Hotel Hanswirt Rablà

Located in Rabland, near the city of Meran, the Hanswirt hotel is clearly distinguished by its red-and-white shutters. Dating back to 1357, this 4-star Superior hotel with its award-winning gourmet restaurant welcomes its guests with South Tyrolean hospitality and charm.

Stylish and comfortable, there are artworks at every turn, an organic farm and secluded gardens. Your hosts, the Laimer family, are passionate about both gastronomy and motorsport, while quality and hospitality are their watchwords. Enjoy an active holiday that offers wellness and a romantic mood in the exclusive ambience of a South Tyrolean stately residence.

You come home to something beautiful, something valuable. Your hosts the Laimer family have lovingly and sensitively restored the centuries-old originality of their ancestral residence, the Hanswirt in Rabland, South Tyrol, to create a stylish and sophisticated ambience for their gourmet restaurant.

This is the enchanting setting for breakfast, or for gourmet lunch and dinner à la carte. Enjoy friendly hospitality, where friendly also means family-friendly.

The Laimer family are both the owners and the hosts here: the five members of the family work together as a team to ensure the daily well-being of their guests as regards the hotel, the service and the kitchen, with its fine produce from their own organic farm. They are driven by a desire to produce quality, to achieve the very special. Passionate hosts, they live exactly what they love.

MINDFUL OF TRADITION, OPEN TO MODERNITY
Welcome to a delightfully exclusive holiday in South Tyrol. The romantic rooms & suites and the stylish alcoves in the historic inn offer every modern comfort. Discreet decoration and fine artworks highlight the unique charm and exclusive nature of the setting for breakfast and dining à la carte at the Hotel Hanswirt in Rabland, South Tyrol.

Established as an inn for 400 years, the Hanswirt is a historic Tyrolean hostelry. Once it was carters who would change horses and stop off at the inn on the former Via Claudia Augusta: the Vinschgau Valley was long a strategically important link to Switzerland, Austria, north-western Europe and from there down to Italy. The Roman milestone in front of the hotel, dating from 46 AD, and the traditional carter’s fare are witnesses to this heritage.

First mentioned in 1357. This was the date of the purchase of the land by Ulrich Stainer von Gutraun. The oldest name of the present-day Hanswirt is “Stainer”: the name “Hanswirt” goes back to the 18th century.

Its thick white walls, barrel and cross vaults, historic wooden floors, remains of the beamed ceiling and the fresco in the dining area all bear witness to the varied history of the establishment.

Love and a sense of the artistic. When the senior director of the hotel, Georg Laimer, was a child, a terrible fire ravaged the Hanswirt and irreparably damaged many items. His father refurbished the inn in the then-contemporary style, which can still be seen in the Gurschler Stube.

In the following years, Georg Laimer restored the structure to its original appearance and adapted it to contemporary requirements for fine dining – finding enthusiastic supporters in his children Matthias and Gerlinde. The result is unique, a delight both for dinner guests and those staying at the hotel.

The Hanswirt has been in the possession of the Laimer family since the 16th century and they have run the estate since that time, with livestock also kept into the 1980s. Today it is mainly apples that are grown on the former meadows and fields, while the vineyard – organically farmed for several years now – is home to the Pinot Bianco, Müller-Thurgau and Pinot Nero varieties.

ROOMS & SUITES
The 12 rooms and 10 suites are real gems, each with a unique and distinctive style. What they all have in common, however, is comfort, charm, elegance and a warm interior. All have a panoramic south facing balcony or terrace, a comfortable living area with safe, flat-screen TV, minibar and telephone, as well as an elegant bathroom with shower and bathtub, hairdryer, vanity mirror and bathrobes. For a perfect all-round stay.

SUITE GIARDINO
Bungalow with separate entrance, luxurious double room with big terrace, separate bedroom and living room, 55 inch flat screen SAT-TV, telephone, safe, free WIFI, minibar, wooden floor.

Spacious bathroom with bathtub and shower, bidet, separate toilet, cosmetic mirror, bathrobe and hairdryer, non smoking room, air conditioner. Mattress system: Metzeler AirLine Spring Agile.

SUITE TARANTSBERG
Beautiful suite in south side with balcony or terrace, bedroom and living room are separated, 55 inch flat screen SAT-TV, tiled stove, telephone, safe, free WIFI, minibar, walk-in wardrobe, wooden floor or carpet. Mattress system: Metzeler AirLine Spring Agile. Spacious bathroom with bathtub and shower, separate toilet, bidet, cosmetic mirror, hairdryer, bathrobe, non smoking room.

