Merano in the rain

Enjoyment for advanced travellers

What to do when the morning view from the window doesn't promise anything good for today? South Tyrol's second-largest city offers various possibilities even on a rainy day.

Culture enthusiasts can visit the following attractions:

• Trauttmansdorff Castle with Botanical Gardens and Museum
  Trauttmansdorff Castle is located in a 12-hectare botanical garden. The origins of the building date back to the 13th century. Empress Elisabeth (Sissi) of Austria made Trauttmansdorff Castle famous through two visits in 1870 and 1889. Today it houses the Touriseum, South Tyrol's Museum of Tourism.
• St. Nicholas Parish Church with Barbara Chapel
  In the heart of Merano's old town, you'll discover the late Gothic parish church of St. Nicholas. The three-nave hall church is also the city's landmark.
• Prince's Castle
  Also in the center of Merano, the Prince's Castle invites you for a visit. In the building constructed in 1470, you'll find late medieval interior furnishings as well as lances, halberds, and other weapons.
• Women's Museum
  In Merano's center, you'll also find the Women's Museum. Housed in a former Poor Clares convent since 2011, the museum lets you dive into women's lives of the 19th and 20th centuries through exhibits of everyday objects, clothing, and accessories.
• Kunst Meran (Merano Arte)
  Contemporary art lovers should visit the House of Art in Merano's Arcades. The museum features rotating exhibitions on a 500-square-meter exhibition space. On the ground floor of the historic building, you'll also find a cafeteria and a gallery shop.

Shopping in Merano's Arcades

Merano's Arcade Street is 800 years old. The historic shopping street consists of two rows of houses with low arcades, separated only by a narrow passage. The shops, boutiques, restaurants, and cafés there invite you to take a relaxed stroll. On market days (Tuesday and Friday), the markets offer opportunities to purchase culinary specialties.

Merano Thermal Baths

Opened in 2005 in the heart of Merano, the Merano Thermal Baths await you with various wellness offerings. The thermal complex is located in the middle of a park covering more than 50,000 square meters. It consists of a cube made of stone, glass, and steel. The interior architecture is by Matteo Thun. The thermal water comes from a depth of 2,100 m - 2,300 m and has an original temperature of ~90°C.

Conclusion

As a culture enthusiast, do you enjoy visiting museums and churches? After the intense training of the past few days that demanded a lot from your body, would some hours of wellness in the swimming pool and sauna or a massage be good too? Do you also appreciate a diverse culinary offering? In Merano, one doesn't exclude the other. You can enjoy all of this in a single day. At the intersection of the Alps and Italy, Merano has its very own charm. Here, enjoyment means diversity.