Merano: what to see, where to eat and what to do in the evening

Merano is one of the main centers of South Tyrol, an excellent starting point for reaching the ski slopes, taking guided tours of all kinds, trekking and nature excursions. But Merano also offers tourists a series of cultural and historical attractions such as castles, towers and museums. Here’s what to see, where to eat and what to do in the evening in Merano !

What to see in Merano

1 – Trauttmansdorff Castle and the Gardens
Trauttmansdorff Castle is a very important historical site for Merano that has existed since the 14th century when it was known as Neuberg. It wasn’t until 1846 that it was given its current name, when the Count of Styria Joseph von Trauttmansdorff bought it, making several changes that saw the entire complex expanded with the addition of large gardens and neo-Gothic elements in the architectural style. The castle thus became the first neo-Gothic example of Tyrol . Currently inside there is also the Touriseum, or the tourism museum, while since 2001 the surrounding gardens have been opened as a botanical gardendivided into natural landscapes and thematic areas to exhibit different plants from all over the world and botanical rarities with particular attention to the local vegetation of South Tyrol.

• How to get there: by bus with line 4 or 1B departing from Merano station or by car via Via Roma – Get directions
• Hours: open from 9:00 to 19:00 with variable closing times until 23:00 in summer and until 17:00 in winter
• Ticket price: full € 14.00 – reduced € 11.00 – children up to 6 years free

2 – Castel San Zeno
Castel San Zeno is an ancient castle with a long history behind it, built on a rock where the Romans had already built a base for the control of trade routes. Later, in the early Middle Ages, a chapel dedicated to San Zeno was added to the existing structure, which soon became a pilgrimage destination.
In the following years the Suppan family continued to erect fortified buildings around the church and then sell them to Mainardo II who made it his residence and then handed down to the counts of Tirolo until their fall and the abandonment and destruction of the castle. Only in 1800 the building was repurchased and restored to become today a safe and open attraction.

• How to get there: by bus with lines 13, 221 and 212 departing from Merano station or by car via Via Schaffer – Get directions
• Hours: open every day from 9:30 to 12:30 and from 15:00 to 18:00 except Tuesday which is only open from 15:00 to 18:00
• Ticket cost: € 1.50

3 – Terme di Merano It is
impossible to have never heard of the Terme di Merano, one of the largest spas in Italy and a tourist resort much loved by visitors. But what not everyone knows is that the spa owes its fame to Elizabeth of Bavaria, better known as Princess Sissi , who together with her still young daughters had stayed at the Trauttmansdorff Castle to carry out thermal treatments, a factor that influences a lot on notoriety and tourism in Merano and the thermal baths.
A success certainly deserved if you think of all the swimming pools, saunas of all kinds and the wellness area with the various wellness packages for every need that are inside!

• How to get there: they are located a few steps from the historic center and can be reached on foot in just 10 minutes along Corso della Liberta – Get directions
• Hours: open every day from 9:00 to 22:00
• Ticket cost: prices from € 9.00 to € 27.00 based on the age, period, day and time you intend to spend inside

4 – Tappeiner
Walk The Tappeiner Walk is a 6-kilometer pedestrian path that runs along Monte Benedetto da Quarazze up to Castel San Zeno. Reaching it is simple thanks to several routes to be made even on foot, but in fact it is a bit long so it is preferable to choose to move by car or public transport. What awaits you when you reach your destination is a panoramic path with views of green expanses and snow-capped mountains among the scents of coniferous and deciduous trees among which there are many domestic pines, Himalayan cedars, olive trees, eucalyptus, magnolia and bamboo but also foreign plants like the palms of China, agave, aloe and opuntie.

• How to get there: it is a bit far from the center, but you can reach it on foot in 25 minutes, by car in just 12 minutes via Via Schaffer or by buses 210, 211 and 212 – Get directions
• Hours: always open
• Ticket cost: free

5 – Museum of Women

An alternative and very interesting museum in terms of exhibition and culture and the Museum of Women, located in the historic center in the former convent of the Poor Clares, highly recommended by anyone who has been there.
Inside it is divided into the permanent exhibition area and that of temporary exhibitions which often hosts historical exhibitions to explore socio-political issues .
The permanent exhibition, on the other hand, aims to enhance female images and roles in ancient and current society by showing clothes, accessories and objects of everyday life.

• How to get there: reachable on foot in about 7 minutes – Get directions
• Hours: open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00
• Ticket price: full € 4.50 – reduced € 4.00 – with guide € 6.00

6 – Palais Mamming Museum
The Palais Mamming Museum and the city museum of Merano , inaugurated within the walls of the magnificent and historic Mamming palace. Inside, a path leads visitors to discover the life of Merano , taking a quick step back into prehistory and then continuing with the various historical phases of greatest interest for Merano, up to modern and contemporary art.
The pieces that you can admire are many, but the Egyptian mummy, the collection of Sudanese weapons donated by Slatin Pasha and the typewriter of Peter Mitterhofer have a particular value.

