THE GARDENS OF TRAUTTMANSDORFF CASTLE

    
     On the sunny slopes above Merano/Meran, Italy lies the Gardens ofTrauttmansdorff Castle. This beautiful amphitheater of flowers, plants, and forests from all over the world has been the recipient of several major awards including “Italy's Most Beautiful Garden” in 2005, the “International Garden of the Year” in 2013, and the 2021 “European Award for Ecological Gardens.”

The thirty acres of exotic gardens surround a castle that was made famous by the Empress Elisabeth of Austria (affectionately nicknamed Sissi). Her winter visits here for health reasons inspired aristocrats from all over Europe to come to Merano. Empress Sissi arrived by carriage, along with her entourage, for the first time in 1870. She returned several times making it her favorite winter residence. Known for the therapeutic benefits of its local water sources, it's still a famous European spa resort.

    On our recent visit to Merano, I enjoyed an afternoon meandering around these special gardens that include some of the paths that Sissi frequented. It's full of colorful blooms, foliage, walkways, forests, ponds, terraced gardens, and much more. It was easy to get lost in an area that is said to represent 80 garden landscapes from around the world. There were also many places to sit quietly, reflect and enjoy the beauty of the surrounding mountains.

I returned to town on a two-mile route referred to as a Sissi's Path. Like many of the walks around Merano, it passed by vineyards, apple trees, castles, stone walls, arches, villas, and other hidden treasures.

   I visited Merano in 2017, here is what I wrote at that time:

“Merano, South Tyrol Italy – A Hikers Paradise” June 22, 2017

BRIDGES OF ROME & THE TIBER RIVER

The Tiber River winds its way through Rome with 20 bridges connecting the two sides. A favorite pastime in the city is crossing over one bridge, walking a short distance, and walking back to the other side on the next bridge. “Crossing the Tiber” is also a term used by the Romans to indicate the conversion of a Protestant to Catholicism.

Each bridge is unique. The oldest is the Ponte Fabricio that is basically the same as when it was built in 62 BC. One of the most beautiful is the Ponte Sant'Angelo, a pedestrian-only bridge, that was built by Roman Emperor Hadrian in 134 AD. It is adorned along the sides with ten large statues of angels holding instruments of the Passion—all designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

It's fun to climb down the many stairs to be closer to the river and then walk or bike directly alongside it. This is the best way to avoid the street noise and to see the bridges from below. You feel as if you are walking in a remote area rather than in the middle of a city with a population of almost three million. Stairs are conveniently located at each bridge.

If it happens to be raining, which it seemed to do a lot during our recent May visit, there are miles of old eucalyptus trees that line the high river walk and offer protection from the rain. One day, I walked for over a mile staying dry, despite the steady rainfall—still enjoying a pleasant view of the river.

The Tiber River is known for its many twists and turns which means that it is never the shortest route between two points. However, when it came to navigating the city I still found it helpful at times. We were staying within a block of the river and I always felt confident that I could find my way home by following the river—a valuable tool when your sense of direction is not the best.

The Tiber has caused serious flooding throughout history resulting in large accumulations of silt build up in the many low lying areas of Rome. Consequently, many ancient ruins were buried under the mud for centuries until they were exposed by excavation. The last disastrous flood took place in 1870; it resulted in over 14 feet of water in the Piazza Del Pantheon and in many other areas of the city flood plain. 

In 1876, the government decided to take drastic action to resolve this centuries-old problem. One of the solutions was the building of 39-foot tall retaining walls which the Romans call embankments. They span along both sides of the whole urban stretch of the river banks. Today the risk of flooding is unlikely. Since 1875, the river has flooded three times, the last one was in 1937.

      The downside of the construction was that it resulted in the loss of centuries-old buildings, historical wharves, and lovely views. To get a glimpse of what the Tiber might have looked like prior to 1876, here is a link to watercolor paintings by Ettore Roesler Franz (1845 to 1907) from his famous series Vanished Rome. 