JUNIOR SUITE CHURBURG
King size bedroom in the south side of the tower with balcony or terrace, separate bedroom and living room with 49 -inch flat screen SAT-TV, telephone, safe, free WIFI, minibar, walk-in wardrobe, wooden floor. Generous bathroom with bathtub andshower, toilet, bidet, cosmetic mirror, hairdryer and bathrobe, non smoking room.

ROOM TOWER
Double bedroom in the tower of the building with gorgeous loggia, living room with 49 inch flat screen SAT-TV, telephone, safe, free WIFI, minibar, wooden floor. Bathroom with bathtub or shower, toilet, cosmetic mirror, hairdryer and bathrobe, non smoking room.

DINING
Enjoy an impressively lavish breakfast on the terrace or under the arcades. The alcoves with their charming niches are especially comfortable for either a snack or a full meal, whatever delicacy you choose from the à la carte menu.

The Hanswirt’s shorter and longer menus offer exclusive gourmet cuisine at the hotel, with numerous culinary delights prepared and served for you by your hosts the Laimer family. Special requests by guests are of course welcome.

Breakfast is served: the buffet offers all that your heart desires, with meat and grain products, daily fruit and fresh produce, homemade and handmade, predominantly from South Tyrol and our own organic farm. The various types of bread, our speciality, are also made on the premises: all aimed at fortifying you for a new day’s holiday pleasures.

There are many deserving occasions for savouring the delicious food and wine served in the Hanswirt’s gourmet restaurant, with fine wines to accompany the fare and high-quality spirits to round it all off. To make sure nothing stands in the way of your enjoyment, our Dine & Sleep offer lets you finish off the evening and spend the night in our romantic luxury hotel.

THE RESTAURANT
With its repeated commendations, the Hanswirt’s gourmet restaurant is itself a regular feature of the popular Gault Millau, Michelin and Gambero Rosso restaurant guides. Your hosts do the cooking themselves, reinterpreting old recipes and adapting them to the taste of the times: elaborately prepared sauces and pickles encounter fresh, easily digestible fare to produce exquisite taste sensations.

Whether served on the terrace, under the arcades or in the stylish farmhouse alcoves, eating at the Hanswirt in Rabland is a feast for all the senses. You can taste the fresh and authentic quality of the ingredients. Homemade and handmade, all reminiscent of home – just more sophisticated.

The gourmet restaurant combines Austrian and Italian influences with creative diversity in order to produce the Hanswirt’s award-winning gourmet cuisine, which is skilfully arranged into a feast for the eyes and the palate.

The Hanswirt is one of a select number of restaurants entitled to display the quality seal of the “Südtiroler Gasthaus” [South Tyrolean Inn]. Meals are prepared from top-quality local organic ingredients according to season, using either tried and tested recipes or reinterpreted dishes.

In the gourmet restaurant, regularly the recipient of awards from Gault Millau, Gambero Rosso and Michelin, your host serves up dishes he has prepared himself in a classically stylish Tyrolean ambience. Quality that cannot be bettered.

COMFORTABLY INTIMATE ALCOVES
You will be welcomed with style, charm and warmth on the picturesque terrace and under the arcades. The alcoves are delightful niches, exclusive and comfortable. Each is different yet always invitingly decorated with ancient and modern art objects, a place to experience precious moments.

The water quietly splashes from the centre of the millstone and into the bowl. It calms the mood and allows you to leave your cares behind. Two pools flank the terrace that merges with the lower arcades and the bar.

Dine romantically here between the cool and ancient walls that provide a tranquil timeout and a regenerating stopover for travellers. Hotel guests have the privilege of enjoying breakfast on the terrace, as well as ordering lunch and evening meals à la carte there.

Sedate white vaults alternate with beamed and wooden ceilings in the niches formed by the wood-panelled rooms of the Hanswirt in Rabland. Each alcove, each niche is special. The high-quality fabrics of the curtains and tablecloths complement the selected stylish table decorations and flower arrangements.

Ancient and modern art objects are a delight at every turn. The Gurschler Stube, with its fresco dating from the 16th century, is appropriately named: the room features numerous works of art by Friedrich Gurschler, a contemporary artist and friend of the family from the Schnalstal Valley.

On the first floor the wood-panelled dining room, with round tables that seat ten, is ideal for celebrations. By expanding into the adjacent seminar room, 100 guests can be entertained here in comfort and style, creating a cosy farmhouse snug atmosphere for weddings, anniversaries and corporate celebrations.

