Merano Christmas Markets: green event

I Merano Christmas Markets are set up along the promenade that runs alongside the banks of the Passirio river, right in the city center and, in addition to offering items, will showcase artisans busy at work: from the blacksmith forging metal over a live fire, to the artists carving wood, to the crafting of felt slippers.

Merano Weihnachtsmärkte 2021

In der Hauptstadt des Südtiroler Wohlbefindens ist Weihnachten eine Mischung aus Innovation und Tradition, genau wie der Geist dieser Stadt. Der Weihnachtsmarkt von Merano hat sein pulsierendes Herz in den Häuschen mit anspruchsvollem Design, die entlang der gesamten Promenade am Passirio stehen, einzigartig in Form und Ästhetik, und Handwerkskunst sowie Qualitätsprodukte der Region beherbergen: nicht nur Gerichte der lokalen Küche und frisch gebackenes Brot, sondern auch Gegenstände aus Holz, duftende Kerzen, Kreationen aus Schafwolle und überraschende Dekorationen aus künstlerischem Glas oder Keramik.

Um die Atmosphäre in den festlich beleuchteten Straßen des Zentrums noch besonderer zu machen, gibt es den traditionellen echten Adventskalender, der jeden Tag ab dem 1. Dezember bereit ist, durch die Fenster des Palais Mamming auf dem Domplatz ein Museumsobjekt zu enthüllen, darunter auch Stücke, die vorher nie ausgestellt wurden.

Merano Christmas Markets 2020

As in all of South Tyrol, this year the Christmas markets are not taking place even in Merano.

Christmas in Merano 2020

The upcoming Christmas will be different from others but certainly more heartfelt, more intimate. We return to the original spirit of Christmas, based on the concepts of family, love, and respect. Advent in Merano will therefore focus entirely on the atmosphere and the true feelings of people.

The city of Merano has rescheduled the period leading up to Christmas – without the traditional Markets – and Advent will be marked by hundreds of thousands of lights. Next December will not be characterized by the presence of Christmas Markets along the Passirio river but will be a more intimate, heartfelt, and warm Advent. In this way, the city of Merano is preparing to experience the most beautiful time of the year, focusing on light and feelings. Thousands and thousands of lights will color the city, wrapping it in a warm embrace, allowing everyone to savor and enjoy Christmas, even those who will have to experience it from home, illuminating symbolic points as well as lesser-known corners, like the Steinach district. Furthermore, it will be possible to walk along the Tappeiner Promenade in the evening, thanks to the new lighting system installed in October on the section from Torre polveriera to Serpentina above via Galilei. Not only lights but also torchlight walks. Itinerary routes, the Christmas Walks, have been designed to allow everyone to walk outdoors and discover the most beautiful and hidden corners of the city of Merano. At the Tourist Office it will be possible to pick up a lantern with a candle for a romantic walk and to follow the Christmas Walks, returning the lantern at the end of the route.

Merano Christmas Markets 2018

The Christmas Markets in Merano, which herald the arrival of the festive season, will open their doors to all visitors from November 23 to January 6. Starting from this date, the banks of the Passirio river, in the center of Merano, will host the Christmas Markets that will anticipate the warmth and magic of the Holidays.

The choirs, concerts with wind instruments, and the unmissable numerous stalls will make the beginning of winter warm, offering local delicacies and handcrafted pieces, ideal souvenirs to give during the holidays. The Christmas Markets of Merano will develop along the promenade that runs along the banks of the Passirio river, in the heart of the city, and, in addition to offering items, will show artisans at work: from the blacksmith who forges metal on live fire, to the artists who carve wood, to the making of felt slippers.

Mercatini Merano 2018: was essen

Speck, Apfelstrudel, Tassen Milch mit Lebkuchen, Weine und Grappa werden die Holztische der gastronomischen Stände füllen.
Ein besonderer Stand erinnert an die Zeiten, als die Stadt noch die Hauptstadt von Tirol war. Tatsächlich werden im Holzofen des „Schlossbeck“, dem Hofbäcker, die „Dinnede“, ein bäuerliches Fladenbrot gefüllt nach einem alten Rezept mit Zwiebeln und Speck oder mit Kartoffelscheiben und Trüffeln, gebacken.

