• The region has a varied landscape ranging from alpine meadows and mountains, to vineyards, Mediterranean palm trees and Cyprus trees

• South Tyrol boasts over 300 days of sunshine a year, making it a year-round destination. Shaded and protected from the cold northerly winds by the main mountains of the Alps, the climate is exceptionally warm in comparison to other central European regions

• There are three official languages spoken in the region. 70% of the population speak German, 25% Italian and 5% Ladin, a Rhaeto - Romanic language, as their mother tongue

• South Tyrol has a population of approximately 498,000

• Bolzano/Bozen is the capital of South Tyrol and is home to picturesque squares and a Mediterranean atmosphere

• South Tyrol used to belong to Austria until 1919. The region is an eclectic mix of Mediterranean and Tyrolean cultures - reflected in the people, language, architecture and food

• Reinhold Messner, the world's best known mountaineer, is South Tyrolean. In addition to climbing all the world's peaks exceeding 8,000 metres altitude and being the first to climb Mount Everest without an oxygen mask, he has also crossed the Antarctic and Greenland lengthwise, as well as Tibet and the Takla Makan desert on foot. In June 2006, a new museum, the MMM Firmian spearheaded by the world famous mountaineer opened in Bolzano. The museum is the fourth part of a five-part project, with the fifth due to open in 2010. MMM Firmian's focus is the relationship between man and mountain and includes a range of photographs, paintings and installations

• Bolzano's Archaeological Museum contains "Ötzi - The Iceman" - a 5,300 year old glacier mummy which was found in the mountain range "Ötztaler Alpen" in the valley Val Senales/Schnalstal in 1991

• South Tyrol is home to the hay bath - a traditional treatment using a bath of special grasses grown on the alpine slopes. This treatment has specific benefits for boosting the immune system


• The world's oldest cable railway (built in 1908) leads from Bolzano at a height of 1,100
metres above sea level

• In South Tyrol there are more than 800 castles, manors and ruins Food and wine

• 26 of the region's wines have been awarded the ‘Tre Bicchieri' (three glasses) - a prestigious Italian wine award given by the Guide "I Vini d'Italia 2009" from Gambero Rosso & Slow Food

• 20 different grapes grow in just 4,900 hectares of vineyard

• 12% of Europe's apple harvest comes from South Tyrol

And finally ...
• South Tyrol is a fairly undiscovered destination by the Brits with only 2% of visitors
coming from the UK

More informations: www.suedtirol.info