Merano began as a medieval Tyrolean settlement and became the capital of the County of Tyrol in the 13th century, before political power later shifted to Innsbruck. In the 19th century, its mild Alpine climate transformed Meran into a renowned spa town, attracting scientists, writers, celebrities, and artists, including Franz Kafka and Empress Elisabeth of Austria. After World War I, it was annexed by the Kingdom of Italy along with South Tyrol. We visited in June 2026, and found it delightful – a small, manageable, beautifully lush setting with excellent architecture and places to explore.

We stayed about 15 minutes outside of town at the **Hotel Restaurant Hanswirt in Rabland – strongly recommended! Big, comfortable rooms at a reasonable price. Tasty breakfast and dinner. Excellent pool and spa area – pool is indoor/outdoor, big Italian style indoor spa area, and (our favorite) there’s a large sauna in the garden.

Don’t miss the adjacent **Museum Eisenbahnwelt Rabland – an impressive and charming model train museum with Italian settings. 

In Merano, we spent most of our time walking through the gardens and vineyards of the **Tappeiner Promenade: a historic, 3-mile trail carved directly into the hillside surrounding the town. It’s not hard, and so pretty.

More dining options

• Don’t miss ***Braugarten Giardino FORST – huge biergarten and brewery straddling the road (literally). Fun place to stop.
• **Forsterbräu Meran is a variation on the same theme, but in the center of the old town. There’s a nice interior courtyard and service was quick.

Sarentino

***Auener Hof Hotel/Restaurant (2 Michelin stars): This was excellent, best meal of our first Tirol trip. The food is centered around very local – mostly forest leaves and high altitude foods. Lovely presentation. Great service. The hotel only sleeps 10. It’s modern, long drive to get there (though a pretty one). There’s a small spa with 2 saunas, a hayloft (literally), and a jacuzzi. Wouldn’t be fun with kids, but worth it for a night.