These rooms, with their intimate character, are also suitable for business meetings. The fully-equipped conference room, a separate bar and even a small lawn, are all ideal for spending time together, whether for conferences, training to celebrations.

Milestone and carter’s fare. You should absolutely take a look at the carter’s fare, outside the Hanswirt next to the Roman milestone dating from 46 AD. These testify to the long history of the Hanswirt on the Via Claudia Augusta. The old inn stands at the heart of the exclusive Hanswirt Ensemble, elaborately and stylishly renovated by your host Georg Laimer.

THE WINE CELLAR
Wine lovers of course know that every delicious gourmet dish is only made into a celebration for the senses if accompanied by the appropriate fine wine. The Hanswirt’s wine cellar contains over 300 different quality wines, each awaiting their special turn. Guests may also enjoy the rarity of the house: a cuvée created from Pinot Blanc and Müller-Thurgau, as well as the Pinot Noir from our own vineyard in Rabland.

Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Lagrein. It is the white wines of South Tyrol that are the particular stars when it comes to comparative tasting. Yet the local Pinot Noir and Lagrein are also well represented at prize-giving events: the latter is a native vine that has its origins in the Gries district of Bozen. South Tyrol produces outstanding prizewinning wines and an excellent selection can be found on the award-winning wine list at the Hanswirt.

Franciacorta, Montepulciano, Barolo. The huge selection of South Tyrolean wines is no reason to miss the delights of other top Italian wines. Prosecco, sparkling and semi-sparkling wines are ideal as an aperitif before a wonderful meal, reaffirming friendships and turning an event into a festivity.

From Franciacorta to Dom Perignon, you will be spoiled for choice. South Tyrol’s sparkling wines are by no means inferior and are certainly well worth sampling. Dessert wines are the perfect accompaniment for a delicious sweet course, able to make each flavour dance.

The tangy freshness of Pinot Blanc and the delicately fragrant Müller-Thurgau characterise the bouquet of the white cuvée. Typical of a Pinot Noir are its intense aromas of red and dark berries, spices and violets. Soft and velvety in the mouth, it offers a full and lasting finish.

The grapes are grown on the organic farm of the Laimer family in Rabland. The Hanswirt’s organic wines age in oak barrels for two years before becoming a Riserva, skilfully transformed by winemaker Franz Van den Dries into a rarity that has nothing to fear from its comparison with other fine wines.

THE ORGANIC FARM
Gerlinde Laimer’s husband Manuel is a fruit and winegrower who manages the large organic farm and family estate and tends to the vines in the vineyard. The exquisite white cuvée and the Pinot Noir Riserva are served in the hotel restaurant, while the herbs from the garden add spicy and fresh notes to the dishes prepared.

Family estate and organic farm. The Hanswirt inn and the adjacent large farm have been owned by the Laimer family since the 16th century, and thus form a South Tyrolean family estate. Livestock was kept here up until the 1980s: now it is mainly apples that are grown on the former fields and meadows, while the vineyard produces Pinot Blanc, Müller Thurgau and Pinot Noir grapes.

Manuel cultivates his many hectares sustainably using organic farming methods. It is thus no wonder that the house white cuvée and its Pinot Noir Riserva taste so good: organic wine delivers what it promises and compares favourably with other high-quality wines from South Tyrol.

Fine produce on show. Herbs from the garden, fruit preserves according to season, juices and baked goods: your hosts the Laimer family appreciate fresh and natural ingredients from South Tyrol and carefully select what they cannot themselves produce.

There is thus a showcase in the passageway connecting hotel and inn dedicated to the seasonal delicacies that Anna Laimer mainly produces to her own recipes. Her elderberry juice and cantuccini biscuits, strawberry and apricot jam are all a delight for young and old alike.

Georg and Matthias Laimer themselves choose the cattle for their cacciatora sausages in the Gsieser Valley: offered with olive oil from Puglia contained in decorative ceramic bottles and Schüttelbrot (traditional crispy bread) in a Hanswirt carry bag, they make a popular gourmet greeting from the Hanswirt.

CELEBRATIONS
Whether it is an intimate dinner for two or a banquet for up to 100 guests, the exclusive restaurant at the Hanswirt in Rabland not only offers suitably stylish rooms in a relaxed farmhouse style, but also high-quality gastronomy to savour, turning family events and conferences into a festival.

The small and large wood-panelled rooms and the stylishly decorated niches (such as the table for eight with its historic cross) are ideal for celebrations of all kinds. The alcoves feature nooks and crannies that are not immediately visible and are ideal for intimate conversations over dinner.

