What to See in Bolzano, Italy: Dolomite Views, Museums & Historic Landmarks

Much of what makes Bolzano and the entire region of Northern Italy special is the preservation of many of its older architectural gems, which give the city its Old World charm. The Abbazia di Muri-Gries, or Muri Gries Abbey, is one such building located on one edge of Gries Square. The monastery’s first inhabitants were Augustine monks, who settled here in 1406. Later in the next century, the massive stone complex was heavily damaged because of peasant uprisings and fallout from the Napoleonic wars. Eventually, the buildings were given to Benedictine monks in the 19th century. The abbey includes a castle, baroque-style church, and the heaviest bell in the South Tyrol region.

Piazza Gries, 21, 39100 Bolzano BZ, Italy, Phone: +39-04-71-28-22-87

The Arcades are one of the most famous sites in all of Bolzano. They are located along Via dei Portici and start on the western side of Town Hall Square. The shops that sit in the arcades are known for their impressive architectural and design features. They include fascinating wooden shutters and baroque-style floral plaster decorations. One by one, these shops come together to form the city’s most lively commercial district, which combines classic and modern in a single location. The gorgeous structures are as old as the city of Bolzano itself, as the Via dei Portici was the town’s first street, built in approximately 1180 AD.

The Assumption of Our Lady Cathedral is the city of Bolzano’s main architectural highlight, sitting centrally on the town’s main piazza, Walther Square. The large stone church is a fine example of both the Gothic and Romanesque design styles, a look it was given in several iterations over the 15th and 16th centuries. In addition to its impressive architectural forms, the Assumption of Our Lady Cathedral presents other beautiful visual works, such as the frescos on its interior walls. The church is also home to a treasury museum, which contains one of the most extensive collections of baroque and medieval sacred artifacts in the entire Tyrol region.

Piazza della Parrocchia 27 - 39100 Bolzano, Italy, Phone: +39-04-71-97-86-76

In addition to the captivating architectural, historical, and cultural attractions to be found in Bolzano, the town and its surrounding region also teem with natural landmarks. One such landmark is the Barbian Waterfalls, which is formed by the falling of the 6-kilometer-long Ganderbach stream. The waterfalls are divided into an upper and a lower section. Trails are marked between the two for easy hiking from one to the other. Although visitors are permitted to traverse the territory around the falls on their own, guided informational tours are available during the summer season for a more educational look at this natural wonder.

39040 Bolzano, Italy, Phone: +39-04-71-65-44-11

Base Camp Dolomites furnishes a number of useful services and tours to make a stay in Tyrol adventurous, relaxing, and enjoyable. On the practical side of things, Base Camp Dolomites provides space for luggage storage, vehicle and bicycle rentals, and airport transfers as well as sporting equipment rentals. In terms of excursions, the company has a large offering of tours through the Dolomites and the surrounding area. These range from guided bicycle tours to days out at local wineries, festivals, and Christmas markets to gourmet programs targeted towards food connoisseurs. Visitors can explore the mountains, the Castle of Presule, and the lakes at Montiggl, among other scenic landscapes and sites.

Piazza Stazione 1, 39100 Bolzano, Phone: +39-04-71-97-17-33

Cantina Bolzano is a new winery, founded just recently in 2001, that adheres to a long tradition of grape growing and wine production in Italy’s Tyrol region. In fact, this facility is the marriage of two historical wine producers from the area. The cantina utilizes a painstakingly detailed aging process in its cellar, and the entire enterprise is closely monitored by its staff wine experts. Cantina Bolzano specializes in two regional wine varieties, St. Magdalener and Lagrein. The winery creates an idyllic countryside setting for visitors to enjoy. On site, there is a retail wine shop and guided informational tours of the cellar, while specialty wine tastings are available upon request.

Grieser Platz 2, I-39100 Bolzano/Bozen (BZ), Italy, Phone: +39-04-71-27-09-09

Castel Roncolo, or Runkelstein Castle, is a massive medieval structure located just outside the city of Bolzano. The castle, which was built in 1237, is an imposing sight that sits atop an awe-inspiring rocky peak. Like many medieval buildings, Castel Roncolo has a storied past in which its ownership was passed down among various royal and wealthy families. Although it has been damaged on several occasions throughout the centuries, the building was restored in 1893 and given to the city of Bolzano. A particularly special feature of the castle is the collection of literary frescos that covers both its interior and exterior walls, an attribute that has earned it the nickname “The Illustrated Castle.”

Sentiero Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Weg, 39100 Bolzano, Italy, Phone: +39-04-71-32-98-08

Krippenmuseum Muri-Gries is the German for crib museum, an accurate descriptor of this exhibition within the Muri convent in Bolzano. The exhibit is located inside the Romanesque tower of the Gries Castle, which forms part of the Muri-Gries abbey building complex. The display cases within the crib collection depict diorama images from both the Christmas and Passion stories. More than 40 religious figurines are used to construct these still lifes. The artifacts found in the display come from throughout the South Tyrol region of Italy, and the pictures span the centuries, with some dating all the way back to the 1700s.

Piazza Gries, 21, 39100 Bolzano BZ, Italy, Phone: +39-04-71-28-11-16

Maretsch Castle is a lovely medieval residential castle located in the heart of Bolzano’s town center. The oldest portion of the castle was built in the early 13th century and was occupied by the Maretsch family, who were important aids to the sovereign of Tyrol at the time. In 1477, the Romer family took over the castle and modified it into a more Renaissance style. These Renaissance elements have remained to this day, giving Maretsch Castle its unique appearance when set against other medieval castles in the region. Many of the castle’s rooms are still decorated in their traditional form, although modern touches have been added to make the space more functional. Guided tours and castle rentals for private events are available.

Via Claudia de' Medici, 12, 39100 Bolzano BZ, Italy, Phone: +39-04-71-97-66-15

The Mercantile Museum is a treasure trove of exhibits on Bolzano’s commercial history. In its exhibits, which are placed in the city’s Mercantile Building, one can track the history of economic activity in the town in a beautiful, well-curated setting. Among the exhibited items are documents, furnishings, and paintings. The building itself is a beautiful specimen, with many of its interiors preserved to look as they did in the past. Some highlights of the Mercantile Museum are its hall of honor, grand staircase, interior courtyard, and two loggia, or open-sided galleries. The stories housed within the museum describe Bolzano’s rise as an economic center, prime commercial geographic location, and role in the events of World War II.

Via Dei Portici 39, 39100 Bolzano, Italy, Phone: +39-04-71-94-57-02