In addition to the
diversity of landscapes, the Merano and Environs region also boasts an exceptionally interesting local population. Farming families deeply rooted in the countryside live alongside lively towns, where the German and Italian culture mingle and offer a new, relaxed Alpine attitude to life. In addition, Merano and Environs is home to many unique local personalities, such as the famous mountaineer Reinhold Messner, who returns after his adventurous expeditions to his roots in the area and his residence at
Juval Castle at Naturno/Naturns.
No wonder that Merano and Environs became a favored holiday destination of such outstanding personalities as the Empress Elisabeth of Austria-Hungary, the writer Franz Kafka and composers such as Cosima Wagner and Richard Strauss, and continues to attract many international celebrities to this day.