Wine Travel Alto Adige

Beyond its exceptional wines, Alto Adige attracts many visitors thanks to the iconic Dolomites. These mountains, part of the Alps, are essential for the terroir in Alto Adige's wine production and beckon visitors to hike, climb, and ski.

There's something outdoorsy to do in every season here, but one constant is the high-quality wines and food that you'll be able to find, no matter the weather. This handy guide will help you get the most out of your trip.

Getting To Alto Adige

Bolzano has a small regional airport, Bolzano Airport (BZO). Flights from major European hubs are offered by SkyAlps.

If direct flights are not available, there are many different ways to get there. Make the city of Bolzano your jumping-off point to exploring Alto Adige. From there you can take the train or drive.

Milan and Venice – You can fly into Milan or Venice, which are both about a 3.5-hour drive or train ride to Bolzano.

Verona – Verona airport is the closest, only 1.5 hours by direct train or car, though it's a much smaller airport and doesn't have as many international connections.

Munich – If flying into Germany, you can get from Munich to Bolzano by train in about 4 hours. The drive takes about 4 hours too, but you'll also experience the beautiful driving journey across the Alps.

Innsbruck – If you're already in Innsbruck for skiing, then Alto Adige is just 2 hours away by train or car.

High-Speed Trains – Trains (Frecciarossa) run from North to South in Italy and so flying into one of the following cities is also an option:

• Florence is only a 3-hour train journey
• Bologna is as little as 2.5 hours away
• Rome is 5 hours away

Once you arrive in Alto Adige, the best way to get around is by car, which will give you a lot of flexibility visiting the vineyards. Alto Adige is also a very bike-friendly region, and there are many local buses, trains, and gondola lifts to bring you to the smaller towns tucked away in the mountains.

Alto Adige Language and Culture

“Are we still in Italy?” is what you might be thinking when you first arrive in Alto Adige. The architecture definitely has a more Northern European feel.

All the signs and wine labels are in German and Italian, and most locals speak both languages.

You can order prosciutto, but also speck, as well as pasta and knödel (dumplings). Yet, sitting on a sun-soaked patio, with a glass of wine, you can be reminded that you are still in Italy. Due to the region's history, the mix of cultures, languages, and traditions makes Alto Adige, just like its wines, unique.

Guided Wine Experiences

Wine experiences in Alto Adige often start outside the cellar. Walk or cycle through vineyards with local winemakers, stopping to taste and learn how altitude, slopes, and Alpine-Mediterranean conditions shape the wines.

Other experiences pair tastings with vineyard picnics, cellar visits, village walks, or live music.

Exploring Alto Adige Wines by Foot or Bike

The Alto Adige Wine Route has 70 wineries, covers 93 miles (150km) of road, and goes through 16 villages. Jump in your rental car and hit the road, but for those feeling a bit more adventurous, you can grab your bicycle and wind your way through the route too.

Or explore it by walking. The Terlano Wine Trail looks at the area’s long white-wine history. Around Tramin and Caldaro, trails pass through vines, old farms and wine villages. Some are short walks; others can fill half a day.

Cycling works well for much the same reason. Guided Wine & Bike trips run along parts of the Wine Road, led by guides who know both cycling and wine. The routes pass through vineyards and old estates, then end with a winery visit and tasting.

Fine Dining in Alto Adige

Beyond winery restaurants and mountain huts, Alto Adige has plenty of places to eat with a serious interest in wine. These restaurants stand out for their knowledgeable wine programs and thoughtfully selected lists.

Kürbishof - An historic family-run property. Alto Adige wines are selected with great care, recommended with expertise, and thoughtfully paired with the cuisine.

Löwengrube - Located in the lively center of Bolzano, and the city's oldest restaurant, here, Alto Adige wines have always been at the forefront.

Ütia de Bioch - A mountain restaurant serving comfort food and a wine list that boasts various Mathusalem (6 liters) and Salmanazar (9 liters) format bottles, amongst many others. They have a great orange and natural wine selection too.

For a full list of restaurants that have a focus on wine check out this restaurant list created by Alto Adige wines.

History to Explore

If you want to look into the origins of winemaking in Alto Adige, then check out the South Tyrolean Wine Museum in Caldaro (30 min drive from Bolzano). Not only do they have old machinery and equipment from working wineries, but they also offer rare grape variety tastings from their very own vineyard (which you can wander through during your visit!).

Wine and Architecture

Several wineries have been revamped in the last few decades and have some interesting architectural designs.

Here are just a few that are amazing to visit and view:

• Cantina Kurtatsch - The facade is made from Dolomite limestone and looks like a cliff face.
• Cantina Tramin - Entering the winery feels a bit like entering a large leaf - the open plan gives you wonderful views over the valley.
• Kellerei Bozen - You taste wine in a large, beautiful cube with a leaf design overlooking the vineyards.

Wine Life in Winter

Wine culture in Alto Adige doesn’t take the winter off. In Alta Badia, the Ski Wine Ambassador program trains local ski instructors in South Tyrolean wine, food, and culture, so you can learn about regional wines while skiing between mountain huts.

For a more structured tasting, Sommelier on the Slopes pairs a ski instructor with a sommelier for a hut-to-hut route, with South Tyrolean wines poured at each stop. The tasting follows the method used by the Italian Sommelier Association, looking at appearance, aroma, taste and food pairing.

Useful Resources to Help Plan Your Trip to Alto Adige

If you were thinking of visiting Alto Adige, you're in for an adventure. Be sure to check out some of these useful resources to help map out your trip:

• Book your Alto Adige Wine Experiences.
• Get to know some of the hiking trails that have wineries en route.
• Here's a list of top wine and restaurants in Alto Adige.
• The wine museum helps tell the history of this Alpine region.

For more information

• Official Alto Adige Website