Guests are together, yet not insulated from their surroundings. The ground floor alcoves are ideal for celebrations as a pair, in small or large groups, for lovers, for wedding anniversaries and delicate business meetings, or for celebrating a christening, first holy communion or confirmation.

Banquets and larger events for up to 100 guests are held on the first floor. Covered in a soft white, the natural wood of the farmhouse panelling creates a stylish, comfortable ambience in the spacious dining area with its niches and adjoining conference room, fully equipped with everything you need for seminars.

The small room next door with its cross vaults and precious historical furniture is a feast for the eyes. The rooms on the first floor are also suitable for business banquets, meetings and seminars.

The small lawn in front of the dining room is perfect for a wedding-day aperitif or a relaxing break during a conference. The dining room also features a bar, allowing guests to meet undisturbed or celebrate in fine style on the first floor.

SPA & WELLNESS
Wellness is the enjoyable way of truly being at home with yourself, of appreciating yourself. At 31 degrees, swimming in our heated pool offers an all-year round pleasure in the fresh air, while a gate lets you swim through it to the magnificent panoramic indoor pool.

The Kelo sauna in the Mediterranean Wellness Park is the highlight of our five saunas. Massages and beauty packages in our spa will add beauty to your life and perfect your wellness experience. Ideal for relaxing and exclusive wellness weekends in South Tyrol. As a couple or with friends.

DAY SPA
Relax and draw on the power of nature, alone or with your best female friend or with your men friends; on holiday or for a wellness and indulgence weekend – at our Day Spa. The Wellness Hotel Hanswirt will help renew your life force and vitality. A time to enjoy life together.

The men are away. Their wives decide to take the day off, drink a glass of vitamin juice by the pool and order a healthy, tasty snack at the garden table in the Wellness Park. Finally time for yourself, perhaps for a mountain pine scrub or a massage with aromatic oil.

Beauty treatments have been booked and are scheduled for between the sauna sessions. Together they all want to enjoy the infusion with Sarn Valley pine oil in the Kelo block house sauna.

After a shopping trip or maybe a hike, the 6,500 m² Wellness Park is the perfect place to relax. Beech, maple, palms and lavender all thrive around the lush green lawn. Cypresses and hydrangeas emphasise the elegance of the well-kept garden arrangement.

A babbling stream breaks the silence as it runs over a gravel bed. Swimming together in the panoramic indoor pool or the outdoor pool is especially fun before you let the sun dry the water droplets from your skin. Then it’s time for a massage!

You will find a bathrobe and wellness bag in your room or suite. Our wellness bags are a delight: exceptional, specially produced items. They actually consist of cardboard recycled into fabric, and are ready to hand in your room or suite. After your sauna or swim, simply bring it back there with your towels. Fluffy bathrobes are available to fit all sizes at reception.

Massages represent the wellness treatment par excellence, with special essential oils used to enhance their effectiveness. Once is better than never, but is not always enough. Multiple treatments with our spa products are thus sometimes necessary to achieve the desired effect. Determine your personal treatment plan in advance with our wellness team or, better still, let us know your wishes when booking your holiday at the Hanswirt.

SAUNA
So many people simply love bespoke sweating followed by a dip in cool water. Healthy and good: a sauna detoxifies and cleanses the body, all while strengthening the immune system. Infusions with Sarn Valley pine, five saunas, a jacuzzi, mist showers, cosy loungers and much more besides all await you in a relaxing sauna experience at the Wellness Hotel Hanswirt in Rabland.

Our highlight is the Kelo sauna. Built from centuries-old Kelo tree trunks from the primeval forests of Finland, the log cabin in the Wellness Park follows the Finnish model. You take a sauna in a unique ambience characterised by silver-grey Kelo wood, untreated and dried in polar conditions.

You breathe in the force of the wilderness, spicy and resinous yet wonderfully fresh and pleasant. You dry-sweat, relaxing deeply and feeling secure and well. Despite the 85°C temperature you can breathe completely freely, sweating differently. Wellness the Finnish way.

Infusions with Sarn Valley pine assist the purification process, opening the airways while invigorating and relaxing at the same time. Our Kelo block house sauna transforms the sauna culture into a place of devotion.

The steam bath is a popular choice for the first sauna to set the mood. The soft sauna is a blessing for those who are not great fans of high temperatures, or for people with sensitive circulatory systems. The hay bath permits the essential oils of dried herbs and mountain flowers to release their delicate fragrances and healing properties.

