Why should you visit South Tyrol I Italy
A beautiful piece of earth – South Tyrol
It’s not Italy, Germany nor Austria- it’s South Tyrol. South Tyrol, whose Italian name is ‘Alto Adige’, is located in the northern part of Italy. It is an autonomous province in Italy and it is a beautiful piece of earth. I have been to South Tyrol for winter sports twice and really loved both times. Now, it was my first time here in summertime and it´s even more stunning. 95 % of the tourist that come here are retired German speakers and Italians. South Tyrol also attracts a few young families now but that’s about it. Honestly, I haven´t seen a single tourist of another nationality outside of the above mentioned. There are many beautiful places to visit in Italy but there are only a few people that know about South Tyrol. That’s the reason why I call South Tyrol ‘The forgotten paradise’.
For those who have never heard nor been to South Tyrol let me explain to you why it is worth it to visit:
1. It unites two landscapes and cultures in one area:
What makes South Tyrol special to me is that I feel like I can switch between two countries and therefore two cultures within seconds. South Tyrol is literally located between the beginning border of Italy and the end of the Alps. So basically, the landscape in South Tyrol ranges from Alpine to Mediterranean. Small villages like Schenna have to this day still maintained their Alpine flair. This landscape is characterised by breath-taking mountains and warm valleys, lined with forests, wine and apple farms. Besides that I love the crystal clear rivers and lakes, impressive castles and alpine farmhouses on top of the mountains.
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Alternatively, bigger cities like Bolzano and Meran which are literally around the corner, have adopted that amazing Mediterranean flair – typical Italian architecture, lines of pines trees, palms as well as olive and wine farms. This and the fact that these cities are also surrounded by mountains makes it so impressive. Honestly, I felt like I could hop between two completely different countries within 10 minutes!
2. South Tyrol’s cuisine is super yummy
South Tyrol has developed its own traditional cuisine. What you can find is a mixture of the best from the Alps and the Mediterranean. Traditional farmhouses and alpine huts offer simple but delicious homemade dishes like Knödel, Apfelstrudel and Krapfen. All of them are family run businesses where the grandparents have been passed the secrets of their recipes down to their children. Also all the little farms produce their own goods and have a farm shop selling unique, self-made specialities. Other specialities that South Tyrol is famous for are their smoked ham, cheese and wine.
3. South Tyrol’s people
Especially in the small villages, everyone is really welcoming and genuine. Everytime I took a walk in the streets they would greet me and make me feel like I was a part of the community, which is super nice. Don’t be surprised though – because of their historic background there are 3 languages that are spoken in South Tyrol. They are German (with an Austro-Bavarian accent), Italian and Ladin (mostly spoken on the mountains but not by young people anymore). The reason for that is that due to a couple of historic wars that took place in the past, South Tyrol used to be part of Bavaria, Italy as well as Austria.
All the locals I met were super friendly. One of them is Sieglinde. She lives on an alpine farm in the mountains and is making cheese there. Read her story and watch my Vlog here.
Besides that, I met Matthias – he is an apple farmer who created his own liquor brand. Read his story and watch my vlog here.
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4. There is so much to do – Best places to visit in South Tyrol, Italy
Let me give you a few examples:
- go on a hike or biking tour
- do paragliding, rafting or canoeing
- go on a day trip to Lake Garda (Lago Di Garda), Lake Reschen or The Dolomites
- relax on the shores of a mountain lake or river
- visit one of the numerous social events – especially in summertime
- go on a farm, wine or gourmet tours
- visit one of the parks or gardens
You still need more convincing? I don´t think so.
Give South Tyrol a try and let me show you in my following vlog what makes South Tyrol so quaint:
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Which place have you been to and you think it is a forgotten place? Let me know in the comments!
Would you like to read and see more about my trips? Here we go!
[Disclaimer: This blog post contains some affiliate links. Once you purchase something, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This tiny commission will help support my blog hosting and other maintenance costs. All my opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way. Thank you!]
Mia
Posted at 22:19h, 09 JulyI haven't heard of South Tyrol before! I'm always looking for new destinations to put on my travel bucket list–this is definitely now one of them! Thanks for the details 🙂
Ania | Snow to Seas
Posted at 19:25h, 15 JulyI love how you started your post – calling South Tyrol a whole place of its own. I have been to Italy, Austria, and Germany all around South Tyrol, so after seeing your photos and descriptions, I totally agree. The area is absolutely amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Eniko
Posted at 07:05h, 16 JulyWow it seems like there's a lot to do for outdoorsy people like me and my boyfriend. We would love to visit South Tyrol and do some hiking, rafting, cycling… seems like a beautiful region.
Claudi
Posted at 07:54h, 16 JulyHi Eniko,
you are right, there are so many outdoor activities. With this beautiful scenery it is even more stunning. Check it out 🙂