Bed and breakfast Bolzano

Bolzano The province of Bolzano is a beautiful mountainous area with lush vegetation and stunning views of the Alps on the Northern border of Italy. The Archaeological Museum of Bolzano houses the famous mummy of the Similaun man, better known as Otzi the Iceman, which was found in a glacier in the Otztal Alps. The mummy is thought to date back to 3300 BC and is believed to be the body of a hunter or mountain shepherd. Bolzano was conquered by the Romans and then came under the Lombard’s rule. Before the First World War it was part of an Austro-Hungarian province before finally being annexed by Italy. Being a border region many different languages are spoken here: the main languages are Italian, German and Ladin, a local dialect. Its position between Central Europe and the Mediterranean has also influenced the province’s architecture which is a kind of melting pot of different cultural styles. Towns to visit are: Bressanone with its churches, its Cathedral, the beautiful Gothic frescoes and the Viscount Palace; Merano for its natural hot springs. The region is of course most famous for its unspoilt countryside and this province is home to the stunning Natural Park of the Sciliar Mountains which is home to many different species of plants and wildlife. The Loden Museum (Loden is a very prestigious cloth from this area) is also very interesting. At Christmas time the Bolzano street market is very festive, in June the town celebrates the Sacro Cuore festival with a huge firework display, whilst at Easter Merano hosts a traditional horse race. Typical dishes from this province are: “Bauerngroestel” (roast potatoes with sliced onions and boiled meat), “gnocchi con pane vecchio”, “Knoedel”, speck, sauerkraut, and frankfurter sausages.