Getting Around and Places of Interest
The region is almost entirely mountainous, with the long central Adige valley and numerous secondary valleys, where excellent cultivations (wine, apples, even strawberries) alternate with woods of extraordinary beauty. During the summer the beautiful towns in the valleys are the destination for intelligent and respectful tourism, interested in trekking along the highest paths and relaxing, cocooned by clear air and impressive nature. Although the Alto Adige region is considered by most to be the region for snow featuring a lot of winter sports resorts, it offers almost Mediterranean places and landscapes, with mild weather and lush nature. In this patchily populated area the smaller towns have often evolved from ski resorts, such as Cortina d’Ampezzo. Onion-domed churches, log cabins, and precipitously pitched roofs let you feel like living in the past.
The Renon plateau, near Bolzano, and the Appiano Wine Road, in the southern part of the region offer marvelous areas to visit. The Renon plateau, the "Riviera delle Dolomiti" so called for its warm weather, lies over a thousand meters above sea level, and twelve truly beautiful towns welcome visitors from Bolzano. The little electric train crossing the plateau is famous, as well as the highly scented honey produced here and S. Maddalena wine, its vineyards reaching a thousand meters in altitude.
The capital of Trentino is Trento that lies at the neck of the Adige Valley, and in the shadow of the mighty Monte Bondone. Nestled within a ring of mountains, this pretty and laid-back town dates back to Roman times, when it was known as Tridentum. Trento is the administrative partner of Bolzano. The atmosphere of this region is one of tolerant and prosperous co-existence.
The wine
Viticulture has been a business here since Roman times. The grape do not need plenty of Mediterranean sunshine and Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay grapes are grown here; the cool slopes, high above sea level, provide marvelous bright, sharp, light and aromatic vintages, where good spumanti or sparkling wines, and the reds from the northern part of the region are excellent products.
Dining in Bolzano
The cuisine of Bolzano has benefited from the strategic position of the city for an exchange of flavors: solid genuine country cooking and flavors of the Mediterranean sun shake hands. Italian fare abounds on the menu in Bolzano. At the same time hearty Tirolean cuisine is abundantly available.