The Finnish sauna and the Kelo log cabin sauna, on the other hand, are for heat lovers, while mist showers, an ice fountain and a plunge pool all bring welcome relief. Then, when you are finished, wrap yourself in a cosy bathrobe, help yourself to the refreshment buffet, then rest and enjoy the lovely quiet room.

From the 90m² light and airy quiet area you go through the huge windows and straight into the stylish Wellness Park, where comfortable loungers and floating couches invite you to unwind, read and dream.

SWIMMING POOL
Our year-round heated outdoor pool also has an integrated jacuzzi that bubbles and swirls and very pleasantly relaxes the tissues. Our 150 m2 water world in the Wellness Hotel Hanswirt in Rabland offers both a magnificent panoramic indoor pool with huge glass windows and a large outdoor pool.

There are 150m² of water for your swimming pleasure: at 14 x 7 metres the outdoor pool is slightly larger than the 9 x 5 metre indoor pool. Both are plenty long enough for a few lengths before breakfast. A gate lets you swim through to the heated outdoor pool, heated to 31°C and open all year round.

Simply take the soft bathrobe and towels from your wellness bag; the pleasures of swimming are available in all weathers and seasons. The glass façades offer views in all directions, including into the romantic and Wellness Park.

Enjoy the quiet life by the pool. You can sunbathe in comfort on the loungers or snuggle up with each other on the double couches, ideal for intimate chats. Some prefer to retreat to a quiet island to enjoy togetherness or dip into a book.

In between you can take a walk, Kneipp-style, in the stream or use the house phone to order a tasty snack or a glass of wine at the pool. There is also a large garden table by the pool for enjoying a meal with friends.

Wonderful relaxation is the order of the day in the quiet room, with its cosy loungers and floating couches next to the indoor pool. The 90m2 room with its light wood furnishings has huge glass façades offering magnificent views over both pools and the meditative Wellness Park.

Those who prefer seclusion can take the staircase up onto the roof of the indoor pool and savour a unique steppe landscape. The wind blows softly over the feather grass and causes the white fabric of the islands of rest to billow.

The gaze languidly follows the wind as it ripples through the grass, or is caught by the mountain peaks. It is time to unwind and relax in the here and now.

FITNESS
Boost your agility, physical strength and well-being with the help of technogym, cardio and strength apparatus. Our brightly-lit gym with its views of the pools in the Wellness Park is equipped with ultra-modern Vision brand devices: music and TV shorten the time and make fitness training a pleasure.

The body-conscious woman regularly seeks it out, while the men love flexing their muscles there: the gym is the place where you can run a few kilometres on the treadmill before hopping into a sports car and going on a jaunt to the city of Meran. Indulging yourself in our gourmet restaurant weighs less on both the body and the conscience if you make sure you keep fit.

Cardio devices, treadmills and bicycles promote your fitness in general and the cardiovascular system in particular. There are weights and other apparatus, medicine balls and wall bars for strength training and stretching.

The technogym, cardio and strength training apparatus from Vision are state-of-the-art, both technologically and ergonomically, comfortable and easy on the joints. The countless different settings ensure optimum adaptation to each individual’s body, needs and fitness level.

Shorten the training time with pleasant music, interesting TV shows or just observe life at the pool through the frameless glazing. After exercising take time to relax in the sauna. The gym is located opposite the sauna area and is ideal for physical training; it is also ideal for a day spa. Children under 14 years of age may only enter if accompanied by an adult.

HONEYMOON
With our 22 beautiful rooms and suites, undisturbed togetherness and wellness is guaranteed in the swimming pools, on the double loungers and quiet islands in the spacious wellness park.

The perfect place for honeymooners, for lovers and those who wish to rekindle their love for one another. Dining à la carte in the Hanswirt’s gourmet restaurant is a unique experience with our romantic menu. For you two alone.

There’s no better place than South Tyrol for a romantic holiday or a honeymoon. The magnificent natural surroundings, wonderful climate, tranquillity of the mountains and exceptional hospitality all combine to make South Tyrol and the Hanswirt, a wellness hotel, the perfect place for lovers.

Romance with style and warmth. An owl sits on a rock awaiting guests, a foretaste of the warm reception at the hotel and the personal attention in the restaurant. Stylish, decorative arrangements and selected modern and antique artworks lend this hotel a special atmosphere, with the attention to detail providing its special charm: the ideal cosy setting for a getaway for two, a honeymoon or a wedding holiday.

For couples and connoisseurs. As newlyweds you set off on holiday for the first time as an officially married couple, looking forward to a wonderful honeymoon together. Couples who appreciate pleasure with style and exclusive accommodation will be delighted with the Hanswirt, a wellness hotel with a multiple award-winning gourmet restaurant, where guests can savour a delicious breakfast buffet and gourmet meals à la carte.

