"Bressanone / Brixen - ancient alpine beauty" Bressanone by hundwalder

Bressanone ( Brixen to German speaking inhabitants which are most of the population ) is the oldest city in the Trentino - Alto Adige region of Italy. The city is situated just a few kilometers south of the Austrian border, about midway between Innsbruck and Bolzano. It is perfectly situated in the picturesque foothills of the Dolomiti mountains. Views of the mountains from the city are superb.

Altstadt Brixen is old world Europe at its finest. Its winding narrow streets have bright, colorful, old Tyrolean houses. It is a city of arched Gothic stone bridges and clean pleasant arcades. Enjoy the painted facades of the patrician and Renaissance palaces and villas.

If you are travelling by train between Munich and Venice or Florence, you will pass through Bressanone / Brixen. If you stop at this fascinating city for a few hours, the awards that await you are much more than worth the effort.

The photo on this page is of the war memorial to those who died either in combat or resisting the occupation ( circa 1939 - 1945 ). Fresh flowers adorn the memorial in season.

There are many interesting places to visit in the vicinity of Bressanone. Just a few kilometers north of the city is the 12th. Century monastary at Novacella. In the abbey you will find some of the most beautiful Baroque architecture and art anywhere. Sorry that I have no photos to reinforce this statement. The abbey is open for guided tours from April through October daily except Sundays. A little farther north is the city of Vipiteno / Starzung. Last but not least are the nearby Dolomiti mountains.

• Pros:Tyrolean old world masterpiece without the tourists
• Cons:not much about it in the guidebooks
• In a nutshell:Be among the first tourists to discover Bressanone