The Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle
One of the most beautiful botanical gardens in Europe
On the hills on the eastern edge of Merano, the Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle are one of the most beautiful and spectacular botanical gardens in Europe, awarded "Best Garden in Italy" in 2005 and "International Garden of the Year" in 2013. Opened in 2001, they extend over about 12 hectares in the shape of a natural amphitheatre, around the castle where the Empress Sissi stayed during her first visit to Merano in 1870, with a difference in height of about 100 metres, and offer views of the town and the mountains.
The gardens bring together over 80 garden landscapes with plants from all over the world, divided into four great areas: the Forests of the World, with trees from America and Asia; the Sun Gardens, with olive trees, vineyards, lavender, cypresses and Mediterranean plants that thrive in Merano's mild climate; the Water and Terraced Gardens, with ponds, water lilies, a lake and an Italian garden; and the Landscapes of South Tyrol, with orchards and native plants. Along the route, there are artist pavilions, a Japanese garden, a garden of the senses, a cactus area, aviaries with birds, a lily pond and spectacular viewpoints, including the "Binocular", a steel platform projecting over the void designed by the architect Matteo Thun. The flowerings change with the seasons, from the tulips of spring to the colours of autumn. The castle houses the Touriseum, the museum of the history of tourism in the Alps, with a section dedicated to Sissi.
Tip: the gardens are open from April to mid November; allow at least three hours and wear comfortable shoes, as the paths climb.
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