The romantic suites and rooms are named after castles and palaces: equipped with all the latest amenities, they reflect their outstanding quality and elegant design. A place to cuddle up and to dream.

VIA CLAUDIA AUGUSTA
Do you dream of mountain pastures or yearn for mountain peaks? The Hanswirt in the village of Rabland near Partschins can offer plenty of both. In just a few minutes a panoramic cable car will whisk you up to the dizzy heights of the Meran high-mountain trail in the Texel Group Nature Park.

Enjoy hiking, golfing or leisurely cycling, visit the Ötzi Museum in Bozen or view Castle Tyrol. There is no end of fascinating sights and shopping opportunities to be found close by. Then return to our hotel to relax and indulge yourself.

HIKING, GOLFING & BIKING
The Meran high-mountain trail offers hiking and mountaineering possibilities that range from gentle Waalwege and panoramic high-level trails up to demanding 3000-metre peaks. Golfing in beautiful and varied surroundings or biking on the numerous trails will keep you fit, perfect for an active holiday at the Hanswirt. Afterwards treat yourself to a good glass of wine and some tasty delicacies.

Quiet Waalwege and meadow paths leading through orchards are ideal for pleasant walks throughout the year, with the possibility of stopping for a bite to eat en route. The Waalwege are centuries-old irrigation channels that water the meadows and fields; they are a distinctive feature of the Vinschgau Valley and Meran.

The “Waaler” were wardens who upheld the water rights, while a special bell indicated that the water was flowing properly. There are three open-channel Waalwege around Partschins: the Rabland, the Partschins and the Mühl. There are more in the Vinschgau Valley and around Meran, with the Algund and Marlinger Waalwege starting at Töll.

Roaring water and hissing spray can be found at the Partschins waterfall, the highest in South Tyrol and the emblem of Partschins. It has a healthy microclimate and is a popular destination for photographers, climbers and abseilers. Snowy winters and glaciers feed crystal clear mountain streams and turquoise natural and artificial lakes, the highlight of any hike or excursion.

Cable cars quickly whisk you up the slopes, saving energy and starting the adventure. Mountain trails lead to scenic pastures surrounded by mighty mountains. Goats and sheep greet hikers with their bleating. Taking the cable car to Aschbach, you can reach the Vigiljoch Pass with its views over Bozen and the Dolomites.

Ambitious hikers can tackle the peak of the Naturnser Hochwart from the Naturnser Alm: the Texel cable car in Partschins takes you up to the Meran high-mountain trail that runs around the Texel group, South Tyrol’s largest nature park, whose thirteen 3000-metre summits offer plenty by way of high-mountain tours.

The Unterstell cable car leads to the Sonnenberg and its spectacular viewing platform above Naturns. The cable cars to Meran 2000, St. Martin am Kofel and the Schnalser Glacier also provide access to other magnificent hiking areas, with welcoming places to take a break. Find out more with the interactive map.

BIKING
South Tyrol is perfect for cycling, offering an ideal climate from March to November. The Vinschgau Valley cycle way is a beautiful and highly diverse route, with 120 km of enjoyable riding starting right in front of the Hanswirt, running along the River Etsch past meadows, forests, villages and orchards all the way to Mals.

A popular option is to combine the cycling experience with a train ride through the valley. A mountain bike lets you enjoy the surroundings throughout the year: there are ten tours on the Nörderberg and two single trails for adrenaline junkies, with technical training and guided MTB tours completing the offer in Partschins. City and mountain bikes can be hired from the Hanswirt, while E-bikes can be booked in advance.

ÖTZI & A WATERFALL
The Roman milestone and carter’s fare at the entrance to the Hanswirt are evidence of the long historical significance of the areas around Rabland, Partschins, Meran and the Vinschgau Valley. There are numerous attractions waiting to be discovered here, from the Partschins waterfall to the place where Ötzi was found high above the Schnalstal Valley.

Partschins. The holiday area of Partschins, Rabland and Töll is located just 8 kilometres from Meran. The sun shines around 300 days a year here, which makes it a popular place to holiday. The villages nestle between the Sonnenberg and Nörderberg mountains, both accessible by cable car up to an altitude of 1,544 metres.

The emblem of Partschins is its waterfall, at 97 metres the highest in South Tyrol. It not only makes an impressive spectacle; the high humidity and evaporation cooling improves the gas exchange in the lungs and strengthens the immune system.

