Cermes
Cermes, in tedesco Tscherms, è un piccolo comune della provincia di Bolzano nel cuore del Burgraviato, la conca che circonda Meran...
Actualizado el 17 julio 2026
Esta temporada · Julio · Verano
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La historia de Cermes
Cermes in the Burgraviato, on Merano's Doorstep
Cermes, known in German as Tscherms, is a small municipality in the province of Bolzano set in the Burgraviato, the basin that surrounds Merano along the course of the Adige. The village stands at about 292 metres above sea level, on a sun-drenched slope at the foot of the Marlengo mountain, and borders the municipalities of Lana, Marlengo and Merano, only a handful of kilometres away. With just over 1,600 inhabitants, the vast majority German-speaking, Cermes retains the intimate atmosphere of a farming village that has grown over time into one of the favourite destinations for travellers seeking a quiet stay close to the spa town. The compact, orderly settlement is surrounded on every side by rows of apple trees and vineyards climbing toward the woods, in a landscape typical of the Adige valley floor between Merano and Lana, where intensive cultivation coexists with old rural architecture and stately manor houses.
Castel Lebenberg, the Manor of the Counts of Marlengo
Above the village of Cermes, perched on a moraine hill, stands Castel Lebenberg, also known as Castel Monteleone, one of the largest and best preserved privately owned castles in South Tyrol. Its origins date back to the second half of the 13th century, when the Lords of Marlengo built the original defensive structure; from 1426 the castle passed to the Fuchs von Fuchsberg family, who held it for centuries and expanded it between the 16th and 17th centuries, turning it into a refined manor residence. Inside, a sequence of striking rooms awaits, from the celebrated Rococo-style hall of mirrors with Venetian glass to the knights' hall, which houses more than two hundred portraits spanning twelve generations of the Fuchs family, and the chapel dedicated to Saint Stephen. The complex is surrounded by an Italian-style garden and inner courtyards, and can only be visited with a guided tour, generally from April to the end of October, remaining private property to this day.
Fruit Growing and the Wine Road
The economy of Cermes has revolved for generations around fruit growing and viticulture, favoured by the mild climate of the Burgraviato and the fertile soils of the Adige valley floor. Apple orchards shape much of the municipal landscape, while the sunniest slopes are planted with grape varieties typical of South Tyrol such as Schiava, Lagrein and Pinot Noir, also grown on historic estates like the Kränzlhof, a wine-growing farmstead known for its labyrinth garden and the cultural events it hosts. Cermes lies along the South Tyrolean Wine Road, Italy's oldest wine-tourism route, which links the wine-growing areas between Bolzano, Appiano, Caldaro and the Burgraviato as far as Merano and Lana. Family-run wineries and farmsteads open for tastings allow visitors to explore up close a territory where grape and apple growing have coexisted for centuries, shaping an intensely cultivated agricultural landscape.
Trails, Irrigation Channels and the Vineyard Landscape
The territory of Cermes is crossed by the Marlinger Waalweg, the trail that follows the old irrigation channel dug in 1737 to carry water from the Adige to the vineyards and orchards on the slopes above. The route, about 12 kilometres long and largely free of significant elevation change, runs at a constant altitude of around 500 metres between Cermes, Marlengo and Lana, reaching the Tel weir at the entrance to the Val Venosta, and can be walked in any season, even with children. Walking along the channel, views over the Adige valley alternate with rows of vines, orchards in blossom or laden with fruit depending on the season, and small rural hamlets. The trail is part of the wider network of Waalwege in the Burgraviato, a system of paths along the old irrigation channels that offers one of the most evocative ways to explore the farming landscape around Merano on foot.
History, Proximity to Merano and Things to Experience
Cermes was long part of the municipality of Marlengo, from which it separated as an independent commune only in 1897. The municipal coat of arms, a rampant fox on a gold field adopted in 1966, recalls the Fuchsberg family (literally "fox mountain"), feudal lords of the village for centuries. Between 1906 and 1950 a tramline connected Lana to Merano through the municipal territory, evidence of an era in which agriculture and the first tourist flows tied to Merano's spa season were beginning to intertwine. Today Cermes retains a strong agricultural identity while remaining just minutes from Merano, with its thermal baths, historic centre and promenades along the Passirio, offering itself as a quiet base for those wishing to combine wine tastings, walks among vineyards and orchards, and a visit to a stately castle with a wider tour of the Burgraviato.
Not to be missed
- Castel Lebenberg (Monteleone), with its hall of mirrors and Italian-style garden
- A walk along the Marlinger Waalweg among vineyards and apple orchards
- Wine tasting along the South Tyrolean Wine Road at a local winery
- A visit to the Kränzlhof wine estate and its labyrinth garden
- A hike at the foot of the Marlengo mountain with views over the Burgraviato
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