Old meets new in the heart of the main town of South Tyrol - Bolzano is also called the “Town of Contrasts”
Image gallery: Historic Town and Arcades of Bolzano
The first settlement of Bolzano was located in a rather marshy basin, in the surroundings of the present Assumption of Our Lady Cathedral. It is also presumed that there was a castle called Bozen on the Virgolo hill. The Arcades Road of Bolzano - "Laubengasse" in German, "Via dei Portici" in Italian - was realised by the Bishops of Trento in the 12th century as the pulsating centre of the flourishing trading town, founded already around 1180 AD. The Arcades consist of picturesque arcades for trading, the vaults for warehousing and the apartments above, equipped with wrought-iron handrails and a central light-flooded atrium.
Today you can experience the unique South Tyrolean flair in the town centre - a bit Mediterranean and a bit alpine. The Via Museo road - where the South Tyrol Museum of Archeology with Oetzi, the Iceman, is located - marks the western entrance to the Arcades of Bolzano and the beginning of the pedestrian zone. The romantic alleys all around provide a special atmosphere: Via Argentieri behind Piazza Walther square, Via della Mostra, Via Bottai with the South Tyrol Museum of Nature and Via Dr. Streiter with its Capitol Cinema. By the way: The Arcades of Bolzano are 300 m long, the Arcades of Merano, however, are with 400 m the longest arcades of Tyrol!
The historic district, so to speak the old town of Bolzano, is a popular meeting point for shopping and strolling. A colourful mix of well-established businesses with a long history and international fashion chains characterise the Arcades, how they are simply called. Numerous restaurants and cafés invite you to have a drink and a pleasant chat with friends. The Bolzano Mercantile Museum which leads also in the underground cellars of the town provides detailed information about the history of the Arcades of Bolzano. And how to reach the Historic Town of Bolzano? It is a pedestrian zone and therefore closed to traffic. Parking spaces can be found in the surroundings, e.g. on Piazza Walther or Piazza della Vittoria (Victory Square), also the buses stop in these places.
Contact info
- Via dei Portici / Laubengasse - 39100 - Bolzano / Bozen
- +39 0471 307000
- info@bolzano-bozen.it
Opening times
Always open
Admission
Historic Town and Arcades of Bolzano freely accessible
guided tour "The old town of Bolzano":
€ 10.00 adults
€ 10.00 young people (14-18 years)
€ 5.00 guests with the WinePass
guided tour "The venerable buildings in the old town":
€ 10.00 adults
€ 10.00 young people (14-18 years)
€ 5.00 guests with the WinePass
guided tour "The old town of Bolzano with the Museum of Archeology":
€ 10.00 adults
€ 10.00 young people (14-18 years)
€ 5.00 guests with the WinePass
free for children under 14 years
free with the Bolzano Card
More information
Guided tour "Bolzano and the old town" from April 9 to October 29, 2024, every Tuesday (except the first Tuesday of the month) at 10.30 am in German and Italian language.
Guided tour "The venerable buildings in the old town" from April 8 to October 28, 2024, every Monday at 10.30 am in German and Italian language.
Guided tour "The old town of Bolzano with the South Tyrol Museum of Archeology" from April 3 to October 30, 2024, every Wednesday at 2.30 pm in German and Italian language.
Meeting point: Info Point at the Piazza del Grano, duration: 2 hours, reservation: +39 0471 307000.