Explore Ötzi’s native soil. The oldest of our ancestors lived some 5,000 years ago in the Copper-Stone Age and was found in 1991 – with an arrowhead in his shoulder – in the ice on the Hauslabjoch Pass above the Schnalstal Valley. The ArcheoParc in the village of Unser Frau in Schnals is dedicated to the famous glacier mummy.

A reconstructed Stone Age village lets visitors shoot a bow and arrow, practise their pottery skills and watch copper smelting. The cable car running up to the Schnalser glacier (a ski area in both winter and summer) arrives close to the place where Ötzi was discovered.

Meran and environs. With walking paths, promenades and Waalwege, ranging in altitude from 300 metres around Meran all the way up to the 3000-metre peaks of the Texel Group Nature Park, Meran and its environs represent a paradise for walkers and mountaineers alike.

The Hochmut cable car will take you up to the Meran high-mountain trail in the Texel Group, while the Vigiljoch and Meran 2000 cable cars bring you to the cooler mountain pastures in summer.

Explore Meran on foot. There are castles, palaces and stately residences everywhere you look, attesting to the historic significance of Meran when it was the first city of Tyrol. The mild climate is ideal for cypresses, oleanders, palms and vines to thrive. Those who could afford it would take the waters in and around Meran at the turn of the last century; you too can enjoy the wonderful year-round climate.

Stately residences, castles and historic buildings all characterise the village, and can be visited on weekly tours. Not to be missed are the Roman milestone on the Via Claudia Augusta just outside the Hanswirt, the Roman tombstone and the typewriter museum, dedicated to its inventor, Peter Mitterhofer from Partschins.

Other attractions include the Railway World featuring the land of South Tyrol in miniature, and the museum at Bad Egart dedicated to Royal and Imperial Austria-Hungary with a huge collection of old items.

Prehistoric cupstones can be found along the Sagenweg (Trail of Legends). Other popular and well-signposted themed trails are the Peter Mitterhofer culture trail, the Jakobsweg (St. James Way) and the Forest Trail.

THE VINSCHGAU VALLEY CULTURE
The Martel Valley and the Stilsferjoch (Stelvio) Pass are also close to the “eternal ice”. The Ortler massif is South Tyrol’s highest mountain and its icy splendour attracts hikers, motorists and climbers. There are climbing walls in Naturns and Schnals for young and old alike to tackle.

The lovely valley landscape is a charming counterpart to the bare mountains; a special attraction is the quarry at Laas with its world-famous white marble. The Vinschgau Valley offers many beautiful places all just waiting to be discovered. Sacred treasures from the Romanesque era, special beauty and numerous pleasures all await visitors.

THE EMPRESS SISSI
The castles, churches and museums of Bozen and Meran are home to genuine art treasures that can be discovered on guided tours. Experience the magic of Art Nouveau on the trail of the Empress Sissi in the city of Meran and the magical Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle. Experience the pleasures of shopping with a touch of Italian charm under the arcades and through the streets.

Castle Tyrol is the ancestral seat of the Counts of Tyrol, historically the most important castle in the land and now home to the South Tyrolean Museum for Cultural and Regional History. Temporary exhibitions, concerts and the Castle Festival ensure its primacy among the many castles and palaces.

The Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle have received many awards for their beauty. Here can be seen blossoms and greenery at all times of the year, artfully arranged or growing naturally wild. Paths, streams and ponds are interspersed through the gardens, while there are educational stations on the slope above.

Cultivated and natural landscapes rub shoulders in enchanting diversity. The Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle and the South Tyrolean Provincial Museum of Tourism now occupy the ground where the Empress Sissi once strolled.

Meran, South Tyrol’s spa town, features two special attractions in its old town: the Prince’s Castle and the Women’s Museum. Outside the city gates, graceful Art Nouveau buildings such as the Kurhaus and the Municipal Theatre reflect the city’s popularity as an elegant resort around the year 1900.

Stroll through the Sissi Park or along the Winter and Summer Promenades and admire the wild River Passer with its Gilfklamm ravine, a venue for canoeing competitions. The Museum of Archaeology in Bozen is South Tyrol’s largest international attraction. It may sound like a detective story, but it holds what is in fact one of the most sensational Stone Age finds in decades.

For 5,000 years Ötzi, the Man from the Ice, was frozen and perfectly preserved along with his coat, shoes of straw and bearskin cap. Reconstructions, videos and interactive multimedia stations all let visitors discover early history in a challenging yet fun way.