The importance of the river cannot be overstated in the history of the country, or the development of the nation.       -Maurice Hinchey

CASTELROTTO, ITALY -- SOUTH TYROL

HIKES NEAR CASTELROTTO/KASTELRUTH

It's Sunday evening, May 24^th, and we were about to board the bus in Bolzano for our trip to Castelrotto, Italy (elev. 3,510 ft.), where we have an apartment reserved for the week. It is located in South Tyrol (pop. 511,750), a province in the mountainous northern region of Italy, bordering on Austria to the north and Switzerland to the west. The alps in this region are called the Dolomites which rise to over 9,800 feet and cover 548 square miles. The spectacular gray vertical peaks and sheer cliffs are enhanced by the dense green forests, and narrow-deep valleys below. The dolomite rock is a unique variation of limestone.

CASTELROTTO/KASTELRUTH

We chose Castelrotto for our base because it was known for easy hiking and reasonable prices. Rick Steves Italy book describes Castlerotto as the “ideal home base for exploring Alpe di Siusi, Castelrotto . . .has more village character than any other town I know in the region.” The 50-minute bus ride involved dozens of hairpin turns which the bus driver took at a pretty good clip. I soon learned for future trips that it was more pleasant to sit in the back and enjoy the scenery, forgetting about approaching cars and near misses.

Our small studio at the Villa Tanya was booked seven months ago through booking.com (€420 per week). Once again we were at the mercy of the website for our lodging which provides numerous photos and descriptions; however, there is always that little bit of doubt that it will not be quite what you had hoped for.

It is nestled in the mountains with a lovely mountain view, a patio for my morning coffee, birds that never stopped singing and a short walk to the town center. We were pleased with our choice. The proprietors were friendly and invited us to their home for a visit when we arrived. They showed a genuine interest in us and were extremely helpful in directing us to the easier hikes in the area. We also had fun neighbors from Stuttgart, Germany, whom we had brief conversations with using our limited German and their limited English.

SOUTH TYROL

On our first day, we headed out for a casual downhill walk to the neighboring town of Siusi/Seis. We would have been satisfied walking along the sidewalk and taking the bus back, however, the proprietors advised us to take a more scenic path through the farmlands and meadows. It was uphill to start, but then a gentle downhill walk along a dirt path which we thoroughly enjoyed. It was our first hike in the area. I returned on many late evenings to leisurely walk the beginning of the trail again.

I enjoyed the small town of Castelrotto/Kastelruth (pop. 6,500). Most of the people spoke German. The town was hilly and had a lovely main square called Piazza Kraus with a church and free standing bell tower with bells that ring on the hour. There was a small cemetery next to the church where the locals take great care in watering the plants and keeping the place perfect. There was always some activity here, even during the early morning when the rest of the town was empty. The sparkling gold crosses on the grave sites were impressive. I couldn't help but wonder how they keep them safe. Perhaps a bit of utopia exists here.

SPRING FLOWERS - SOUTH TYROL

We purchased a one-week train, bus, and museum pass (€34) for the entire South Tyrol area. It was great value and provided unlimited access to hundreds of miles in the region. Each day we picked out a place to visit or hike. We took day trips to the world famous ski resort of Cortina in the Venteto region of Italy, and to the South Tyroleon Wine Road for tastings and sightseeing. We also rode the bus to Brixen with its medieval old town and Val Gardena, famous for woodcarving and skiing. It was also convenient to visit nearby Siusi/Seis for hiking and the cable car to Europe's largest high-alpine meadow, Alpe di Siusi (elev. 6,500 ft.). On our day of departure, we used the bus/train pass to get all of the way to Brenner, on the Austrian border. Here, we purchased a ticket (€8) to Innsbruck where we spent the next three nights.

Hopefully, we can return to South Tyrol again someday. I would probably chose to base in Castelrotto again, however, Ron might prefer a larger city like Bolzano. I guess I'm realizing that a small town in the mountains, where I can walk out the door and enjoy a mountain hike, is very much to my liking.  I was glad we had another week ahead of us in Gunten, a small town in the Swiss Alps.
                     

Related posts:  Vintage Walks--Lake Bled & Lake Bohinj, Slovenia

                             Bridges of Ljubljana
                             Anticipating a Month in Europe

                      Hay Baths in the Dolomites, Northern Italy

COVERED BRIDGE - CASTELROTTO

CASTELROTTO PIAZZA

CASTELROTTO

HIKING TRAILS SOUTH TYROL