Castel Trauttmansdorff

These botanical gardens, with an altitude differential of about 100 metres, are nestled into a natural amphitheatre located just east of the spa resort town of Merano (Meran) in South Tyrol. Their terraces afford spectacular views of the gardens below, the city and the surrounding mountains.

Due to Merano's mild climate, Trauttmansdorff features eighty different Garden Worlds: Mediterranean plants grow in the Sun Gardens. Paths lead down from the Water and Terraced Gardens towards the Italian Garden, the Sense Garden and the Water Lily Pond. Plants native to the region grow in Landscapes of South Tyrol, while deciduous trees alternate with Asian and American conifers in Forests of the World. These botanical gardens also house some surprising attractions, including eleven Artist Pavilions, the panoramic Viewing Platform, the Aviary, the Grotto, and the Botanical Underworld.

Since their form and colour are in never-ending flux, the gardens are worthy of more than one visit. The season begins with the flowering of 180,000 tulips and narcissuses, followed by nearly 300 different varieties and species of rhododendrons and peonies. In summer, the aromas of English roses and lavender waft through the gardens; in their wake, there is a yellow swathe of sunflowers shining in the olive grove. In autumn, a symphony of colour washes over the gardens. Trauttmansdorff Castle is the focal point of the complex: Empress Elisabeth, affectionately known as Sissi, adored this castle. Today, it is home to the Touriseum, which tells the story of 200 years of history of tourism in the Tyrol.