Empress Sissi rested in Merano, the flourishing spa town of that era: a search for traces leading to Trauttmansdorff
Image gallery: Merano’s Promenades and the Sisi Path
Our journey of discovery through Merano starts at the square outside the train station. The Val Venosta Railway and trains from Bolzano stop here, which makes arriving very convenient. The large Andreas Hofer monument stands on the opposite side. The Via Mainardo road begins behind it, and we follow this street to the central Piazza del Grano square in the old town of Merano.
We cross Via delle Corse and walk up Via dei Portici, the main shopping street of Merano. The Passeggiata di Cura promenade (Kurpromenade) runs parallel to this along the river. The route takes us to the Parish Church of St. Nicholas at the end of the Merano Arcades. After that, we follow Via Leonardo da Vinci to the Ponte della Posta bridge.
The Elizabeth Park lies on the left side with its tall trees and the statue of Empress Sisi. Back on the other side of the bridge, we stroll along the Passeggiata d'Inverno, or Winter Promenade. The sound of the river, the mild temperatures, and the peace after the busy old town invite us to take a coffee break. Conveniently, there is a coffee shop right here by the Wandelhalle. The path then leads us upstream along the promenade to the Roman bridge, known as the "Steinerner Steg".
We continue on the other side of the Passirio River along the Passeggiata d'Estate, the Summer Promenade. We finally reach Piazza Fontana square, the centre of Maia Alta, via the Kirchsteig path. The tour leads past the historic Reichenbach Residence and goes through the Vicolo Stretto alley and Via Christomannos to Rubein Castle and Pienzenau Castle. From there, it is only a few metres to our destination, Trauttmansdorff Castle with its famous gardens.
A visit to the botanical gardens with the viewing platform designed by architect Matteo Thun provides the perfect conclusion. We take a break at the café by the water lily pond and explore the Touriseum inside Trauttmansdorff Castle. The rooms where Sisi stayed several times and where Franz Joseph I of Austria visited are also open to the public here. Then we take the bus back.
Author: AT
Experienced: May 2011
Last updated: 2026
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- Starting point:
- Merano railway station
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- Overall time:
- 01:00 h
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- Total route length:
- 4,4 km
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- Altitude:
- from 300 m to 391 m
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- Altitude difference (uphill | downhill):
- +91 m | -29 m
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- Route:
- square outside the train station - Via Mainardo - Piazza del Grano square - Via delle Corse - Via dei Portici - Via Leonardo da Vinci - Ponte della Posta bridge - Elizabeth Park - Winter Promenade - Wandelhalle - Steinerner Steg - Summer Promenade - Kirchsteig path - Piazza Fontana square in Maia Alta - Vicolo Stretto - Via Christomannos - Trauttmansdorff Castle
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- Destination:
- Trauttmansdorff Castle (391 m a.s.l.)
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- Recommended time of year:
- Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
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- Download GPX track:
- Merano’s Promenades and the Sisi Path
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- More information:
- The overall time shown above refers to the walking time only, not including breaks or stops. The dates apply to the walk from the Merano railway station to Trauttmansdorff - the return journey is by bus (line 4, 18 minutes). The four-kilometre route is easily covered in an hour's walk, but it's worth allowing enough time to take in the town's beautiful façades, monuments and promenades, and perhaps pop into a few shops and coffee shops along the way.
If you want to undertake this hike, we recommend checking the weather and trail conditions in advance and on site before starting this hike!