• How to get there: located on the edge of the historic center, reachable on foot in 5 minutes – Get directions
• Hours: open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:30 to 17:00
• Ticket price: full € 6.00 – reduced € 5.00

7 – Greifvogel Flugschau / Raptor Recovery Center
Not far from Merano, on the surrounding hills, is this curious structure dedicated to local avifauna and more precisely to birds of prey . The center has existed since 1989 when it was born in the Ahrntal Valley, then moved to its present location in 1998 as the current area offers better climatic conditions for the life of these animals, especially for their recovery if injured or sick .
Inside you can admire the birds from very close and attend demonstrations of care and flight, but before arriving at the aviaries you can enjoy a walk on a nature trail that with the help of specific signs explains everything you encounter along the way. the path.

• How to get there: located outside Merano, but reachable by bus 221 or in 18 minutes by car – Get directions
• Hours: open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:30 to 17:00
• Ticket price: full € 9.00 – reduced € 7.00

8 – Kunst Meran / Merano Arte
Merano Arte, or Kunst Meran in German, and first of all an association that wants to keep the Merano cultural profile high and subsequently a large and elegant art museum.
The exhibition inside is distributed over three floors and embraces figurative art, architecture, literature, music, photography and new media, recreating a place for presenting contemporary art aimed at encouraging debates around it. Temporary exhibitions alternate in the museum to promote local and international artists.

• How to get there: it is located in the heart of the historic center, reachable in a few minutes on foot – Get directions
• Hours: open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00
• Ticket price: full € 6.00 – reduced € 5.00 – children up to 14 years free

9 – Powder
Tower The Powder Tower is one of the main attractions of Merano, especially for the panorama it offers when you get to the top. It is an ancient structure 28 meters high built on a rock and used as a viewing platform thanks to the modern staircase mounted inside.

From above it is possible to enjoy a wonderful view over the whole of Merano , on the well-preserved remains of the ancient city wall and on the plain of the Val d’Adige surrounded by the peaks of the Tessa mountain range.

• How to get there: it is located just outside the historic center, about 10 minutes on foot, also reachable by buses 1, 3 and 4 with which it takes twice as long – Get directions
• Hours: open every day from 8:00 to 18:00
• Ticket cost: free

10 – Rametz Castle & Wine Museum
Few cities have the opportunity to offer a wine museum for climatic and territorial factors, but Merano has all the credentials to do so, plus in a beautiful location!
The Wine Museum is in fact located inside the Rametz Castle , a historic residence and an important testimony of the culture of wine since 1227, where the first Pinot Nero vine in Alto Adige was planted and also all the other typical varieties of the area such as Riesling. , Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Today visit the castle and its museum and a real cultural experience on viticultureand offers visitors a large stone cellar and four exhibition rooms that trace the history of wine over the years starting from ancient tools. If you intend to visit it, remember to book the visit which also includes a tasting!

• How to get there: it is located on the outskirts of Merano, reachable from the station by buses 1 and 225 or by car via Via Schaffer – Get directions
• Hours: open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 16:00
• Ticket price: full € 6.00 – children up to 16 years free

One-day itinerary in Merano

Visiting Merano in one day is possible , both thanks to the proximity of many attractions and the ease of movement both on foot and by public transport. Unfortunately, however, one day is not enough to fully enjoy the true atmosphere of Merano and you will certainly have to give up the thermal baths , which require at least a few hours of time, but also the Tappeiner Walk as you have to take into account both to reach it and to follow it, at the Castle Rametz with its Wine Museum and the Raptors Recovery Center as they are distant and challenging too. But don’t be discouraged, because this leaves room for other castles and museums, all concentrated in the center or almost! Here is the itinerary we suggest you follow :

Morning: after breakfast we leave calmly given the openings of the attractions not before 10:00 for the Museum of Women. Immediately after it is the turn of the Merano Arte and Palais Maming Museum museums. Finally, go up to the Powder Tower and enjoy the splendid view, after which an excellent typical lunch awaits you at Osteria Porta Passiria.

Afternoon : retrieve the car and head to Castel San Zeno trying to be there for the afternoon reopening time so as not to waste too much time since it will be after the Trauttmansdorff Castle and its Gardens. The whole complex is really big and it could take a couple of hours to visit.

