In the footsteps of Empress Elisabeth

The Sissi Trail ends directly in front of the gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle, which are a true highlight. Empress Elisabeth lived in a golden box surrounded by splendour and pomp, broke down in the exhausting court ceremonial, became lonely and took refuge in her obsession with slimming and poetry. Empress Sissi spent two of her four stays in Merano at Trauttmansdorff Castle, the first time in 1870. She loved extensive walks and long hikes. In the gardens, the Sissi Terrace still reminds us of the famous monarch, and in the Touriseum – Landesmuseum für Tourismusgeschichte –, which is located in the castle in the middle of the gardens, you can visit the rooms that Sissi once lived in. The gardens of ­Trauttmansdorff Castle offer glimpses of exotic Mediterranean landscapes, views of the surrounding mountain ranges and sunny ­Merano. A unique combination of ­nature, culture and art is presented in the form of 100 garden worlds, artists' pavilions and numerous experience stations such