Immersing yourself in village life is easy at the Hotel Gasthof Stern. The terrace directly overlooks the village square, the Deutschnofen locals sit together in the bar and the restaurant, and if you take three steps out from the front door, you’re right in the thick of everyday life in Deutschnofen.
Nevertheless, the focus of a holiday at the Hotel Gasthof Stern can, and should, be shifted up a little. Then it will capture the Eggental Dolomites and – and even further up – the vineyards, imposing wine cellars and historic villages of the often almost Mediterranean-looking South Tyrolean lowlands.
The capital of South Tyrol, Bolzano, also comes into the picture when you shift your focus upwards. Half an hour’s drive from Deutschnofen, the city houses not only the government district and a university, but also the country’s most important museums – above all, of course, the[South Tyrolean Archaeological Museum, in which the world-famous glacier mummy Ötzi is exhibited. You can shop magnificently in the medieval arcades, get a delicacy or two in at the colourful fruit market, and saunter along the promenades to immerse yourself in the life of a city that has both a German and Italian soul in equal measure.
Finally, the spa town of Merano is situated about 30 kilometres northwest of Bolzano. Once the south-facing balcony of the Habsburg Monarchy and the winter meeting spot of the rich and beautiful, splendid villas and palaces have been preserved in the city. And here, too, there is a “Laubengasse”, which has been the city’s arcade-lined shopping street for centuries. Finally, on the northern edge of Merano, stands Trauttmansdorff Castle, the winter quarters of Empress Sissi and now home to the Touriseum, which offers an entertaining journey through the development of tourism in South Tyrol. Surrounding the property are the gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle, which are among the most beautiful gardens in Italy.
As you can see, it’s worth shifting that focus upwards. However much you may have become a part of our village life.
