The area of Merano and environs includes the Ultental Valley to the southwest, the Passeiertal and Schnalstal Valleys to the north and is crossed by the Etschtal Valley. The aristocratic spa town of
Merano/Meran lies at the centre, a city with a Mediterranean climate and vegetation: there are magnolias, lemon trees, palms and magnificent flowers wherever you look. Above the city soar mighty 3000-metre peaks, covered with dark coniferous forests and dotted with mountain pines and Alpine roses further up.
The River Passer snakes down from the Passeier Valley to Merano/Meran, where it flows into the River Etsch as this runs from the Venosta Valley – the waters however ensure that Merano and environs benefits from fruitful land at all altitudes. In the Ultental Valley they water the ancient larches, Europe’s oldest coniferous trees, while Prissiano can boast the “Versoaln”, the world’s oldest and largest vine. The
Texel Group nature park, the largest in South Tyrol, allows nature to thrive and lets visitors see it at its wildest and most unspoilt. The
Spronser lakes in the Passeiertal Valley form Europe’s highest Alpine lakeland, with the Vernagt reservoir in the Schnalstal Valley also demonstrating the strength of the waters. Ancient farms have clung to the steep slopes for centuries, providing a human presence in the loneliest locations. The nature of Merano and environs can truly be described as Mediterranean-Alpine, where the aura of the south meets that of the north.
The highlights of nature in Merano and environs:
- the Texel Group nature park
- the ancient larches of the Ultental Valley
- the Spronser lakes
- the Mediterranean climate in the midst of high mountains
- the glaciated peaks of the Schnalstal Valley