Here is the one-day itinerary in summary :

1. Women’s Museum : from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00 – ticket cost: full € 4.50 – reduced € 4.00 – with guide € 6.00
2. Merano Arte : from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00 – ticket cost: full € 6.00 – reduced € 5.00 – children up to 14 years free
3. Palais Mamming Museum : from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:30 to 17:00 – ticket price: full € 6.00 reduced € 5.00
4. Powder Tower : every day from 8:00 to 18:00 – ticket price: free
5. Lunch at Osteria Porta Passiria – Get directions
6. Castel San Zeno : every day from 9:30 to 12:30 and from 15:00 to 18:00 except Tuesday which is open only from 15:00 to 18:00 – ticket cost: € 1.50
7. Trauttmansdorff Castle and Gardens : every day from 9:00 to 19:00 – ticket price: full € 14.00 reduced € 11.00 children free

Where to eat in Merano

1. Osteria Porta Passiria : typical regional cuisine from Trentino and Alto Adige with a wide selection of dumplings and local sweets
   Average price per person: € 20.00
   Address and contacts: Passeirer Gasse, 32 (Get directions) / tel: 0473491325
2. Trauttmansdorff restaurant : modern cuisine always made with fresh ingredients according to seasonality
   Average price per person: € 35.00
   Address and contacts: Via S. Valentino, 17 (Get directions) / tel: 0473232818
3. Sissi : classic dishes of the Italian tradition and other personal and creative recipes accompanied by over 400 labels of excellent wines
   Average price per person: € 30.00
   Address and contacts: Via Galileo Galilei, 44 (Get directions) / tel: 0473231062
4. Forsterbrau : cuisine that combines different traditions in a perfect combination, excellent craft beer
   Average price per person: € 25.00
   Address and contacts: C.so della Liberta, 90 (Get directions) / tel: 0473 236535
5. Rametz Castle : meat and fish cuisine, excellent quality of raw materials. The meat tartare is excellent.
   Average price per person: € 35.00
   Address and contacts: Via Labers, 4 (Get directions) / tel: 0473 235856

What to do in the evening: nightlife areas and the best clubs
Merano is one of the main centers of South Tyrol, an excellent starting point for the ski slopes or for summer trekking, however it does not offer a great choice in terms of fun, probably because it is a destination more suitable for adults and families than for children who usually stay directly at the foot of the ski resorts as a matter of comfort.

Merano prefers quiet clubs to discos , in fact you can find cocktail bars in the historic center where you can spend a few hours enjoying a good drink. However, if you are looking for a place that also offers music you can find it a little outside Merano, precisely in Marlengo, which can still be reached in 5 minutes.

• Rossini Cocktailbar : ideal place for aperitifs and quiet evenings with a wide choice of classic and revisited cocktails
  Address: Corso della Liberta, 19 (Get directions) / Facebook page
• Cocktailbar Sketch : elegant lounge bar with excellent cocktails for aperitifs and after dinner accompanied by soft music and appetizers
  Address: Passeggiata Lungo Passirio, 40 (Get directions) / Facebook page
• Tonzstodl : ideal place for dinner and after dinner, with South Tyrolean culinary proposals, excellent cocktails and live music with DJ sets
  Address: Via Prati Nuovi, 14/1 (Get directions) / Facebook page
• Cafe Forum : bar open until late at night, excellent cocktails and live music
  Address: Via Prati Nuovi, 14/1 (Get directions) / Facebook page
• Bottiglieria del Corso : excellent wine shop and wine bar, delicious aperitifs and finger food. the ideal place for an evening with friends
  Address: C.so della Liberta, 182 / B (Get directions) / Facebook page

Plan your stay in Merano: info and useful tips

• How to get there: the closest airports to Merano are Treviso, almost 3 hours away by car (flights to Treviso from € 29.00) and Orio al Serio, just under 3 hours away (Flights to Bergamo from € 33, 00), from which you can travel by bus with Flixbus, rent a car or book a transfer through your hotel. If, on the other hand, you are already closer to Merano, for example to Trento or Bolzano, you can choose between the different trains that connect the whole area with multiple routes every day. From Bolzano you can also opt for bus 201. Finally, for those traveling by car, on the Brennero A22 motorway, take the Bolzano Sud exit.
• How to get around : the historic center and its immediate surroundings can be easily visited on foot, while for some attractions located on the outskirts you can park your car and rely on the efficient urban service.
• Where to park : Merano has several car parks, especially near the historic center. We recommend the Kellerei Parking (Get Directions) covered and guarded even if a little expensive, the huge Parkhaus Plaza (Get Directions) and also this covered and paid, the Lauben Portici (Get Directions) underground and with reasonable prices and finally several places car on paid street in Via Monastero (Get directions)
• Where to sleep: Hotels and b & b from € 75.00 per room – see the offers
• What to see in the surrounding area : absolutely to visit the city of Bolzano just 30 minutes by car (Get directions), Castelbello Castle 26 minutes (Get directions), Gruppo del Tessa Natural Park at 55 minutes (Get directions) and , for those wishing to go a little further, also the Resia Lake, famous for the bell tower in the water, 1 hour and 20 away (Get directions).