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Trentino Alto Adige also known as South
Tirol (Sud Tirol) is the most northern region in
Italy bordered by Austria to the north and by the
Italian regions of Lombardy to the west and Veneto
to the south. It is an extremely mountainous area
encompassing a large part of the Dolomites and the
southern Alps.
This autonomous Alpine region, incorporating
much of the spectacular limestone Dolomite mountain
range, is best thought of as two distinct areas.
Its provinces, Trentino and Alto Adige, are culturally,
linguistically and historically separate.
Alto Adige, or Sudtirol, in the north
was part of the Tyrol area of Austria until 1918.
The people, mostly of Germanic descent, favour the
German language over Italian, Ladin, an ancient Latin-based
language is also spoken in some areas, mainly the
Val Badia and the Val Gardena.
Trentino, to the south of Alto Adige
was a reluctant part of the Austrian and Austro-Hungarian
empires for about a century until returned to Italy
after WWI. The population here is strongly Italian,
although German is widely spoken.
The spectacular Dolomites mountain
chain, is the main attraction of the Trentino Alto
Adige region. Its mountain lakes, summer wild flowers,
forests, waterfalls, spectacular valleys, ski runs,
and hiking trails provide the tourist with an unending
choice of things to do.
The most beautiful Dolomite peaks in
the Trentino-Alto Adige are perhaps the Pale di san
Martino, soaring high above San Martino di Castrozza
like a huge fortress silhouetted against the sky,
with monumental towers connected by a 2500m high
plateau. The famous valleys of Val Gardena, Val Badia
and Val Pusteria provide a perfect location to view
the extraordinary beauty of the light-coloured Dolomite
rock towers and pinnacles as they turn pink in the
setting sun.
The Stelvio National Park, is the largest
national park in Italy’s. Native animals and
plants typical of the Alpine environment are protected
here.
Well worth a visit are the charming
mountain villages and medieval Tyrolean towns, with
well preserved castles and Gothic chapels. Few places
on earth can boast as many magical castles as Trentino-Alto
Adige. The castle at Rovereto holds one of the best
museums on the Great War.
Alta Badia - is well
known for its rural landscapes, idyllic villages,
alpine pastures, and the magical beauty of the Dolomites.
Alta Badia is also one of the world’s finest
ski resorts The Ladin people have preserved their
original language, customs and cuisine in the seclusion
of their valleys and offer plenty to fascinate holiday
makers all year round.
Corvara in Badia is
one of the many ideal destinations within Alta Badia. Read
more.
Bolzano
Bolzano is the main city in the province of Bolzano. The old town centre is
very interesting with the influence of German architecture seen here, especially
in the narrow Via dei Portici, which threads between 15th and 16th century
buildings.
Bressanone
Wonderful examples of Gothic art and Baroque merge harmoniously in this city.
Merano/Meran used
to be the Mediterranean corner of old Austria and
its mild climate certainly contributed to the town’s
meteoric rise as a spa resort in the days of emperor
Franz Josef. Stately residences characterise the
surroundings, overlooked by towering snow-covered
peaks. There are elegant shops beneath Medieval arcades,
the botanic gardens at Trauttmansdorff castle and
much more.
Taufers and Ahrn Valleys -
are two valleys in one. The Ahrn Valley borders on
to the Austrian provinces of Tyrol and Salzburg amongst
3000 metre high peaks of the Zillertal Alps. There
is splendid skiing right up to Easter in this area.
Trento - The castle
of Buonconsiglio and the palace of Albere house provincial
art museums, the churches which once hosted the famous “Council
of Trent”, the romantic Cathedral and the church
of S. Marina Maggiore are all worth a visit. The
science museum contains wonderful collections of
natural history and archaeology. The diocesan museum
of Trento conserves precious examples of sacred art,
wooden artefacts and flemish tapestries. Trento is
the administrative headquarters of the region Trentino-Alto
Adige.
Val di Cembra- The
area features lakes including, Lago di Serraia and
Lago delle Piazze. Grazing pastures and woodlands
cover the tableland, as well as some wetlands and
peat bogs. It is a narrow valley which was carved
by the Avisio river. The valley owes its unique appearance
to the terracing of the steep sunny slopes that descend
to the Avisio river. Grapevines which produce excellent
wines and grappas are grown on these terraces. The
valley also features one of the most unusual geological
formations, the Segonzano pyramids. These earth pinnacles,
some tens of meters high are the result of the erosion
of the mountain sides.
