Bolzano's first street, the Lauben-Gasse or "Arcaded Street," remains the heart of commercial life featuring attractive shops, galleries and museums.

Since the Middle Ages, Bolzano has served as a market town for the traders crossing over the two main Alpine passes, the Via Claudia Augusta and the Brenner Pass.

Radiating from the town center, streets lined with historic palazzos afford views of the surrounding mountains on which can be found castles, abbeys, churches, villas and vineyards.
 

Ancient, wrought-iron signs, medieval arches and wall paintings left behind during the Renaissance and Baroque period define the identity of Bolzano as the crossroads of Austrian and Italian cultures.

This view from our vacation rental apartment took in the Franciscan Friary dating to  the 14th Century, containing a gothic church, chapel and cloisters with frescoes. We could hear the bells and organ through our window.

Bolzano Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta or Maria Himmelfahrt, is a beautiful Romanesque-Gothic cathedral with a striking facade, elegant interior, valuable artistic treasures and a distinctive tiled roof.
 

Walther Square dates to 1808 when Bolzano catered to elite Viennese tourists. It features high-end hotels and a statue of Walther von der Vogelweide, an Austrian poet.
 

The Museum of Anthropology features the mummified remains of Oetzi, (the Iceman),  a man who lived between 3350 and 3105 B.C. discovered in the Oetzal Alps on the Austrian/Italian border.
 

Architecture reflects centuries of Italian, Austrian and German influence.
 

Bolzano serves as the starting point to explore the many charming alpine villages and ski resorts of the Italian Alps.
 

The Dolomite Alps, declared a UNESCO Heritage site in 2009, are home to Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park and many other regional parks.
 

Guided excursions and public transportation are available, but we chose to rent a car to drive through the scenic Alps.
 

Considered the most beautiful of the lakes in the Dolomites, emerald-hued Lago de Carezza is a gem.

The towns of Ortizei and Val Gardena are typical of the resort areas offering skiing in the winter and hiking and biking in the summer.
 

From Ortizei, a gondola takes passengers to the largest alpine meadow in the Dolomites.