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➍ ➊ <strong>Merano</strong>, City of literature The international appeal of the spa town, <strong>Merano</strong>/Meran, and the entire Burgraviato/Burggrafenamt started to blossom in the mid-nineteenth century. Between 1870 and 1872 all the attendance records were broken and records show that it had become a spa resort of international renown. Princess elizabeth and her younger daughter, archduchess Valerie, established their headquarters in Castel Trautmannsdorff. The influx of poets into the town was constant. The greatest poet from the Munich school and Nobel laureate, Paul heyse, wrote his "Novelle <strong>Merano</strong>" in 1863 and in the 1890s, Rainer Maria Rilke lived in the town, composing two beautiful poems in Castel Monteleone. since 1950, readings and literary events have been organized by the "Cultural May" initiative which have brought people from south Tyrol and beyond into the halls of the Kursaal. The Nobel Prize winner salvatore Quasimodo and the poet Giuseppe ungaretti were among the distinguished guests in 1957/1958. Peggy Guggenheim opened the "Galleria del Corso", which fell into oblivion. We must not forget to mention the great american poet, ezra Pound, who made his home in Castel Fontana in <strong>Merano</strong> during the sixties and rose to fame thanks to his "Cantos." ➋ The Blue City <strong>Merano</strong>/Meran has a strong bond with water and for this reason it’s known as the “city of the Passirio”. its very location owes much to water, which allows it to offer the best leisure and recreational areas and activities. as a tourist town, <strong>Merano</strong> is linked to water treatments, from drinking water to thermal baths. <strong>Merano</strong> also boasts a great canoeing tradition which gives it the status of water sports capital of south Tyrol. of a total of 17,500 recorded water sources in south Tyrol, some of the most famous are located in <strong>Merano</strong> and these have been used by the tourism sector right from the word go. Based on the culture of the thermal baths of the past, or treatments linked to drinking water, state-of-the-art spa and wellness centres have developed innovative treatments and services, reflecting the recent trend for visiting places that can offer spa treatments. Therefore, <strong>Merano</strong> offers a plethora of thermal baths and swimming pools at the Terme <strong>Merano</strong> complex, as well as indoor swimming pools, beaches and outdoor swimming pools throughout the surrounding area. english summary ➌ Trauttmansdorff: a Paradise for Explorers The Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle are located just outside of <strong>Merano</strong>/Meran. The inspiring and vibrant Gardens are the most popular tourist attraction in south Tyrol. They comprise more than eighty garden worlds featuring plants from across the globe. Trauttmansdorff never rests as a botanical garden: it gives the visitor a chance to pause, marvel, and take in just how many different ways there are to turn nature into an experience. The landscape itself with winding trails and playfully designed vantage points suggests a wealth of perspective of roots. The new Botanical underworld attraction affords an intriguingly subterranean perspective: that of roots and bulbs. Trauttmansdorff’s will even outdo itself this season, though: its Glass house, opening in late summer, will feature special plant collections and terrariums that provide insights into exotic worlds. Because the Touriseum will be marking its tenth anniversary, this year’s special exhibition poses the question, "Where will the developments in tourism of the last ten years take us?" ➍ Terme <strong>Merano</strong>: Spa and Nature “Treatments courtesy of Mother Nature in south Tyrol” is the motto, and local natural products play a key role in the health and wellness services offered at Terme <strong>Merano</strong>. south Tyrolean products provides the raw materials used for the various treatments as well as for the Terme <strong>Merano</strong> proprietary line of bodycare products, with apples, grapes, whey, wool and herbs all sourced in the region. Besides being a wonderful example of modern architecture, the Terme <strong>Merano</strong> are one of the best thermal parks in europe. The five hectares of land on which the complex is built showcase a variety of flora, providing optimum conditions for people seeking relaxation and peace and quiet. in total, there are more than 5,900 shrubs and bushes and 300 different species of tree, all of which contribute to turning the area into a green oasis in the very heart of the town. 79