An einem anderen Stand mit altem Geschmack können typische Gerichte und Getränke aus dem Mittelalter gefunden werden, wie zum Beispiel gegrillte Scheiben von Buchweizknödeln, „Schneemilch“ mit Zimt und Honigwein.
Für die Kleinsten sieht das Animationsprogramm „Club Stellina“ unter anderem eine lange Zugfahrt, einen Kutschenausflug bis zum Postamt vor, wo die Kinder ihren Brief an Weihnachtsmann abgeben können, sowie Spiele und Gastfreundschaft in der Konditorei Loacker vor.

Merano Christmas Markets: San Nicolò

Always for the little ones, and according to local custom, on December 5th and 6th children will have the opportunity to meet San Nicolò, patron saint of the city of Merano, together with his faithful servant Knecht Ruprecht and, while the Saint distributes sweets, Knecht Ruprecht will give the naughtiest children pieces of coal.

In Piazza del Duomo, near the Christmas Market, a small window of the large Advent calendar will be opened every day around 4:45 PM.

Christmas Markets in Merano: over 200,000 visitors

This is the number of visitors who walk along the Passirio river every year to shop or admire the stands of the Christmas Markets of Merano.

The Merano Market is certified as a Green Event by the Ecoistituto Alto Adige, because it has been designed and realized with respect for the environment, therefore, with a careful approach to resources, from proper waste management to the use of local and seasonal products.

Mercatini Natale Merano: Evento Green

Gli stand in legno interpretano al meglio l’equilibrio tra l’architettura moderna e urbana e il rispetto della tradizione. Moltissimi i prodotti sia dell’artigianato locale sia gastronomici che, insieme alle tante iniziative per i bambini, rendono ancora più speciale il Natale trascorso sulle rive del fiume Passirio.

Dal 2014 i cinque Mercatini di Natale dell’Alto Adige disseminati lungo il Percorso delle Stelle Natalizie sono illuminati da una luce verde: assieme all’Ecoistituto Alto Adige infatti, si lavora affinché il periodo dell’Avvento sia vissuto in maniera ecologica e rispettosa dell’ambiente e i cinque Mercatini Natalizi diventino eventi sempre più green. Per ottenere questa importante certificazione è necessario avere un approccio parsimonioso con le risorse, adottare una mobilità sostenibile, gestire correttamente i rifiuti, utilizzare prodotti locali e stagionali e porre particolare attenzione alla responsabilità sociale.

Le misure Green Event più importanti garantiscono:

• Presenza di cibi regionali, stagionali, biologici, vegetariani
• Tovaglie e stoviglie riutilizzabili
• Presenza di bevande alcoliche e analcoliche locali evitando le bibite in lattina e la plastica
• Riduzione dei rifiuti e raccolta differenziata ben organizzata
• Gestione dell’energia rivolta al risparmio
• Mobilità sostenibile: bus navetta e treni, informazioni su come organizzare il viaggio con mezzi di trasporto sostenibili
• Utilizzo di carta-FSC, stampa climaneutrale
• Formazione dei collaboratori sull’iniziativa “Green Event”.

Casette Merano

Manufacturers and quality products belonging to a wide range of goods and specialties of the South Tyrolean tradition: among the exhibitors, it is a fun and fascinating journey between tradition and innovation in search of the right item that can be found at the Merano Christmas Markets. Workshops, artfully created products, inventiveness and originality.

Merano Christmas Markets: Opening Hours

Opening Hours of Merano Christmas Markets

Traditional Crafts and South Tyrolean Specialties
The Merano Christmas Market is open every day from November 23, 2018 to January 6, 2019 (closed on December 25, 2018).

The inauguration takes place on November 22.

Opening Hours of Merano Christmas Markets: Trade Stalls

• Sunday-Thursday 10 am-7 pm
• Friday, Saturday and holidays 10 am-8 pm

Special Openings of Merano Christmas Markets

• 24.12.2018 10 am-3:30 pm
• 31.12.2018 10 am-3:30 pm
• 01.01.2019 10 am-8 pm
• 06.01.2019 10 am-6 pm
• closed on 25.12.2018

Gastronomy Stalls

• Sunday-Thursday 10 am-9 pm
• Friday and Saturday and holidays 10 am-10:30 pm

Special Openings of Merano Christmas Markets

• 24.12.2018 10 am-5 pm
• 31.12.2018 10 am-5 pm
• 01.01.2019 10 am-9 pm
• 06.01.2019 10 am-6 pm
• closed on 25.12.2018

Merano Christmas Markets: how to get there

To Merano by train

The Merano Christmas Markets reward those traveling with the FRECCE of Trenitalia. Discover the details and participating facilities that refund part of the ticket price!
Furthermore, all interregional trains on the Munich-Verona line stop in Bolzano. From the South Tyrol capital, connections to Merano run every half hour.