Val Venosta - is the
home of the highest peak in the eastern Alps. it
is also Alto Adige's driest and sunniest central
valley. Many castles overlook the valley, steppe
vegetation on the Sonnenberg, ancient irrigation
trenches crossing the dry mountainsides in lush green
strips, orchards, vineyards and the Stilfserjoch
National Park are all worth a visit.
Some of the typical dishes local to
this region include:
- Strangolapreti (gnocchi with
spinach)
- Baccalà alla trentina (dried
cod)
- Ravioli filled with jam
- Lepre (hare) alla trentina
- Knodel (bread gnocchi)
- wine soup
- barley soup
- Speck (salted leg of pork cured
for 24 weeks)
- Strudel, a fruit filled dessert
Wines include Merlot, Pinot Bianco,
Bianco Val d'Adige or moscato wine.
The oldest artistic examples come
from the late medieval period and are conserved in
the churches of S. Pietro in Bosco in Ala, of Tenno
and of S. Romedio.
There are also many finds from the
Roman and Paleochristian ages. The main monuments
from the Roman age are the Cathedral of S. Virgilio
in Trento and the Basilica of S. Lorenzo.
The Renaissance style can be seen in
many buildings and churches in Trento, such as the
Castle of Buonconsiglio, the Palace of Albere, the
church of S. Maria Maggiore.
Typical Gothic architectures are those
of the church of Civezzano, S. Apollinare, S. Zeno,
Finera di Primiero and Vigo di Fassa. A wonderful
example of European Gothic painting is represented
by the “Ciclo del Mesin” in the Torre
Aquila of Trento.
It is a mountainous region, with numerous
rivers and lakes. The region is divided in two by
the valley of the Adige River. To the west there
are the glaciers of the Adamello-Presanella-Care
Alto and Brenta. To the east the Lagorai, Latemar,
the Dolomites, and the Pale di S. Martino.
Many alpine valleys splinter off the
Adige valley including the Valsugana, the Vallarsa,
the Val di Non, the Val di Sole, the Val di Cembra,
Fiemme and Fassa. The principle lakes are those of
Garda, Caldonazzo, Tovel and Ledro, thermal waters
rich in therapeutic properties are also common.
The lowest pass across the Alps, the
Passo Brennero, is located at the far north of the
region on the border with Austria.
The dominant scene is the Dolomites.
They owe their name to the particular calcareous
rock of which they are compounded. These mountains,
were born from an ancient sea.
Extensive conifer forests cover the
dolomite slopes and wide table-lands of Folgaria,
Lavarone and Pine. Three parks, the Adamello-Brenta,
Paneveggio-Pale of S. Martino and Stelvio help to
conserve the native species of animals and vegetation
of the alpine environment including the brown bear.
A third of the region is protected
in the parks:
- the Natural park of Sciliar,
- the Natural park of Puez-Odle,
- the Natural park of Monte Corno,
- the Natural park of the Dolomites
of Sesto,
- the park of the Vedrette di Rics,
- the Sarentine Alps park and
- the National park of Stelvio.
These parks offer walking tracks which
can be as short as a half day or as intensive as
a couple of weeks. Information and maps are available
from local tourist officers.
Thermal springs are also common in
the region including:
- Bagni di Rabbi
- Campo Tures / Sand in Taufers
- Comano Terme
- Levico Terme
- Merano / Meran
- Pejo Terme
- Sesto / Sexten
- Terme di Brennero / Brennerbad
- Vetriolo Terme
- Vigolo Baselga
The region is dominated by Alpine climate
with cold and snowy winters, cool summers, rainy
springs and autumns.
Alto Adige enjoys 300 days of sunshine
a year. The average temperatures range from
Average Winter temperatures: -4 degrees
Celsius to 10 degrees Celsius
Average Summer temperature: 14 degrees Celsius to 29 degrees Celsius
By car
Take the motorway (A 22)
from Rome or Austria
By train
Eurotunnel or Trenitalia
By Airplane
Bolzano airport - approx. 4 hours from London
Heathrow via Munich with Lufthansa and Air Alps.
Alternately,
Verona Valerio Catullo airport - 1 hr 40 minutes drive to Bolzano.
Verona Brescia airport - 2 hr drive to Bolzano.
Innsbruck airport - 1 hr 15 minutes to Bolzano.
Venice airport - 3 hr drive to Bolzano.
Car hire available at all airports.
Trentino
Tourist Board
The
official tourism web site for Südtirol South
Tyrol
If you would like to display your business here,
click here to contact us.
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