The South Tyrolean way of life

The higher you climb orchards, vineyards and broad-leafed woods give way to dense coniferous forests, Alpine pastureland and finally to the world of the glacier and the sheer barren rock of the Dolomites. Only 8% of South Tyrol’s terrain is habitable, with everything from Alpine farmsteads to classy hotels. Culture here goes far beyond visiting museums, churches and castles, of which there are over 800. Awareness of life and joie de vivre are omnipresent here in everyday life.

Three languages, three cultures, one region: in South Tyrol the down-to-earth character of the Germanic mountain dwellers meets Mediterranean joie de vivre. Both meld and find expression in the everyday culture of the local people. Strongly influenced by their eventful history, the South Tyrolean is above all spontaneous and cordial in character, reliable and sincere in action.

Situated in the sun-drenched southern Alps, South Tyrol’s warm central valleys are famous for their fruit and lush vineyards in sight, even in high summer, of snow-capped Dolomites. A cappuccino in the piazza, strolls along promenades beneath palm trees, hearty Tyrolean fare in Alpine refuges, warm bathing lakes, summer skiing – South Tyrol is a region abounding with contrasts. In addition, living tradition, historical and modern architecture, a diverse cuisine ranging from refined Alpine fare to fragrant Mediterranean delicacies ...

South Tyrol is Italy’s northernmost province, bordering on to Switzerland in the west and on to Austria to the north and east. It is home to 480,000 inhabitants, around 1/5 of whom live in the provincial capital, Bolzano/Bozen. The victorious Allies awarded this southern part of Tyrol to Italy at the end of the First World War. In 1918 the region had been part of Austria since 1363. Today South Tyrol is held up to the world as a model for the peaceful coexistence of ethnic minorities, each with its own autonomous status, and its own official language, German, Italian and Ladin. All three languages enjoy equal status.