Bolzano
Bolzano (Bozen) is the capital of South Tyrol (Südtirol), the bilingual Italian-German autonomous province nestled between the Dol...
Updated 17 July 2026
This season · July · Summer
What to do in Bolzano now
The story
The story of Bolzano
A bilingual city between the Alps and the Mediterranean
Bolzano is the city where the alpine world and the Mediterranean meet seamlessly. As capital of South Tyrol (Südtirol), the bilingual Italian-German autonomous region, the city lives its bilingualism every day: streets, signs and public offices speak both languages, reflecting a complex history that saw the Habsburg Tyrol and Italy alternate over the centuries. Geographically, Bolzano arises from the meeting of three valleys, the Isarco Valley descending from Bressanone, the Sarentino Valley opening to the north-west and the Adige Valley continuing southward, a confluence point that has always made it a hub of trade and cultures. The result is a unique atmosphere, where the mild climate allows vines and apple trees to grow just steps from the centre, while the surrounding mountains remain always visible on the horizon, a constant reminder that the Dolomites are close at hand.
Piazza Walther, the Cathedral and the medieval arcades
The heart of the historic centre is Piazza Walther, a spacious civic square dominated by Bolzano Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece with its openwork bell tower and roof of polychrome tiles that gleams in the sun. From here begins Via dei Portici, the city's medieval commercial spine, lined with buildings featuring low arcades and shops that have followed one another for centuries, once artisan workshops and merchant stalls, today elegant boutiques, historic cafés and small wine bars. Walking under the arcades means crossing overlapping layers of history, among Baroque façades, wrought-iron signs and sudden glimpses into inner courtyards. Not far away opens Piazza delle Erbe, animated every day by the open-air market selling fruit, vegetables, cheeses and local speck since the Middle Ages, one of the oldest and liveliest markets in the entire Alpine arc.
The Archaeology Museum and the mummy of Ötzi
Bolzano is home to one of Europe's most extraordinary scientific treasures: the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, which houses the mummy of the Similaun Man, universally known as Ötzi. Discovered in 1991 on the Similaun glacier on the border with Austria, this body naturally mummified by the ice dates back around 5300 years and offers a unique window into the daily life, clothing and tools of Copper Age man. The museum recounts with great scientific care the discovery, the forensic investigations that reconstructed his story, and even the causes of his violent death, offering visitors a fascinating experience that combines archaeology, anthropology and forensic medicine. It is an unmissable stop for anyone visiting Bolzano, drawing scholars and curious travellers from all over the world.
Vineyards, apples and South Tyrolean culture
Bolzano's mild microclimate, sheltered by the surrounding mountains, has made possible an agricultural tradition remarkable for an alpine city: vineyards climb the surrounding hills almost into the town itself, producing South Tyrolean wines of great character, among which Santa Maddalena stands out, grown precisely on the hills overlooking the city and known for centuries as one of the region's flagship reds. Alongside the vine, apple orchards dot the entire Adige Valley, and South Tyrol is today one of Europe's most important areas for quality apple production. This dual agricultural vocation intertwines with South Tyrolean identity, made up of traditional farmsteads and a cuisine that blends alpine and Mediterranean flavours, dumplings and speck alongside wine and polenta, in a balance that tells the character of this borderland better than any words.
The cable cars, the Renon plateau and the gateway to the Dolomites
From Bolzano, just a few minutes by cable car are enough to leave the city behind and rise to high plateaus offering a radical change of scenery. The Renon (Ritten) cable car connects the city centre directly to the plateau of the same name, famous for its earth pyramids, extraordinary geological formations sculpted by erosion that rise like natural spires among larch woods, and for panoramas stretching all the way to the Dolomites. Another cable car climbs to Colle (Kohlern), another scenic plateau loved by those seeking relaxing walks with views over the city below. This network of quick connections makes Bolzano much more than a city stop: it is the true gateway to the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage natural site, from which roads and trails lead into the most celebrated valleys of the eastern Alps.
Not to be missed
- Piazza Walther and Bolzano's Gothic Cathedral
- Via dei Portici and the market of Piazza delle Erbe
- The South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology with the mummy of Ötzi
- The Santa Maddalena vineyards on the hills above the city
- The Renon cable car and the plateau's earth pyramids
To see
What to see in Bolzano
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Routes in Bolzano
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