THE GOOD QUESTION
What the hell am I supposed to be there
How about skiing in the Dolomites, relaxing in Merano (emphasis on spa!), Sledding on the Rosskopf or snowshoeing in the Jaufental? The great thing about the winter sports areas of South Tyrol: there is no reason to be hectic. If you are looking for crowds on the mountain and Rambazamba in the ski hut, you should better look elsewhere. In South Tyrol, instead of "down with karacho", the focus is rather on "gliding in grace".
TOBODY JODIHO!
Where can you really go sledding?
The Rosskopf toboggan run is located in the Rosskopf ski area near Sterzing. Not just any small hill hop course, no: it is the longest illuminated toboggan run in South Tyrol with a distance of ten kilometers and the winner of the ADAC winter toboggan run test. Ha! Particularly popular: night trips (uuuaaah!) Combined with torchlight hikes. This is something for those who always look down on toboggans from above – not only because they sit on a sled.
* Tip: Watch Rosskopf videos on Youtube. Hui!
ON TIN
Luck on a stick!
The cult ice cream with lemon, raspberry and woodruff has been back since 2014 and is still based on the three summit mountain of the Dolomites, the "Drei Zinnen". Their fame is more likely to have to do with Langnese than with our geography teachers.
VIEW FACTS
What should I not miss under any circumstances?
MUSEION
Eye-catcher two: the construction of the Berlin architects' office KSV is spectacular, inside there is no less spectacular contemporary art. So if you need a break on the slopes, you will be given plenty of presents here in Bolzano. museion.it
WAGYU CATTLE
Stefan Rottensteiner loves his animals – but they end up on the plate. For example in the Hidalgo in Burgstall, south of Merano. bestbeef.it
SASLONG
For good (or brave!) Skiers, the Saslong descent is a must, as is climbing the Eiffel Tower for Paris visitors. It is 3500 meters long and 839 meters down: watch out for the camel hump! sportnews.bz, keyword search for "Innerhofer's magic journey"
EXPERIENCE
Anna Quinz
The Bolzano, designer and editor-in-chief of the online medium "Franzmagazine" recommends the urban pleasures of South Tyrol to us: "I am a bar man and like to have a coffee in Bolzano in the Café Museion, in the humus, in the pure and above all in the garden of the Parkhotel Laurin. "
* laurin.it
GOOD IN THE FOOD
What lands on your plate in South Tyrol?
Good food is a human right in South Tyrol: As a rule, regional food is used, and it is organic and sustainable. Delicious. Problems arise when translating the menu. First aid? Gladly: Bockans = roast goat. Buchtln = yeast pastries filled with jam. Frittaten = pancakes cut into strips. Keschtn = sweet chestnuts. More on this?
* suedtirol.com/genuss/essen-trinken/suedtiroler-gerichte
BEAUTIFUL LIVING
Are there only old-fashioned pensions?
I where. In South Tyrol in particular, original hotels with sonorous names bustle, such as the Las Vegas Lodge in Alta Badia, the Panoramic Lodge in the Sarntal or the friendly Hotel Muchele near Meran. The Niederthaler Chalets of the Stablum family are also very special and are happy to invite their guests to dumplings. Friendly people, fantastic cuisine – perfect combination.
* See also info (below) and on sz-magazin.sueddeutsche.de, search: "Las Vegas Lodge"
DEEP
And where is the best ski area?
Hi there? Can't say that! At least we know how to do most of the kilometers of slopes on the day: in the Dolomites, you can graze twelve ski areas with one ski pass. Those who risk a panorama view in between will see: "The Dolomites are the most beautiful buildings in the world!" Have said two connoisseurs, Reinhold Messner and the architect Le Corbusier. The Sellaronda four-pass ski tour is also legendary.
* sellaronda.info
FAVORITE PLACE
Sarntal
The people in the Sarntal are considered to be particularly idiosyncratic and creative – this is probably due to the fact that one lives there surrounded by the Sarntal Alps away from the hustle and bustle of South Tyrol, which is already audible. A beautiful valley with many traditional craftsmen, must visit: the quill embroidery Thaler. Yes, there’s really something like that.
* federkielstickerei.com
Traitors wanted
How about an insider tip?
Well, what does secret mean? Let's say: special. The smallest gourmet kitchen in South Tyrol is located on the Alpe di Siusi, is called Gostner Schwaige and is associated with a special man. Franz Mulser was a young guy who cooked in Europe's finest restaurants before deciding to run a rustic hut "at home". His kitchen is four square meters in size, his Kaiserschmarren is the best in all of South Tyrol.
* aussergost.com
STEP-SAFE
Can you also go snowshoeing?
Decelerating on the move: You now have to go down – on snowshoes up the mountain, the alpine equivalent of hiking in the forest. Sooo healthy, sooo simple! Courses are not necessary for this. And in South Tyrol snowshoeing is feasible in almost every ski area. We ourselves trudged down with our knowledgeable guide Karin Kinigadner, from the Platschjoch down to the Jaufental and then returned to the rustic Ungerer Hof.
* ungererhof.it
LOIPENFROINDE
What if I only want cross-country skiing?
Then off to the Dolomiti Nordicski, Europe's largest cross-country carousel with 1,300 kilometers of trails. We personally liked the Jochgrimm: "only" 80 kilometers of cross-country trails are prepared here, but the Zirmerhof in Radein is nearby: cake & wellness great!
* zirmerhof.com
INFO
Where is that?
South Tyrol – officially: Autonomous Province of Bolzano – is the northernmost province of Italy, lies in the middle of the Alps and has around 530,000 inhabitants. The capital city of Bolzano is 180 kilometers away from Munich.
getting there
The DB runs five times a day from Munich – without changing trains and in less than four hours via the Brenner Pass. With the car it goes over the Brenner transit route. If you want to fly, you come via Verona or Innsbruck and then have to travel by car in just under two hours. Don't forget snow chains in winter!
* suedtirol-kompakt.com, keyword: compulsory winter tires
accommodation
Panoramic Lodge Bright design hotel in the quiet Sarntal for a young audience. The kitchen: regional, sophisticated.
* thepanoramiclodge.it/de
Niederthalerhof chalets Holidays on the farm, as modern as never before: chic chalets made from regional building materials – tradition meets contemporary design.
* niederthalerhof.com
Oberhauser hut Just opened and already a very special place: Nature and architecture have made friends here, the location of this extremely friendly, noble "hut" makes you kneel down.
* oberhauserhuette.com