Merano & the Val Venosta: South Tyrol's most beautiful valley

27 June 2021

7 days from £2,790pp

Situated at the borders of Italy, Austria and Switzerland, the Venosta Valley has been a major thoroughfare of the Central Alps since Ancient times. At the gates of the Val Venosta lies the sun-drenched spa town of Merano, the original capital of Tyrol. Its Mediterranean climate and spa atmosphere is reflected in the town’s urban architecture with wide, shady promenades, splendid hotel buildings and grand residences, an ideal base for this Art Pursuits holiday.

Stay in Merano, the old capital of Tyrol
Visit the castle of the Counts of Tyrol
Full-day excursion to the Val Venosta
Visit Trauttmansdorff Castle and its prize-winning gardens

Situated at the borders of Italy, Austria and Switzerland, the Venosta Valley has been a major thoroughfare of the Central Alps since Ancient times. The Roman Via Claudia Augusta, built under the Emperor Augustus, served as a link between the Po plains over the Alps to the Danube. Ever since, this road was controlled by a chain of mighty castles. Some have been altered into veritable palaces later on. En route to Lombardy, Charlemagne and his entourage passed through the Val Venosta several times, founding monasteries and building churches along the way. At the same time, the Venosta and its side valleys have always been well guarded and protected by the rugged mountain ranges of this region. Thus many of these ecclesiastical foundations with all their splendid stucco furnishings and colourful fresco paintings have survived the storms of time unscathed. At the gates of the Val Venosta lies the sun-drenched spa town of Merano, the original capital of Tyrol. Its Mediterranean climate with a lush vegetation of palms, cypresses and cedars and its fresh, clean air made it a favourite summer retreat for the Habsburg, Russian, French and British aristocracy in the 19th century. The spa atmosphere is reflected in the town’s urban architecture with wide, shady promenades, splendid hotel buildings and grand residences, an ideal base for this Art Pursuits Abroad holiday.

Day 1:
Early morning flight with BA from London Gatwick to Verona. By coach to Merano with a lunch stop en route at Salurn, the linguistic divide between Italian and German speakers. From there continue to Merano and your four-star hotel. Later in the afternoon we start our exploration of Merano with a short walk along the shady river promenades followed by an early dinner.
Day 2:
A morning walk through Merano, Tyrol’s old capital. Arcaded passages and imposing burghers’ houses are still the vibrant mercantile centre, while the mighty parish church and the hospital church are further testimony to Merano’s wealth. The Prince’s Castle and former seat of Tyrolean government was embellished by Count Sigmund ‘Rich in Coin’ in the 1440s for his wife Eleanor of Scotland — with many original furnishings still in place. In the afternoon, by coach to Trauttmansdorff Castle and its prize-winning gardens, favourite retreat of Empress Elisabeth of Austria.
Day 3:
Towering above Merano, the ancestral castle of the Counts of Tyrol lent its name to the whole County. Admire some fine Romanesque architecture and sculpture, and learn of the formidable Countess Margret Maultasch. More scandalous stories — and great architecture in a stunning setting — await in Schenna, residence with neo-Gothic mausoleum of Archduke Johann of Austria who had married a local postmaster’s daughter. Elaborate and well-preserved frescoes in the International Gothic style decorate the walls of the round church of St George in Schenna
Day 4:
Full-day coach excursion to the Val Venosta, starting with the weathered church of St Patroklus in Naturns decorated with impressive murals possibly dating back to the 7th century. The church of the Holy Spirit in nearby Latsch is home to an exquisite carved polyptych by Jörg Lederer, a contemporary of Riemenschneider and Stoss. Continue to St Benedict in Mals, said to have been built by a Frankish nobleman in Charlemagne’s entourage who had himself depicted in one of the wall paintings, while the murals in the crypt of the Benedictine church of Marienberg (open to us by special appointment) feature angelic hosts in an explosion of blues, greens and whites.
Day 5:
Morning coach excursion to Lana. Legend has it that the church of St Margaret in neighbouring Lana is a foundation by Theophanu, Emperor Otto II’s Byzantine wife. This legend has a foundation in the Romanesque frescoes of this church created by a master trained on Byzantine models. The winged altarpiece by the Swabian sculptor Hans Schnatterpeck in the parish church of Lana is a peculiar piece of art and full of superlatives: at a height of 14 metres it is considered the largest of its kind in the Alps. Carved in chestnut wood and elaborately gilded, Schnatterpeck received the gigantic sum of 1600 Florins plus 8 cartloads of wine as payment. Return to Merano for some free time.
Day 6:
By coach to Müstair in Switzerland to visit the Benedictine convent of St John, a gem of Carolingian and Romanesque art and architecture. Recent research established that its foundation was undertaken in 775 by Charlemagne himself. This fully frescoed UNSECO World Heritage listed monument houses the largest preserved cycle of early mediaeval wall paintings. In the afternoon, visit the Churburg/Castel Coira, a handsome, palatial Renaissance castle. The charming Italianate courtyard leads to richly furnished living quarters and a private armoury with 50 complete suits of armour spanning a period of 200 years. Even the most reluctant viewer will be impressed by their craftsmanship.
Day 7:
After breakfast, coach transfer to Verona airport for a midday flight with British Airways

Scheduled return flights (economy class) with BA between London Gatwick and Verona.
Transfers and excursions in Italy by private coach.
6 nights accommodation in the 4* Hotel Bavaria.
Three dinners and two lunches.
Guided visits to monuments and museums as listed in the programme.
Services of the tour lecturer and tour manager
Detailed programme of study notes.
All entrance fees, taxes and gratuities for coach drivers and waiters

Dr Ulrike Ziegler

Specialising in mediaeval art and in cultural politics of post-war Germany at the universities of Regensburg and Aberdeen, Dr Ulrike Ziegler is a well-respected member of Art Pursuits Abroad and has lectured at universities and for multiple cultural institutions, along with organising and leading many study tours in both Germany and Austria. Ulrike is now working on Art Pursuits Abroad’s German programme.

Fly from London Gatwick

Return flights from London Gatwick are included in our package on our specific arrival and departure dates plus one item of checked in luggage, per person.

Transfers will also be included on our specific arrival and departure dates to take you to your holiday destination. If you choose to arrive or depart on a different day, there may be an additional supplement charged to cover your transfer costs.

Overview

The 4-star Hotel Bavaria in Merano and is one of the most traditional hotels in Merano. The hotel features a Mediterranean garden with a swimming pool and a restaurant with sun terrace. The bedrooms have a hairdryer, television, safe, mini bar, telephone and Wi-Fi.

Merano & the Val Venosta: South Tyrol's most beautiful valley

27 June 2021

7 days from £2,790pp

Your Accommodation

Hotel Bavaria

Overview

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