When it comes to vacation moments, Italy does not disappoint. After a wonderful time at the sea, we hoped to have one last fling before the start of school, and get away from the heat of the city. But where to go? Well, we quickly learned that Italians on summertime holiday are either headed al mare ("to the sea") alle montagne ("to the mountains”).
Italy has its share of incredible mountain spots - its entire Northern border is made up of the beautiful Italian Alps! Italy’s connection to the prodigious Alps starts near the Mediterranean with the Maritime Alps that separate the western edge of Italy (Piedmont, Liguria) from French Provence, and continues east, including world-famous peaks like Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn, as well as Italy’s great northern lakes (Maggiore, Como, and Garda).
Keep going clockwise on your map, and you’ll reach the Northeast corner of Italy, which features the equally stunning (if less well-known) Dolomites (Dolomiti). The Dolomites, known as the “Pale Alps,” are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, and distinctive for their jagged peaks that look like whitish knife blades pointing to the sky.
While the Dolomites are much farther from us in Chieri than the mountains on the French or Swiss borders, we figured this might be our only chance to take a leisurely train ride all the way across northern Italy. And then we saw this article (and photo) in the New York Times:
Ummm, yes please! This photo convinced us it would be worth the trip! It meant a 6-hour journey each way, with three connections (Chieri to Turin to Verona to Bolzano to Merano), but it was quite pleasant and worth the investment for a week of adventure. The Italian train system has an (undeserved, I think) reputation for frequent strikes, and uneven service, but we’ve almost always found it to be efficient, comfortable, and inexpensive.
We spent most of our time in and around the large, spa city of Merano (which also goes by its German name, Meran), which serves as home base for a lot of visitors to the area. It's in the heart of the province of South Tyrol, in the Trentino/Alto Adige region of northeast Italy. We learned that this region was the site of many WWI battles, and has changed hands many times over the years (between Italy, Austria, and briefly Germany during WWII).
Upon arrival, you realize the dual name Merano/Meran is well-earned - the city displays a perfect blend of Italian and German architecture, culture, and food. Everyone speaks both languages fluently; it was always up for grabs when we walked into a shop - would they greet us with "Buongiorno" or "Guten Tag"...I usually got a "Buongiorno;" Barbara usually got a "Guten Tag."
Visitors from Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria are all well-represented. Oddly, our new best friend at the hotel, Fabian, told us we were only the third couple he had met from the U.S. in his 8 years working there! (This makes sense, as I have never seen a Rick Steves show about this part of Italy). But thankfully everyone spoke enough English to fill in the gaps in our (slowly-developing) Italian skills!
Clockwise from top left: Merano in the mountains, the street along the Passer River, the Passer river, and the view from the hotel rooftop.
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Speaking of the hotel...we decided to splurge a little and booked a room at the outstanding Hotel Terme, right in the center of town. Rather than try to tell you about this absolutely lovely hotel, I'll just share my TripAdvisor review (#puppypatrol):
"Simply one of our best-ever lodging experiences. Somehow, Hotel Terme manages to satisfy all 5 of the senses:
Sight: Absolutely beautiful decor, spotlessly clean, stunning views from the spa or from the rooftop infinity pool;
Taste: We did "half board" which meant two FABULOUS meals each day (is there such a thing as a "gourmet breakfast"?). Dinner was 5 courses, all exquisitely prepared and served by the nicest waitstaff (thank you Manual and Agnes);
Sound: Lovely, tasteful music piped into all of the common areas, AND even a fun music duo playing in the lounge one night, AND we were right next door to Merano's large public space where we heard 4 different FREE concerts during our 7-night stay!
Touch: Massage services available! Also one of the best-equipped hotel exercise facilities I have ever used (even at a resort hotel) expertly run by Fabian.
Smell: Yes smell...the hotel has arranged for a pleasant scent everywhere you go - lobbies, restaurants, saunas, etc.
All in all, a lovely week in the mountains - and a pan-European experience without leaving Italy...we will be back!
MP with favorite hat, BB checking out the view, the view from the gym, wine tasting in town