with a performance of Goethe's "Faust". Up until the outbreak of the First World War, the theatre had its own ensemble of a high artistic quality. The theatre became a magnet for artists and musicians from all over the world. Following the 1923 stay of the opera composer Giacomo Puccini in Meran, the theatre was named the "Teatro Puccini".Merano's Theatre is an architectural jewel in the heart of the city. It is easily accessible, located on the Theaterplatz, between the Freiheitsstraße and the Theaterbrücke. Richly decorated, with its elaborate ceiling, beautiful stucco works and gilded ornamentation, the Theatre provides a charming ambience for theatre, cabaret, concerts, readings, presentations, film performances and conferences. The seating in the stalls and the boxes is covered in salmon-pink velvet. A red and gold curtain comes down at the end of each performance. The orchestra pit, stage, stalls, boxes and gallery are all conveniently dimensioned with a total of 292 seats. The interval can be spent in the elegant foyer, while on warm summer evenings the clinking of sparkling wine glasses can be heard on the terrace. The perfect conditions for a wonderful evening. Merano Theatre