JOURNAL
Museion Bolzano - Home to Contemporary Art
Museion in Bolzano, Italy, strikes a standout cubic pose created in reflective aluminium over five floors. Home to the modern and contemporary art museum designed by architects Krüger Schuberth Vandreike.
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Bolzano’s architectural new beacon on Virgl Mountain
A project in the making by Snøhetta, winner of an international design competition, with remarkable modelling by Zoa Studio, this project has been brought to life with a combination of renderings and real-life drone, video and photography footage.
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JOURNAL
Bolzano: The Gateway to South Tyrol
Bolzano: The Gateway to South Tyrol
From its cultural heart to the altitudinous pleasures it offers, we put Bolzano in the headlights to explore its heritage core, architectural merit, stylish stays, foodie forays and more.
Bolzano’s Beating Heart
The capital of South Tyrol, and for many the starting point to adventures in the region, Bolzano is a small scenic town cradled by the dramatic peaks of the UNESCO-protected Dolomites and undulating valleys with unmistakable vineyards snaking around the verdant landscapes. The city itself has an energetic vibe thanks to annual cultural festivals and the university students, set against a backdrop of heritage haunts: the medieval castles, Gothic churches and wide piazzas.
Although very much living in present with a lively café culture, wine and restaurant scene, to get under the skin of Bolzano is to understand the unique setting, close to Austria yet within its own micro-culture of South Tyrol, with a trilingual influence of Italian, German and Ladin. Once an important stop as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it was also supressed during fascist rule in the Twenties. Today its fusion culture is very much its calling card, along with the irresistible draw of nature, framed by the drama of the Dolomites.
Hello Hotels
Cradled by the jagged Dolomite region are some of The Aficionados’ most notable, striking and characterful hotels, many of them built with love, handed down through families or starting afresh with a vision for the future. In Bolzano itself enjoy the proximity of greenery at Parkhotel Mondschein; the suburbs of Bolzano give us Magdalener Hof, a playful bolthole of style.
Further afield Gloriette and Schgaguler are our architectural beacons, inspirational abodes that are sculpted by clever design, whereas Schloss Freudenstein in Appiano harks back to regal splendour in a 12th century castle.
North of Bolzano is Lana where Mira Monti Boutique hotel greets us with captivating style and a rooftop pool. Villa Arnica is a place of chic repose wrapped in nostalgic acclaim and 1477 Reichhalter’s salvaged charm adorns this chilled guesthouse.
Cultural Markers
To know a region well is to explore through its foodie customs and traditions. In Bolzano, the gateway to South Tyrol, produce is bountiful sourced from the meadows, mountains and verdant forests. Get to know the epicureans of South Tyrol and the hybrid cuisine that draws from Italy and Austria creating a micro gastronomy that focus on fresh and seasonal alongside the mainstays of dairy, cured meats, schnitzel and thick soups.
Moving with the times, South Tyrolean architects have made their mark too, framing Dolomite landscapes with innovative design that’s rooted in nature to create sustainable solutions that just feel good. We’re inspired by our friend Peter Pichler who with his architectural design studio always take their cue from the surrounding panoramas to create a pure, natural design that sings with splendour such as Schgaguler Hotel and Milla Montis. Elsewhere in the region you can admire modern beacons of design to be, like that on Virgl Mountain where a new cultural hub and cable car system is in the planning, designed by Snøhetta, an international architecture and interior design studio. Not to be missed is Museion Bolzano, designed by Berlin-based architects KSV Krüger Schuberth Vandreike, a striking, cubic structure that houses contemporary art and photography from local and international artists.
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JOURNAL
Ski Guide to Alta Badia, Italy
As The New York Times, The Guardian, and international travel sections begin to fill up with articles about winter getaways, we’re going to throw our recommendation into the mix. Tried and true, Alta Badia, on the border of Austria and Italy, offers unparalleled winter sports, relaxation, and cuisine.
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HOTEL - Bolzano, Italy
Magdalener Hof
Affectionately known simply as ‘Magda’, personality flows from this mountainous bolthole of style framed on all sides by glorious greens, thanks to its location in choc-box Bolzano within the South Tyrolean Dolomites. Magda will soon become your New Best Friend.
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Artists in Residence Parkhotel Mondschein
Irene Fernández Arcas and Karla Hiraldo Voleau were the first artists in residence at the Parkhotel Mondschein in Bolzano, creating a visual canvas of sensuality, womanhood and culture.
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Masterpieces + Architecture in Italy’s MART
MART is Italy's bastion of art and architecture, designed by Mario Botta and filled to the brim with the most important pieces ever created, from Warhol to Picasso.
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Zigzag Down Europe’s Longest Zip-Line
Soar down Europe's record-breaking long zip-line in South Tyrol's beautiful San Vigilio - a heart-racing adventure for you stylish adrenaline junkies.
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Castles and Mountains Merano’s Botanical Garden
Dating back to the 13th century, Merano’s botanical gardens at Trauttmansdorff Castle explore the Mediterranean and Alpine garden, including a Sun Garden with olive groves (including a 700-year-old Sardinian specimen), fig trees, citrus trees and a semi-desert cacti garden.
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Chef Filippo Zoncato - The Organic Guru
An established wellness resort and eco-certified hotel, Chef Zoncato has developed a unique food philosophy to mirror its legacy DNA of organics, its natural setting and balanced 'live well' ethos.
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Guesthouse - Merano, Italy
Ottmanngut
Small, delicate, exquisite; this creative residence is fully-stocked with vintage family pieces and curatorial heritage, and includes a fabulous orangerie thriving between the greenest of Mediterranean gardens and whitest snow-capped peaks.
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Guesthouse - Soprabolzano, Italy
Gloriette Guesthouse
With mountain eye-candy stretching out in every direction, this nest egg of casual style is the perfect bolthole for urbanites who love the rural idyll framed by modernity and crowned by its fabulous rooftop infinity pool of sheer wow.
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