Discover Italy: Great Travel Tips, Scenic Drives - Art Cities - Food & Wine

The South Tyrolean wine road (Pic n°2) meanders across rolling vineyards and green fruit orchards, ancient villages full of atmosphere and impressive castles. Expressly designed for wine enthusiasts, this itinerary leads to discovering (and tasting) some of the most exquisite Italian white wines.

The upper valley of Adige is famous as the place of production of some of the most exquisite Italian white wines, like Gewürztraminer and Muller Thurgau (Pic n°4). Silvaner, Veltliner, and Kernel are less known but much appreciated by wine connoisseurs. Among its red wines, Schiava and Lagrein surely deserve a mention. The local cuisine is famous as well. Canederli ( a kind of spiced bread dumplings), speck (local smoked ham), and strudel, a type of layered pastry with a filling of baked apples and pine nuts, are Alto Adige most well-known dishes.

The best way to discover this charming area of Italy is traveling a circular route by car. As the suggested itinerary almost always goes through the valley floor, steep stretches are few and hiring a bicycle is certainly an option.

From Bolzano, take the highway n. 38 in the direction of Merano and then reach Andriano, where there is the oldest wine cellar of Alto Adige, "Andrian" (Pic n°3). Then, take the provincial road n.54 in direction of Riva Di Sotto. Drive past Riva and reach Appiano. Thanks to its many wine cellars, Appiano is a perfect place to visit for wine lovers. Take again the provincial road n. 54 and pay attention to the directions along the road. Some few kilometers past Appiano, turn left and take the provincial road n. 14 in the direction of Egna. The road twists and turns through eye-catching landscapes with the small but enchanting lake of Caldaro in the distance.

Stop in Termeno (Pic n°1), the landmark of Gewürztraminer, a picturesque ancient village that certainly worth a visit. Explore Termeno walking through its narrow streets full of charm and silence. Admire its ancient buildings with arched stone doors and colorful façades. Have a look at Termeno bell tower, the highest of Alto Adige.

From Termeno, drive to Egna (Pic n°5). Egna is a beautiful Medieval village famous for its porticos and its markets. From Egna, take the highway n.12 in the direction of Salorno, a noble, ancient town famous for its splendid Renaissance and Baroque-style buildings. Once visited Salorno, take again the highway n.12 in the direction of Bolzano. Stop at Ora, where the impressive edifice of Castelvedere Castle (Pic n°6) overlooks the valley, and at Vadena, where there is the famous wine cellar Laimburg. From Vadena, go back to Bolzano.