Bozen/Bolzano – the main city and capital of South Tyrol. A heady atmosphere where the cosmopolitan and sophisticated meet the down-to-earth. The trilingual university, founded about twenty years ago, has brought changes: yet this city, despite its long history as a trading post, has always retained a sense of self-reliance, with pride and zeal in the city’s “eight elements of bliss”.
Night time is the right time
There is an ever-growing range of cultural events. While formerly the theatre repertoire consisted of a few plays, all in German, nowadays there is a wide variety of traditional and innovative stage projects to be seen. Night owls can watch cabaret performances at
Carambolage, innovative and traditional productions at the
VBB, entertaining folk theatre or open-air village picture shows in the summer. There are jazz and dance festivals, a well-established opera season, concert series in winter and summer meetings with outstanding classical music ensembles, all of which attract considerable attention. The local youth scene too is increasing its profile.
Day time means play time
There is more culture on offer in the numerous museums. Ötzi the Iceman is probably now the most famous South Tyrolean of all time and has found a last resting place in the
Museum of Archaeology. The
Museion, dedicated to contemporary art with ever-changing exhibitions,
Runkelstein Castle with largest cycle of secular frescoes, the
Natural History Museum (a favourite with families and children) and the
MMM, Reinhold Messner’s mountain museum at Firmian are all fascinating ways to spend a day on holiday. Bozen/Bolzano also has plenty in terms of high-class shopping opportunities along its medieval arcades, while the old town and the more rural surroundings contain numerous culinary delights.
Good reasons for a holiday in Bolzano and environs
- the urban style of Bozen/Bolzano and Caldaro
- the Mediterranean atmosphere
- the nearby Dolomites
- the mixture of Italian and German in everyday life