On the trail of great cultural creators

Holiday in South Tyrol: In the footsteps of great cultural figures

In the South Tyrolean hamlet of Pigeno, the German writer Otto Julius Bierbaum wrote his book "Gugeline," which is of particular historical interest. Bierbaum lived in the Englar Castle for four years, which he used as his writing room. He also received Rainer Maria Rilke here, who was inspired by the old castle fountain to write a poem. Near the castle, you can also find the Liebenburg residence, where there was a red-light district in the 1990s. According to Michael Köhlmeier, there was a striptease act in the nightclub called "Hamlet." If you want to go on this literary tour, it's best to start at the Mittelpunktsbibliothek St. Michael Eppan, from where you can then reach the hamlet of Pigeno.

Strolling along the Freud Promenade

The so-called Freud Promenade runs between Oberbozen and Klobenstein and is named after the well-known dream researcher Sigmund Freud. Freud loved to work on the Ritten and even celebrated his silver wedding anniversary here. But other prominent figures also frequently visited this dreamy landscape, such as the playwright Oskar Jerschke, the writer Arno Holz, and the architect Theodor Fischer.

Summer retreat at Lake Völser Weiher

In the past, many wealthy citizens had a summer residence in South Tyrol, such as in Kastelruth, Seis or Völs, or on the Ritten. Those who could not afford a holiday home still found refreshment at Lake Völser Weiher, an idyllic, small forest lake. The lake was possibly discovered by the natural philosopher Carl Dallago, also known as the "Weiherherren." Despite his numerous publications, the philosopher soon fell into oblivion, unlike Lake Völser Weiher, which is still very popular to visit.

Enchanting bell and water sounds

The bells of Marling inspired the writer Emil Kuh to write a poem, which was then set to music by Franz Liszt. Another sound – that of water – can be heard when walking along the Marlinger Waalweg, the oldest irrigation channel path in South Tyrol. This path runs twelve kilometers along the waals, as the small water channels are called here in South Tyrol. The Töllbrücke train station in Partschins is a good starting point, from where you can walk past orchards and rocks to Oberlana.

Rock labyrinth as inspiration for Agatha Christie

In the book "The Big Four," Agatha Christie describes a fascinating natural landscape that extends around Lake Karersee. It is the narrow and rocky Eggental with its dreamy mountain scenery and countless curves. In the book, the journey through the valley ends at a hotel: the famous Grand Hotel Karersee, where many famous personalities once resided. The so-called rock labyrinth is located very close to the hotel, a very mysterious path that runs through rock masses and boulders.

Good conversations

Since the 1980s, the "Toblacher Gespräche" (Toblach Talks) have been held in Toblach, where ecological topics are discussed. The idea was conceived by Hans Glauber, who was born in Toblach in 1933 but then moved with his parents to Lake Como and after his studies went to Frankfurt. Hans Glauber also participated in the founding of the South Tyrolean Eco-Institute and advocated for the expansion of the cycling network in South Tyrol and the construction of low-energy houses.

Immerse yourself in cinema history

Did you know that Bolzano also served as a backdrop for several films? If not, you can take a little tour that leads to various former filming locations. It's best to start the tour at the entrance of the Capitol Cinema, from where you can walk towards the Obstmarkt. In this part of Streitergasse, the film "Summer of the Jugglers" was shot a few years ago. On the left side, you will also discover a small passage that played a role in the film "Decameron" and leads to the Bozner Laube. At the end of the passage, there used to be the box office of the Eden Cinema, and the first South Tyrolean sound film was also presented here.