SHOPPING
The shopping cities of Meran and Bozen are a complete experience, marked with Italian style. The squares become salons that host entertainment and culture. Both cities allow you to stroll under medieval arcades as you marvel at (and perhaps purchase) Italian and international fashions, with many a visitor leaving a shoe shop beaming, their bags full to bursting.

The streets and squares have plenty of cafes and restaurants for you to enjoy, as well as ice-cream parlours offering homemade ice cream as you saunter through the narrow streets and listen to the sounds of street musicians and outdoor concerts.

Organic and farm produce complements the wide range of products on offer throughout the land, with street vendors, farm shops and markets. Health food stores and farmers’ markets are very popular and a showcase of farming culture.

Not only fruit and vegetables, but also speck (smoked ham) and cheese are sold directly by the farmers to the delight of locals and visitors alike. Felt slippers are to be had alongside flower bouquets from cottage gardens, not to mention eggs, honey and baked goods.

Organic food shops now also offer chocolate, beer and coffee from South Tyrol in addition to favourites such as wine, spirits and Schüttelbrot, the local crispy bread speciality.

CONVERTIBLE, CULTURE, CUISINE
Lovers of classic cars are in thrall to their timeless charm and style; sports car enthusiasts love the horsepower concealed under the shiny bonnet; while convertible drivers appreciate the feeling of freedom on four wheels to be enjoyed on one of South Tyrol’s 300 sunny days a year. All delight in the panoramic roads, the vast diversity of the views and the exquisite cuisine. The Hanswirt in Rabland is the ideal starting point for all these glories.

SPORTS CAR
What distinguishes a sports car? More horsepower? More revolutions per minute? For sure. “It is the acceleration from 0 to 100. Then how it takes the curves. The power under the accelerator pedal that makes my heart beat faster”, says Matthias Laimer. He is an avid sports car driver and a fan of the Porsche – a weekend rally winner yet a reliable everyday vehicle, as Porsche enthusiasts will tell you.

VINTAGE CARS
South Tyroleans love classic cars, those timelessly beautiful and stylish vehicles: some even have a small collection in their garage – like your hosts the Laimer family, who still regularly drive their vintage machines.

They do the shopping in their Fiat 850 Coriasco, while the 1975 Fiat Compagnola is used to visit the family’s orchards and the red-and-white VW bus from 1964 can be taken for a spin to Lake Kaltern.

International rallies, numerous events and clubs attest to the local enthusiasm for classic cars. The “South Tyrol Classic Rally” is the best known, with numerous fine machines represented.

TOURING IN A CONVERTIBLE
South Tyrol boasts a record-breaking number of sunny days. Here, south of the Alps, it is warmer than in other Alpine regions and palms and cypress trees thrive in the gardens, mingling with orchards and vineyards.

From February until late autumn you can enjoy fabulous tours with the top down, savouring the sun, wind and beautiful landscapes of South Tyrol, ranging from its lakes up to the Eternal Ice – something to delight every convertible fan.

FREEDOM ON TWO WHEELS
Skilfully taking the turns, picking up speed on the straights and throttling down again for the next curve: motorcyclists love South Tyrol’s winding mountain roads and passes through the breathtaking mountain scenery. Hanswirt offers its guests two Vespas for them to take a ride in true Italian style.

Ride a motorcycle once – you will be a motorcyclist forever. It is the sound that makes itself heard. Connoisseurs know the type of bike from the chugging, snorting, blowing and humming of the engine.

Some fulfil their dreams of speed on two wheels at a young age, then give it up upon starting a family. But sooner or later bike fever returns, and with it the longing for this sense of freedom.

Stop at the top of the mountain pass, enjoy the breathtaking panorama, take off your helmet and let the mountain breeze from the nearby glacier run through your hair. Motorcyclists know such moments of perfect happiness.

Riding a Vespa: what could be more Italian? The Vespa means summer and lifestyle in one. Born from necessity, the scooter was only intended as a cheap everyday way to get around, but has nowadays gained cult status.

Enrico Piaggio first began selling the Vespa 98, the mother of all scooters, in 1946. From then on the worldwide success of this economical and easy-to-ride two-wheeler was assured, a popularity that continues today.

Whether red, yellow or sky blue, old or new: riding a Vespa is also a popular pastime in South Tyrol. There are numerous clubs, regular meetings and even Vespa parties.

The Hanswirt owns two of these cult scooters for its guests: put on your helmet and off you go, shopping in Meran, eating ice-cream in Naturns or visiting the Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle. Have fun!

Rooms: 22

Price: from 312 EUR per night

Source: www.hanswirt.com