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from 200 €
Quellenhof Luxury Resort Passeier
Sport & wellness resort | Passeiertal
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from 90 €
Hotel Saltauserhof
Wellness hotel | St. Martin in Passeier
from 190 €
WINKLER Sport & Spa Resort
Design hotel | St. Lorenzen at Mt. Kronplatz
from 110 €
Grand Hotel Bellevue
City hotel | Meran
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from 94 €
Wirtshaushotel Alpenrose
Active hotel | St. Lorenzen at Mt. Kronplatz
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Holidays in Naturns near Meran
Nature, fun and well-being.
The NEW South Tyrol Blog
The best stories from South Tyrol - Get inspired!
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from 110 €
Hotel Fameli
Family & spa resort | Olang at Mt. Kronplatz
from 118 €
Granpanorama Hotel StephansHof
Winter sports | Villanders in Eisacktal
from 221 €
Alpenpalace Luxury Hideaway & Spa Retreat
Exclusive well-being oasis | St. Johann in Tauferer Ahrntal
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from 289 €
Wellness Refugium Alpin Royal
Charm & warmth | St. Johann in Tauferer Ahrntal
from 174 €
MIRABELL DOLOMITES HOTEL
Luxury . Ayurveda & SPA | Olang at Mt. Kronplatz
from 131 €
SONNENHOF Sun/Spa/Panorama
Sporthotel | Pfalzen at Mt. Kronplatz
from 142 €
LANERHOF Active/Spa/Balance
Spa-Hotel | St. Lorenzen at Mt. Kronplatz

From the Stone Age to the Frankish Empire

Several archaeological sites from the Stone Age in South Tyrol show that hunter-gatherers lived in low and higher altitudes already from the 8th millennium BC. Important cultures in the Metal Age are the Laugen Melaun Culture and the Fritzens Sanzeno Culture. After the Romans, various Germanic tribes dominated the region of South Tyrol.

For the time between the late Palaeolithic and the Mesolithic, human signs of settlement have been detected in South Tyrol. In fact, residues of hunting camps were found in Ulten Valley, in the Sarntal Alps, on Vigiljoch and in Naturns. In the Neolithic period, people become sedentary and began with farming and cattle breeding on the fertile mid-altitude plateaus.

Ötzi – the iceman

A spectacular discovery from the Copper Age was Ötzi, the glacier mummy of Tisenjoch pass, showing interesting facts about life about 5,300 years ago. From the late Bronze Age until the early Iron Age, the was the Laugen Melaun Culture in South Tyrol, named after places of recovery near Brixen. This culture is characterised by elaborately decorated ceramic jars, a well-developed metal processing and weaving. In Tauferer Ahrntal, copper mining was frequent already in the Bronze Age, as there was found a Celtic Bronze axe.

Rhaetians and Romans

From the 6th century, the culture of Fritzens Sanzeno arose in the Central Alps, whose promoters were called Rhaetians by the Romans and Greeks. The origin of Rhaetian tribes is uncertain, but it is sure that they had intense connections to the Etruscans in the south as well as to the Celts in the north. In the 1st century BC, the Romans conquered this region and South Tyrol had than remained part of the Roman Empire until the Migration Period. The Ladin language in Gröden and Gadertal valley is still proof of the Rhaetian and Roman period.

The Saevates also rank among the Fritzens Sanzeno Culture. They settled in the area of St. Lorenzen near Bruneck. This settlement was expanded to a road station by the Romans. The Museum Mansio Sebatum takes its visitors on an exciting journey into the past. The famous Via Claudia Augusta was an important Roman road across the Alps. A precious Roman milestone was found in Rabland, with an inscription proving the course of Via Claudia Augusta.

Ostrogoths and Franks, Lombards and Bavarians

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Ostrogoths ruled over South Tyrol at the beginning. From the 6th century, the Lombards arrived in today’s South Tyrol from the south as well as the Bavarians from the north. In 774, Charlemagne conquered the Lombard Empire. In 788, he also forced the Bavarian duke Tassilo to retreat in the monastery and integrated the Duchy of Bavaria to the Frankish Empire. In 800, Charlemagne had himself crowned to the Roman emperor.

Under the grandchildren of Charlemagne, the empire was split into three parts. The Middle Realm which also included the Duchy of Trento, broke down into the Duchy of Lorraine as well as to the Kingdom of Burgundy and to the Kingdom of Italy.

Current holiday offers

from 100 €
Hotel Tirolerhof

Welcome to the Tirolerhof at the gateway to the Gsieser Valley. Your perfect place for active holidays and pure relaxation!

To the hotel
from 110 €
Familienhotel Bella Vista

Experience holiday with the whole family in Vinschgau: hiking programme, childcare, caressing ponies and time for relaxation.

To the hotel
from 122 €
Hotel & SPA RESORT Majestic

TOP hotel ****s in Pustertal - large garden with swimming pool, natural bathing pond, saunas, guided hikes and much more!

To the hotel
from 138 €
Vitalpina Hotel Schulerhof

A dream holiday - for active guests who enjoy relaxation, culinary delights, and friendly interactions.

To the hotel

History

Selected accommodations in South Tyrol

Glögglhof - Girlan in Southern South Tyrol
Glögglhof
Girlan in Southern South Tyrol
4.9 Excellent

Farm holidays in the wine village Girlan and in cosy apartments – ideal for active travellers and for those who are looking for regeneration!

from 105 € per day
Tirolerin rooms & suites & breakfast - Tramin an der Weinstraße in Southern South Tyrol
superior
Tirolerin rooms & suites & breakfast
Tramin an der Weinstraße in Southern South Tyrol
4.3 Very good

Inviting rooms and suites, excellent breakfast, heated outdoor pool in the garden & unlimited possibilities for active guests.

from 65 € per day
Hotel & Residence Johanneshof - Tscherms in Meran and environs
superior
Hotel & Residence Johanneshof
Tscherms in Meran and environs
4.5 Excellent

Comfortable rooms & spacious apartments, rich breakfast buffet or bread service, garden with heated pool, sunbathing lawn and garden house with whirlpool.

Pension Felsenegg - Tisens in Meran and environs
Pension Felsenegg
Tisens in Meran and environs
4.7 Excellent

Inviting B&B in the environs of Meran with comfortable and cosy rooms, a delicious breakfast, dreamlike garden & wonderful view of the vineyards.

from 35 € per day
Service