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Welcome to Bolzano

My Bolzano

We asked the people who ought to know best what makes Bolzano so special: Here’s what the residents of this city have to say.

Anna Quinz

Journalist, Blogger
Who are you and what do you do?

Anna Quinz, Creative Director of the communication office and publishing house franzLAB in Bolzano.

What brings you to Bolzano? What do you like most about it?

I grew up here, lived elsewhere for a long time and came back to stay. Bolzano is simple and yet offers many contrasts: On one hand, I can get to my office in seven minutes from home and shop at the market on the way, and on the other hand, culture and creativity keep the city alive.

What places inspire you in Bolzano?

I like the different souls of this city: the old town with its noble flair, the district around piazza Vittoria with its efficient size and order, the “skyscrapers” in the new town and the almost rural area of Gries. In just a few steps, everything can be different.

Where do you go to unwind?

To the Gries vineyards with a view of the Rosengarten. To the Ritten plateau with the cable car for a walk past summer homes and a Dolomite view. Anywhere where the mountains turn pink at sunset.

Bolzano City Guide

Hoila and Guten Tag! Buongiorno and Ciao! Hello and Buenos Días! Bolzano has its roots in the Middle Ages, emerging from a market settlement and rising to become a trading city. It has retained its rich variety and continues to be as entertaining as ever. Bolzano is contemporary and chic, complex and bold. The culture and cuisine are diverse, the streets and squares, nice and neat.

The little city moves, beckons to explore, to wander into the surroundings. Set gently in a basin, surrounded by three cable cars that traverse hills and mountains, crossed by three rivers, close to lakes and outdoor pools. It is rightly and proudly the capital of South Tyrol, Italy’s northernmost province.

We have summarised our personal highlights in this Bolzano City Guide.

Bolzano City Guide

Hoila and Guten Tag! Buongiorno and Ciao! Hello and Buenos Días! Bolzano has its roots in the Middle Ages, emerging from a market settlement and rising to become a trading city. It has retained its rich variety and continues to be as entertaining as ever. Bolzano is contemporary and chic, complex and bold. The culture and cuisine are diverse, the streets and squares, nice and neat.

The little city moves, beckons to explore, to wander into the surroundings. Set gently in a basin, surrounded by three cable cars that traverse hills and mountains, crossed by three rivers, close to lakes and outdoor pools. It is rightly and proudly the capital of South Tyrol, Italy’s northernmost province.

We have summarised our personal highlights in this Bolzano City Guide.

Mirijam Heiler

Artist
Who are you and what do you do?

I am Mirijam Heiler, artist and mother. I move between my studio, the forest and climbing rocks.

What brings you to Bolzano? What do you like most about it?

I have been living in Bolzano again for a few years now. The scent of the mountains, the colours of the light, but above all, the warmth and spontaneity of the people have lured me back. The city is ever-changing.

What places inspire you in Bolzano?

Museion to sharpen my vision, RU.17 Creative Space to spark ideas, Alessandro Casciaro Gallery and Spazio CUT with exhibitions, Rorhof as a generator of new perspectives.

Where do you go to unwind?

The beauty of Bolzano is that you can quickly escape the buzzing city centre: walk steeply from Sankt Magdalena to Oberbozen, Sankt Georgen to Jenesien or along the Oswald Promenade to Maria Himmelfahrt. The opportunity to look down on the city from above sorts out thoughts and experiences and opens you to new perspectives.

Nitzan Cohen

Dean at the Free University of Bolzano
Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Nitzan Cohen, Dean of the Faculty of Design and Art at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano. I’m always on the lookout for questions that are interesting enough to answer… a designer, a researcher, an educator, and above all, a father.

What brings you to Bolzano? What do you like most about it?

My work at the university brought me here. Coming from a big(ger) city, it was only natural to settle directly in Bolzano... where what I appreciate most is the mix... big and small, city and nature, cultures…

What places inspire you in Bolzano?

The momentary, the unplanned, the in-between… the space, the non-space… the spaces and places that just happen, that are ‘as they simply are’… which we can never design as it is, but always aspire to.

Where do you go to unwind?

Up there… where I can hike.

Anna Carol

Songwriter
Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Anna Carol, and I’m a singer-songwriter.

What brings you to Bolzano? What do you like most about it?

I was born and raised in Bolzano, and after spending seven years abroad in Germany, England and the Netherlands, I returned in 2019. Bolzano makes it easy to lead a healthy life close to nature. For example, I really appreciate being able to move around the city almost exclusively by bike or on foot.

What places inspire you in Bolzano?

Every stage of my life is marked by different places and inspirations. I find most of my inspiration in nature or at cultural events in theatres, at festivals and concerts. In the “Da Picchio” bar or the Waag Café, I meet people who share my interests.

Where do you go to unwind?

Sometimes I’m drawn to the Guncina promenade, or I take a walk along the Talvera river. Other times, I love exploring the industrial area scene and getting inspired by this rawer side of the city.