Gargazzone
Gargazzone (German: Gargazon) is a small municipality in South Tyrol, in the province of Bolzano, set in the Burgraviato district...
Updated 18 July 2026
This season · July · Summer
What to do in Gargazzone now
The story
The story of Gargazzone
Gargazzone in the Burgraviato, between Bolzano and Merano
Gargazzone lies in the lower Adige Valley, within the Burgraviato district, the historic area between Bolzano and Merano of which it is one of the smallest municipalities. The village sits about 15 kilometres from Bolzano and 10 from Merano, on a plain just over 260 metres above sea level, set against the eastern side of the valley while the Adige river flows nearby to the south. The municipal territory, among the smallest in South Tyrol by area, is historically crossed by the Aviso stream, a watercourse that once marked an administrative boundary between different jurisdictions. The population, largely German-speaking but with a significant Italian-speaking component, reflects the bilingual character typical of this stretch of the Burgraviato, where the two linguistic communities have shared the same civic and school spaces for generations.
Apple Growing and the Orchards of the Burgraviato
The economy of Gargazzone has historically been tied to apple growing, which occupies most of the municipality's agricultural land. The civic coat of arms itself, showing three fruit trees on a mound of red porphyry, testifies to how deeply rooted this vocation is in the village's identity. The orchards stretch as far as the eye can see across the valley floor, arranged in rows and trellised plantings that in spring turn into a sweep of white and pink blossom, drawing visitors and walkers along the rural lanes. The harvest flows into the local fruit-growing cooperatives, part of the wider South Tyrolean apple-growing system, among the most efficient and recognised in Europe. Walking among the rows at Gargazzone, especially during the blossom season or the autumn harvest, means stepping into the productive heart of a farming economy that has sustained the landscape and the local community for decades.
The Swimming Lake and Leisure Time
Among the best-known attractions of Gargazzone is its natural swimming lake, a basin created without the use of chemical products, relying on a phytopurification system to keep the water clean within a protected natural setting. Opened in the early 2000s, the lido covers several hectares surrounded by meadows and vegetation, with facilities for bathing, relaxing and children's play areas, becoming a summer gathering point for residents and visitors from the neighbouring municipalities. The natural-pool model, an alternative to conventional swimming pools, fits within a widely shared philosophy of sustainable tourism in South Tyrol, favouring low-impact facilities integrated into the farming landscape. The lake, reachable on foot or by bicycle from the village centre, is today one of the main reasons Gargazzone is chosen as a destination for a day trip.
The Cycle Path, the River and Nature
Gargazzone is crossed by the Adige Valley cycle path, one of the most popular cycling routes in South Tyrol, which runs flat along the riverbank, ideally linking the Val Venosta to Bolzano and continuing on into Trentino. The route, suitable for all ages, allows cyclists to reach either Merano or Bolzano in just over half an hour, crossing a landscape dominated by orchards and dotted with small rural settlements. The municipality is also served by a railway station on the Bolzano-Merano line, allowing visitors to leave the car behind and get around comfortably by train, often combined with bicycle rental to explore the surroundings. Besides the path along the Adige, the municipal territory offers shorter trails that wind among the orchard rows and toward the first foothills of the Burgraviato, with views of the mountains enclosing the valley and shaded resting spots along the river.
History, the Kröll Tower and Experiences to Live
The history of Gargazzone is tied to its position along the transit route of the Adige Valley, attested by the Kröll Tower (Kröllturm), built around 1240 by Berthold Chrello of the Trautson family as a control and watch point over the valley below. The village also has two churches, the older one dedicated to St John the Baptist, already documented in the fourteenth century, and the Sacred Heart parish church, built in the early decades of the twentieth century to serve a growing community. This farming and border past coexists today with a small-scale but genuine tourist offer, made up of farmhouses, agritourism stays and family-run accommodation scattered among the orchards. A stay in Gargazzone lends itself well to being combined with stops in Bolzano and Merano, making use of the train and the cycle path, or to a slower itinerary of walks among the apple orchards, a break at the lake and the discovery of the village's small historical landmarks.
Not to be missed
- Gargazzone's natural swimming lake, free of chemical products
- A walk among the blossoming apple orchards of the Burgraviato in spring
- The Kröll Tower (Kröllturm), the ancient thirteenth-century watchtower
- The Adige Valley cycle path toward Bolzano or Merano along the river
- The Church of St John the Baptist, a medieval landmark of the village
To see
What to see in Gargazzone
Routes · Trovido Route
