Innsbruck and Merano - a wonderful day-trip

I promised you sometimes to show other day-trip-possibilities. Today you should see how easy it is to visit Austria and Italy in one day. Beginning March I had picked up a nice family with my airportshuttle from Munich airport and brought them to Schwangau near Fuessen in their hotel "Ruebezahl" there. After visiting the castles next day we have made the Munich trip and then they asked, "what's about a trip to Austria". Looking to the next interesting points behind the Bavarian border Innsbruck is easy to reach, one hour drive only about. Because spring was also slowly starting we decide to make side-jump to Merano in Italy, maybe the first blossoms are there by the southern and warmer location.

So we start early in the morning with a marvellous view to the Alps around the "kings nook". Going over the "Fern-Pass" we reached the area of Innsbruck in real 70 minutes. Tyrolia is a nice area, but in the morning a lot of people go to work so we decided first to drive to Italy and at the back drive stop by in Innsbruck.

So we passed Innsbruck and drove over the main gate to Italy, the Europe wide known "Brenner-Pass" to the northern part of the old Roman Empire, to South Tyrolia. Normally we can use the highway but you know, the hidden jewels are mostly in the country side. The picture right let you see a small village where we can find one old and in earlier times also important way to Italy - the "Jaufen-Pass".

These views are grandious and it is really nice to stop and look a little bit around. That we will do later on some more times.

This pass is blocked in the night times because by ice and snow coming then the danger is too big. On top we are about 2000 meters high and it is a great dish for your eyes. My customers and me liked it too, how you can see, a lot of skiing fans know this road also. See the pics below.

All these snow peaks and snow fields were gone as we drove over to the side where Meran is located. At the other side the sun had melted every thing nearly up to 1900 meters and so it was going down on a dry but narrow street. But our hope spring had brought a lot of blossoms was to early. Only some bushes tried to show up fresh colours and the trees showed us some green leaves coming out.

Here we are now in Meran, a good combination between mountain flair and southern stile. The air was warm, sun still shining, how marvellous it must be one month later?

An old official house, nearly hidden under leaves, we can see just now. I guess, later in the year the trees and bushes will hide it really and maybe you will pass it and will not discover it.

The next picture board shows you the old cure house at the promenade, another nice old house, the old theatre and a view in the old main street of Merano.

Having a nice hour by walking around we started then going back to Austria and for a visit of the Tyrolean city Innsbruck. From Merano to Innsbruck it is a one-hour-drive at the highway. The first view coming down the mountain is a huge old building, called the "Praemonstratenser-Chorherren-Stift" in the city part Wilten.

Near that "Stift" we parked and had a visit to the Basilika "Mariae Empfängnis" near by. It is the most famous religious Rokoko building in North Tyrolia.

Inside you can see all the beauty and taste of the former architects and church artists. A lot of stucko, much gold and wonderful paintings will give you a soulful movement.

Standing in front of that church and turning around we had a wonderful view to the "Bergisel". You should see him yourself, so I gave you no picture now. But, sportsmen will know, there is the ski jump of the Olympics located. For the people with historical interests: this mountain was the famous battlefield in the war times under Napoleons rule in Europe, where the brave Tyrolians fought against the Bavarian troups leaded against them by order of the French. And they won - but only a short time.

But back to the trip. If you don't want driving helplessly trough the town, parking lots are very very rare, let your car like we did there and walk to down town. It's only a 10-minutes-way but very nice. For example, this sign (pic below) you will surely not see while driving.

Here is one of the oldes bell-manufactures of Europe at home, curiously also a manufacture of firefighter-supply. The second branch was developed in the old times too, because by making bells the danger of burning down the town for which the bell was planned was tremendous high.

Walking further on we passed the Taxis-Palais (in the back ground left), this aristocrat, Duke Turn and Taxis, was very known in Europe by founding the postal system (and his huge bank account too). The column you see is the statue of St. Anna.

This Gate of Triomph was built by Maria Theresia, famous female cesar of Austria for the reason of the marriage of her son Leopold, later cesar Leopold II. The marriage was made in Innsbruck but a shadow darked the ceremony days, his father, cesar Franz I., was dieing at the ceremony (I guess for luck).

And then we reached the heart of Innsbruck center with the most interesting tourist attraction - the Golden Roof.

The view is before you enter the old center. By the way, very nice with big arcades and (watch your wallet) a lot of nice stores. At the right I made a picture from the near so that you will have one impression of the nice paintings. This "golden" roof was built for the cesar Maximilian so he had a better view on the tournaments holden up in front and on the market square. The roof is covered with copper, but this is again covered with gold, so the name came from.

That could be also a nice trip for you and believe me, there are a lot of more nice things to see. If I would show and explain everything in advance, why you should come and see personal? But one last thing I will show you before I leave till the next trip. The picture below is the old tower of Innsbruck's town mayor house. And you know, in the old times this "modern stuff" like a clock was not always working - so the smart Tyrolians in Innsbruck prevent, they keep the sun clock below in case the mechanical clock will break (grin ).

Script by J.W.Lohfink, for any mistakes in spell or grammar I apologize as a precaution, corrections, questions or comments please mail to me.

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