To Merano by coach

There is dedicated signage for tourist coaches to conveniently reach the city center. The dedicated parking lot is located on via Palade, near the Meranarena ice stadium. For tourist arrivals and departures, parking for 15 minutes is possible on via Piave near the thermal baths, accessible via via Roma and viale delle Terme or via Piave.

To Merano by car

To reach Merano, take the A22 exit (Brenner Motorway) BOLZANO SUD and continue towards Merano on the Merano-Bolzano expressway (MEBO), exiting at MERANO MAIA BASSA or MERANO CENTRO. To reach parking lots downtown, it is recommended to follow the special panel system that along the roads indicates parking availability.

Parking options include Piazzale Prader, free (in front of the train station), Blue Park, that is parking spaces marked with blue lines (ticket at the parking meter), and numerous underground paid parking lots (indicated on the city map):

• Garage Terme Merano
• Plaza – Via Goethe
• Cantina Sociale di Lagundo – Via Galilei
• Karl Wolf – Via Verdi
• Centro commerciale Bristol – Via Ottone Huber
• Parkhaus Obermais – Via Scena
• Meranarena – 15 min. on foot to the city center

It is also possible to park for free at Piazza Prader in front of the main train and bus station. On market days, Tuesday and Friday, the area is available only after 5:00 pm. On Tuesdays the market occupies about half the area; on Fridays it occupies the entire square. The city center is reachable on foot in 10 minutes.

To Merano by camper

The Camping Merano, a few minutes on foot from the center, has a capacity for 300 people and 120 campers, caravans, and trailers. The recently renovated complex offers hot water, showers/WC, and electrical hookups.

Prices 22.11.2018-07.01.2019: Trailer + 1 car/camper including 2 people €28.00, for each additional adult €10.00/child (4-13 years) €5.00. Check-in: 8:00 am-9:00 pm. Pitch not bookable. Info: Camping Merano, via Piave 44, tel. 0473 231249, info@merano.eu.

Alternative parking areas (about 10 minutes on foot from the city center) for campers are:

• piazzale Prader, near the central railway station. Parking is free and the area is not equipped. On market days, Tuesday and Friday, the area is available only after 5:00 pm. On Tuesdays the market occupies about half of the area, on Fridays the entire square
• along via IV Novembre, near piazzale Prader
• via Bersaglio, in the parking lot of the Combi sports field (over 100 spots) from 6.12.17 to the morning of 11.12.2017 and from 29.12.2017 to the morning of 2.01.2018 and every Saturday and Sunday.

To Merano with BlaBlaCar

BlaBlaCar is a network connecting drivers with available seats and people looking for a ride. The BlaBlaCar community consists of over 20 million members and includes tens of thousands of destinations throughout Europe. To ensure quality matching between drivers and passengers, the site allows selecting rides according to preferences (non-smokers, pets on board, etc.). Users also indicate their degree of “talkativeness” choosing between “Bla,” “BlaBla,” and “BlaBlaBla”: hence the name BlaBlaCar. For more info, visit the BlaBlaCar website.

Merano Markets: Panoramic Shuttle

A charming little train will be in service connecting several key points of Merano’s center to the Christmas Markets: a quick way to get around and reach the event, but also to see the city from an original perspective.
Route: Hotel Terme – Via Garibaldi – Via Petrarca – Via Piave – Piazza Teatro – Corso Libertà – Via A. Hofer – Via Goethe – Via delle Corse – Via Piave – Via Petrarca – Via Roma – Via Ortwein – Via Garibaldi – Hotel Terme.
Info: tel. 339 5694694. Prices: adults €5.00, children €3.00.

Merano Christmas Markets: what to see in the surroundings

Seen from above, Merano and its surroundings look like a star, with the city of Merano at its center and the rays represented by the Val Venosta, the Val Passiria, and the Val d’Adige.

Along these valleys, wonderful villages and towns have developed that over the years have made tourism their natural resource, taking advantage of the area’s peculiarities: here, in fact, city life meets rural village life, Mediterranean flora blends with alpine flora, and architectural styles mix, a cocktail of contrasts that enriches the tourist offering twelve months a year.

More than 6000 beds available throughout the area complete the panorama of this region, capable of satisfying every interest, guaranteeing services and various and different facilities, whose common denominator is high quality and attention to detail in every proposal.