In and around Merano
MERANO is an hour's train ride north of Bolzano, near two great mountain ranges. Incomplete 10 kilometers from here is Giogaia di Tessa (Texelgruppe). Trails on the north side of the massif pass a sharp traverse through pastures (in the summer here and there there is snow here), and planted in the lower parts with vines, peaches and apple trees on the south side are irrigated by numerous streams. Further west stretch the Ortles Mountains, which cross the border of Lombardy and are adjacent to Valtellina. This incredibly beautiful area of glaciers and rocky ridges has both paths away from the tourist-frequented routes , as well as good communication between villages.
The peaceful resort of Merano lies at the bend of the Passirio River surrounded by a circle of mountains and, interesting, almost subtropical vegetation. The mild spring and autumn climate attracted newcomers from Central Europe at the turn of the century and as a consequence a resort with hotels in the style of ftn de siecle was created here., elegant gardens and boulevards. The former axis of the town is running near the Gothic Duomo and the fifteenth-century castle Via dei Portici. Nearby there is also a Thermal Center, still offering radiation therapy, and the area abounds in shopping streets. On the promenades by the river and on the surrounding hills march mainly perky sixty-year-olds with ciupagami, but nevertheless it is worth stopping here due to the convenient connections with the Parco Naturale Gruppo di Tessa in the north and the Ortles chain in the Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio in the southwest. Buses depart directly from outside the train station (information 0473/42002). Azienda di Soggiorno, Cura e Turismo, Corso Liberta 45 (Mon-Fri. 8.00-12.30 and 15.00-18.30, Sb. 9.00-12.00 and 15.00-17.00) has information on accommodation in centrally located hotels (prices above 15 000 L per person). Tourist information is provided by the Alpine Society, Via Galilei 45 (Mon-Fri. 9.00-12.00), Alpenverien Siidtirol, located in Heidenberger, in a small arcade passage to the side from Corso Liberta, and the office of Club Alpino Italiano, Corso Liberta 188.
Parco Naturale Gruppo di Tessa (Naturpark Texelgruppe)
The mountain ranges around Merano developed in a different geological period than the Dolomites and are part of the Swiss Zillertaler and Ótztaler ranges. Their southern group, Giogaia di Tessa (Texelgruppe), is located directly north of the city. The massif is surrounded by two high-mountain routes, north and south section of the Meraner Hoiienweg. Southern Route (marked with a number 24) is milder, but crowded even in the off-season. From this route you can see the panorama of Merano, largely built-up Val Venosta (Vinschgau) and surrounding peaks. It takes a complete place to go through it 24 Hours, but every few kilometers there is a dairy farm, where you can stay overnight, and in the morning get breakfast. Merano is connected by bus lines with the beginning of the route in KATHARINABERG (In Hof Unterp-ferl), with its end in ULFAS (just west of SANKT LEONHARD) and with several other points along the way, including Castel Tirolo, from where the cable car goes to HOCHMUTER. It is worth visiting the castle chapel decorated with frescoes from the tenth century, if only you manage to get through the crowd of tourists. In Hochmuter there are also two hostels and numerous souvenir shops.
The northern section of the Meraner Hóhenweg is completely different. Runs at a higher altitude, although below the snow limit, through rocky terrain and pastures scattered here and there. The relatively small number of shelters forces you to plan your itinerary in advance. The trail is divided into three parts: the first four-hour episode leads from KATHARINABERG via MONTFERT to EISHOF, the second from Eishof to Rifugio Stettiner (3 Hours. 30 Min.), and the last from STETTINER to PFELDERS (3 Hours. 30 Min.). In Katharinaberg you can spend the night in Katharinabergerhof (• 0473/89171), where room after breakfast costs 20000L per person, or in Schnalsburg (0473/89145; 15 000 L per person). In Pfelders there are accommodation houses Edelweiss (• 0473/85713) and Panorama (» 0473/85727), which offer room and breakfast for respectively 15 000 L and 18 000 L per person.
At Rifugio Stettiner you can go to Pfelderer Hóhenweg, which leads to the east, through the pastures of Obere Schneid, to the Zwickauer hostel. This magnificent route gives some idea of the degree of isolation in which these small valleys remained until recently.. However, because it passes over huge chasms and over the border of snow, you need to have crayfish with you. Without such protection, but wanting to extend the route, you can go from Pfelders to ULFAS (4 Hours.), and from there to VIPITENO (2 into 3 Days), where you can either take the train from Bolzano to Innsbruck, or go further east along the Pfunderer Hóhenweg.
North, along Val Passiria, a bus runs to SANKT LEONHARD on the edge of Texelgruppe. It passes ski resorts on the way, located on the slopes of Punta Cervina (Hirzer Spitze) near Merano. On the summer pastures around Sankt Leonhard cross various hiking trails. One of them leaves St. Martin, Lying 4,2 one kilometre south of Sankt Leonhard. This trail leads steeply uphill to PFANDERALM (2 Hours. 30 Min.), Andreas Hofer's home village. This innkeeper, wine merchant and cattle breeder, fought for the return of Tyrol to Austria after its incorporation into Bavaria in 1805 Year. After successful uprisings against the Bavarian and Napoleonic occupation troops, he became a kind of popular leader of South Tyrol and enjoyed great popularity. However, political forces more powerful than him managed to defeat him.. After the withdrawal of Tyrol of France by the Austrian Emperor Francis I, Hofer took a vague stance and was neither strongly in favor of, or against. In 1810 year he was arrested, and then executed in Mantua by order of Napoleon. On the edge of a meadow in Pfanderalm stands a monument in his memory.
The second road from Sankt Leonhard runs along Val Passiria, west, to the Val di Plan at the end (Pfelderer Tal) MOSO (MOOS), and from there the former military road leads to SANKT MARTIN AM SCHNEEBERG (2 Hours.). A path leads through the peat couloir to the former mining settlement of Schneeberghiitte, the highest in Europe. (2355 m.; no accommodation). After this, founded in a year 1660 in the shadow of the glaciers of the Austrian peak Zuckerhiitl (Mr. di Zucchero), today only heaps and ruins of buildings remain.