The view from the wall of the museum
Although we weren’t planning to hike that day, the walk up to the Messner Mountain Museum at Sigmundskron Castle was a beautiful impromptu adventure through the outskirts of Bolzano. After the bus dropped us off at least a mile from the castle, I remember we were all impressed by the quaint homes, churches, vineyards, and views we passed on our walk. I remember the air being warm and smelling of grapes, the houses being warm tones with people doing their chores outside or people watching from their balcony, and I remember being able to see the river flow down through the valley below us. Even though the walk was brutal, I’m grateful that we got to personally experience this part of town that tourists rarely get to see, I think those glimpses into what life is like in a foreign place are what really make trips interesting.
A church we passed in the town
The group walking from the bus stop, not knowing how long of a walk was ahead of us
The view from the central hill within the castle walls. Visible ahead are structures from the original castle, museum additions, the Dolomites, and the town of Bolzano below
I think that this gorgeous view, coupled with our first hike of the trip, as well as the incredible history of the building and landscape we were in, greatly contributed to my appreciation and understanding of the region we would be exploring. Being able to view the town we were staying in and the mountains we would be hiking in from a central location prepared me for our journey both mentally and physically, and I thought it was a great spontaneous hike to kickstart our exploration with.
Within the castle walls, the arena and old wall
