Merano & Trauttmansdorff Gardens

Merano was one of the most fashionable spa towns of the Habsburg Empire and captivates with its mild climate, promenades and Art Nouveau architecture. Above the town lie the Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle, a much-awarded botanical garden with plants from all over the world. The Therme Merano spa is right in the centre.

Highlights

• Botanical Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle
• Mild climate and spa promenades
• Therme Merano in the centre
• Tappeiner Promenade with mountain views

Good to know

Practical info

Background & History

Meran, Italian Merano, was in the Middle Ages the capital of the princely County of Tyrol and gave the whole land its name, for the eponymous Tyrol Castle towers a few kilometres above the town. Only in 1420 did the territorial princes move their residence to Innsbruck, and Meran sank for centuries to a sleepy market town. The second flowering came in the 19th century, when doctors discovered the unusually mild climate, sheltered by the Texel group, as a remedy. Suddenly the European nobility streamed to the grape cure on the Passer, Empress Elisabeth of Austria lodged here several times, and the town adorned itself with Art Nouveau villas, promenades and a spa hall.

This curious heritage defines Meran to this day: a southern lightness beneath palms, framed by snow-capped peaks. From the spa tradition also grew the great plant theme of the town. The Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle, laid out around that very castle in which Empress Sisi once resided, spread out today as a botanical journey around the world across an entire hillside. From the Mediterranean terrace garden to the woodland landscape of Asia, they reflect what has always defined Meran: the meeting of the Alpine and the southern world in the closest space.