Merano - The Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle... the flora of the world in 1 day

The greenery and flowers of the world in 1 day? It may seem incredible, but in Italy it is possible to admire the plant world of our Earth by visiting the Trauttmansdorff Gardens in 1 day, from morning to late afternoon, a unique experience to be had in a gem of South Tyrol, Merano. I'll describe this short trip to you with 100 photos chosen from those taken in spring, quite a few, because the weather we encountered was not ideal for capturing the fantastic colours of the full bloom.

We did it over a weekend, from 12 to 13 May 2007, also to return to Merano, one of the South Tyrolean towns I prefer for its historic centre with the pleasant Via dei Portici and for the slightly retro atmosphere you can still catch while strolling along the Passirio stream, where the buildings evoke what was once the drawing room of the Merano of old, easily letting us imagine the daily life of that time, the chatter over a strudel or a hot chocolate accompanied by the music of Strauss, or the quiet walk among the flower-filled flowerbeds in the gardens that have always lined the Passirio.

Green, flowers and gardens are certainly not lacking in Merano; indeed, they are a component that the people of Merano, and not only they, would never give up, and for this reason they have an innate devotion to greenery, so particular and so deeply rooted that they have created a symbol I believe unique in Italy, the Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle, on the outskirts of Merano, at Via S. Valentino 51a, which you can reach on foot starting from the gate of the historic centre and following a first stretch of Via Cavour, then turning right into Via Winkel and right again into Via Dante, until you reach Via San Valentino, with a lovely view of the Castle from which you enter this marvellous park. For those who don't feel like walking, also because it's uphill on the way there, there is a convenient bus service that arrives at the entrance of this Merano marvel.

The particularity of this enormous garden lies in the fact that within its vast space, 12 hectares where the happy natural amphitheatre exposure of a hilly area has been exploited, the habitats of plants from all over the world have been recreated, admirably seen along an up-and-down of paths that bring the visitor into direct contact with all the plant species present and take us on an ideal journey around the world, crossing over 80 botanical environments, divided into four large areas to give the visitor the sensation of truly being on the continents because they are represented by vegetation made up of about 5,800 different species and varieties with a total of 700,000 plants!!! It seems almost incredible, but inside the Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle you walk among the Woods of the world, from North America to Asia, then on to the Gardens of the sun among Mediterranean landscapes,

then the cacti of Africa, the Water and terraced Gardens, with the small rice paddy, the Japanese garden, the garden of the senses, the water stairways, the aviary with the brightly coloured parrots, the pond with water lilies, and then, and then, and then again, a 7 km walk, with little paths that lead us among greenery, colours and scents from all over the world. Of course the South Tyrolean Landscapes with their typical views cannot be missing, where we also find a charming vine pergola, with the bench where, if you are tired, you can sit to savour a sip of the exquisite wines that South Tyrol knows how to produce. The whole day is needed and, given the kilometres of paths and the vast quantity of species on view, it is best to go in the morning, recommending comfortable, sturdy shoes so you can tackle the many ups and downs in complete tranquillity.

A little visit to the tourism museum hosted inside Trauttmansdorff Castle is a must, since travelling is nicely symbolised by the many blue suitcases stacked at its entrance. For those who want a bite to eat, there is a bar and a restaurant; to use the latter, it is best to go early because at weekends outside winter it is always full of hungry visitors. And your last few coins? Just before the exit there is a charming shop with the unmissable souvenirs. For the curious, I recommend a peek at the website Have a good trip. Wanda & Giancarlo