Merano is a resort town in the Italian Alps. It was one of Empress Sissi's favorite vacation spots, and is still a popular thermal bathing resort today. It is also a good base for active leisure in the surrounding mountains.
The double name of the town is related to its ethnic composition and location in the autonomous region of Trentino-South Tyrol. It is inhabited by Italian and German-speaking people who have developed a specific culture that combines the influences of both traditions.
Merano's history dates back to the 9th century. Due to its location in a deep valley cutting deep into the Alps, it was an important trading center and a stop on the route of merchant caravans. The city was the administrative center and the official capital of Tyrol until the mid-19th century, although it had lost its importance to Innsbruck five hundred years earlier.
The impulse for the redevelopment of the city was the discovery of thermal waters and the growing popularity of trips to spas in the 19th century. Merano then became one of the main Alpine resorts using hot springs. Thanks to the fact that members of the Habsburg family came here, it gained popularity in the circles of the Austrian elite.
Today, Merano's biggest attraction is the modern Merano Thermal Baths, which include 8 outdoor and indoor pools, a sauna complex and wellness facilities. The town is also often visited by tourists who like mountain hiking and cycling. There are many hiking and biking trails of varying difficulty around.
Due to its long history, Merano has a lot of historic buildings. there is a gothic church of St. Nicholas, old city gates that are the remains of fortifications, and nineteenth-century villas and spa houses. The most valuable monument of the town is the Trauttmansdorff Castle, which houses the Museum of Tourism. It is surrounded by the Trauttmansdorff Castle Gardens, which features two picturesque viewpoints Matteo Thunscher Gucker and Skywalk, and an aviary.
