Clinging to a steep crag high above the Adige valley, the ancestral seat of the counts of Tyrol houses a dynamically curated museum of Tyrolean history, including, in the keep, a series of exhibits on the turbulent years of the 20th century. To get here, take the chairlift or drive from Merano to the higher village of Tirolo (Dorf Tirol). From here, a pretty 1km walk snakes up through terraced vineyards to the castle. Book ahead for English-language tours.
Schloss Tirol
Merano (Meran)
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Nearby Merano (Meran) attractions
1. Schloss Tirol Bird Care Centre
0.04 MILES
Just below Schloss Tirol's entrance, this wildlife rescue centre rehabilitates injured birds of prey. There is a collection of eagles, vultures, hawks,…
1.77 MILES
Shows of high-profile international and regional artists are installed in this contemporary gallery, a thoughtful refiguring of a skinny medieval…
3. Schloss Trauttmansdorff Gardens
3 MILES
You could give an entire day to these beautiful botanical gardens a little outside Merano (and they do suggest it). Exotic cacti and palms, fruit trees…
15.9 MILES
This stunningly located castle was built in 1237 but is renowned for its vivid 14th-century frescoes. These are particularly rare, with themes that are…
16.42 MILES
This dense but visually seductive museum explores Bolzano's turbulent interwar years via the history of the fascist Monument to Victory, where it is sited…
6. Museo Archeologico dell'Alto Adige
16.58 MILES
The star of the Museo Archeologico dell’Alto Adige is Ötzi, the Iceman, with almost the entire museum being given over to the Copper Age mummy. Kept in a…
7. Messner Mountain Museum Firmiano
16.65 MILES
The imposing Castel Firmiano, dating back to AD 945, is the centrepiece of mountaineer Reinhold Messner's six museums. Based around humankind's…
8. Chiesa e Convento dei Francescani
16.66 MILES
The 14th-century Chiesa di Francescani features beautiful cloisters and a magnificent Gothic altarpiece, carved in 1500 by Hans Klocker.