Oetzi the Iceman, prehistoric reptiles, and Walther von der Vogelweide in Bolzano’s historic Old Town
Image gallery: Old Town of Bolzano
In Bolzano, everything revolves around the arcades and the surrounding squares. Where the moat once protected the town walls, the Via Museo road now leads into the old town. It marks the beginning of the pedestrian zone and welcomes you with the Bolzano Municipal Museum and the Museum of Archaeology opposite. There, every year, thousands wait to see Oetzi in his refrigerated chamber, ever since he left the eternal ice of the Similaun Glacier decades ago and found his new home in Bolzano. Just a short walk further on, the Arcades of Bolzano begins.
Under each arch stretches a building, three storeys high and with three cellar levels extending deep into the town. Trade was already flourishing under the arcades in the Middle Ages, and during the time of Claudia de' Medici, merchants from north and south met here for the regularly held trade fairs. The Bolzano Mercantile Museum tells the story of this era and impresses with its vaulted cellars and the Mercantile Building. It is the only Renaissance building in Bolzano.
Alternatives to shopping under the arcades are provided by the Town Hall Square and Bolzano's Fruit Market on the Piazza delle Erbe square: Fruit and vegetables are available at the weekly farmers' market, and flowers, fresh bread and dried fruit are on offer daily at the Fruit Market.
From there, it's just a few steps to the Piazza Walther, the ideal place for a cappuccino in the sunshine. Here, surrounded by the Bolzano Cathedral and the Palais Campofranco, the Christmas Market takes place in winter. The other seasons are celebrated in this central square of the Alpine town with the Easter Market, the Spring Festival and the Harvest Festival.
