Bolzano is a place where the traditions of the past intertwine with the challenges of the future. Innovation and sustainability are the keywords for the new development of a city that is able to look to the future while maintaining strong ties to its roots and values.

Why choose Bolzano as your next holiday destination? The answer is simple: to be immersed in a unique cultural mix. Here, north and south, Mediterranean and Alpine meet, creating an irresistible and unique combination.

Be enchanted by the different architectural styles that are colourful and soft and, as soon as you turn the corner, become imposing and square. Stroll along the acardes, the commercial heart of the old town over 300 metres long, listening to the mix of languages that characterise our city and immerse yourself in the sounds of nature by walking along the many promenades that climb the sunny slopes. Get on your bike and explore more than 50 kilometres of cycle paths through Bolzano. Discover the green and innovative soul of the city. Take one of the cable cars from the city centre to reach the surroundings of the South Tyrolean capital in just a few minutes, including Colle, an oasis of peace, and the Renon plateau.

Taste the perfect combination of Tyrolean cuisine and Mediterranean flavours in the many restaurants in the city streets. Combine traditional dishes with wines from the many wineries in the valley. Marvel at the sparkle of the traditional and modern shop windows. There are plenty of ideas for taking home a unique souvenir. Don’t miss the numerous events that enliven the gateway city to the Dolomites in every season.

Follow in the footsteps of history with a wide range of cultural events. With parks, museums, castles and many other events, there is fun for families too.

Let yourself be inspired, Bolzano is this and much more!

Know the city

Bolzano is a clear reflection of the meeting and exchange of different cultures. In art, for example, Giotto’s paintings and works of the Gothic school coexist, while in architecture, the unique contrast between the old town and the new town, separated by the Talvera river, is quite obvious.

History

Over the years, Bolzano’s history, culture and traditions have defined the city’s character: lively, multilingual and always changing.

Bolzano was probably founded as a Roman military statio in 15 B.C. under the name of “Pons Drusi”. In the following centuries it was invaded by Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Huns, Lombards, Saracens, Normans and Hungarians up to the Counts of Tyrol in the 13th century.

“Via dei Portici”, built in the 12th century, was the first street in Bolzano and is still today the heart of the commercial city. Outside the city walls stood the early Christian church, which later became today’s cathedral.

In 1363 the county was handed to the Habsburgs, who ruled until 1806 when Tyrol became part of the Kingdom of Bavaria, then allied with Napoleonic France. In 1814 the Tyrol returned to Austria and in 1919 the southern part of the Tyrol (South Tyrol) was annexed to Italy by the Treaty of Saint Germain.

Fascist Italianization provided for a new urban plan, which from 1935 radically changed Bolzano’s appearance, expanding it southwards into the new “Semirurali” districts and the industrial area where previously there had only been vineyards and orchards.

In the 1960s, Bolzano went from being a predominantly commercial city to a tourist boom that has never left it.