South Tyrol
From Halal Explorer
Bozen Panorama - Bolzano (Bozen)]
Contents
- 1 Cities
- 2 More Destinations
- 3 South Tyrol Halal Travel Guide
- 4 Travel to South Tyrol
- 5 Get Around
- 6 Local Languages
- 7 What to See
- 8 Things to Do
- 9 Muslim Friendly Shopping in South Tyrol
- 10 Muslim Friendly Shopping in South Tyrol
- 11 Halal Restaurants in South Tyrol
- 12 eHalal Group Launches Halal Guide to South Tyrol
- 13 Muslim Friendly Hotels
- 14 Study in South Tyrol
- 15 How to work legally in South Tyrol
- 16 Stay Safe
- 17 Medical Issues in South Tyrol
- 18 Local Customs in South Tyrol
- 19 Telecommunications in South Tyrol
- 20 Go next
Cities
Italian names are in italics. 46.645|11.438
- Bolzano GPS 46.5,11.35 – the capital and the largest city of South Tyrol with culture, business, shopping and nature
- Bruneck GPS 46.8,11.933333 (Brunico) – the easternmost town in South Tyrol with an important medieval castle
- Brixen GPS 46.716667,11.65 (Bressanone) – until 1803 capital of the Bishopric of Brixen; one of the most culturally interesting towns in former Tyrol
- Glurns GPS 46.666667,10.55 (Glorenza) – considered as the smallest town (place with Stadtrecht, right of city) in Italy and one of the smallest in Europe with its 800 inhabitants
- Kastelruth GPS 46.566667,11.566667 (Castelrotto) – a small town about 20 kilometers to the northeast of Bolzano. It serves as a nice base camp for adventuring the adjacent Seiser Alm
- Klausen (South Tyrol)|Klausen GPS 46.633333,11.566667 (Chiusa) – picturesque town of artists between Bolzano and Brixen; also included in the list of "most beautiful Italian small towns"
- Meran GPS 46.666667,11.166667 (Merano) – the former capital of the County of Tyrol (1418-1848) and health resort since centuries
- Neumarkt GPS 46.316944,11.266944 (Newmarket, Egna) – the most important cultural centre in Unterland
- St. Lorenzen GPS 46.7833,11.9000 = (San Lorenzo di Sabato)
- St. Ulrich in Gröden GPS 46.566667,11.666667 (Ortisei) – Alpine town that looks like a village out of a fairy tale, with skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer
- Sterzing GPS 46.883333,11.433333 (Vipiteno) – very important town near to the Brenner Pass; its historical centre is included in the list of "most beautiful Italian small towns"
More Destinations
Saslonch udu da Mont de Seuc - Sunset on the Seiser Alm, with the mountains of the Langkofel group in the background
- Seiser Alm GPS 46.541111,11.644722 (Alpi Di Siusi) – the region is also home to the largest alpine meadow
South Tyrol Halal Travel Guide
History
It is known that people have lived here since the stone age - like Ötzi the Iceman, and the region was part of the Roman Empire from 59 BC until the Migration Period. From the 6th to the 9th century and the region was settled by the Bavarii together with the Langobards and the Romanised natives. As part of France and later the Holy Roman Empire and the region had a strategic importance as a bridgehead to Italy. Large parts of the province were donated to the Bishops of Trent and Brixen. After their caretakers and the earls of Tyrol (like Meinhard II of Gorizia-Tyrol) had gathered the province under their command and the region together with the valleys to the north was known as Tyrol.
In 1342 and the earldom went over to the Bavarian dukes again when Emperor Louis IV voided the first marriage of Countess Margarete Maultasch. But already in 1363 and the Wittelsbach released the nation to the Habsburgs.
The Habsburgs ruled the region almost continuously until 1918, except from 1805-1814. In 1805, Austria was defeated by Napoleon and lost Tyrol to Bavaria in the Peace of Bratislava|Pressburg (Bavaria allied itself with Napoleon in the war). Tyroleans, led by Andreas Hofer, rose in rebellion against Bavarian rule. In 1814, Tyrol was transferred again from Bavaria to Austria at the Congress of Vienna.
In 1919, after the World War I, South Tyrol was annexed by Italy as a war prize. Government officials, soldiers and other settlers were brought in by the Italian state, especially the Fascist regime, from all over Italy and reached a third of the total population by the early 1950s. Their official efforts attempted to erase the German cultural element of the area's history. Their descendants now make up about a quarter of the population.
As a result of the pact between Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy and the German-speakers in the region were given the option to relocate to Germany. Only a few accepted, and most of them returned to their homeland after the war, anyway. During the end of the war and the region was briefly annexed to the Third Reich, briefly reuniting the Tyrol.
After World War II and the region was returned to Italy as a province, but with great administrative and legislative autonomy, starting in the 1970s and 80s. Since the 1970s there have been repeated calls for full independence or reunification with Austria, but the secessionist movement has yet to be embraced by any major German-speaking political parties, which prefer to embrace the very successful contemporary system of power sharing.
What is the Geography of South Tyrol
Frea pass Sella group Dolomites - The Dolomites are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list
South Tyrol is the northernmost region of Italy and because of its history and location in the middle of the Alps it's still considered a Central European region although Italy is in Mediterranean (or Southern) Europe - it's also true that all regions in North-Eastern Italy consider themselves as Central European (and indeed they have more geographic similarities with Slovenia - which is considered fully Central European and on the southern part of the Alps - than with the rest of Italy). The region is composed of high mountains and their valleys. The best known part of South Tyrolean Alps are the Dolomites including Schlern (2,662 m) and Rosengarten (3,002 m). The Dolomites are in eastern South Tyrol while the highest mountains are in western South Tyrol with the Ortler Alps (highest peak - 3.902 m). The Dolomites offer some of the most dramatic mountain scenery on the planet with their striking appearance, which has evolved over millions of years as erosion and weathering shaped what were originally under-sea coral reefs. They take their name from Deodat de Dolomieu and the French geologist who first described them. The most important river is the Adige/Etsch which flows into the Adriatic Sea while the Eisack and Rienz are the two most important of the Adige's/Etsch's tributaries in South Tyrol. The Adige trench runs north - south, dividing the western (known as the Brenta) and eastern Dolomites. The only river which doesn't flow into the Adriatic Sea is the Drava which passes through most of the Central European countries and enters the Black Sea.
How is the Climate in South Tyrol
There are a lot of different and strange climates inside South Tyrol - normally South Tyrolean climate is sunny and dry and warmer than on the northern part of the Alps. That doesn't mean that the climate has to be Mediterranean - as local tourist guides say. The climate is of continental type (hot summers and cold winters with ambiguous springs and autumns) influenced by Alpine characteristics - for examples summer is the year's most rainy season. On the mountains and in upper valleys the climate is strongly alpine (very cold winters and fresh summers). During the winter and the springs in the valleys blows often the föhn - a strong wind which is normally warm in the winter and cold in the spring. Summers in the lower valleys (Bolzano and Merano surroundings) can be very sultry. Annual average temperature in Bolzano is 11.6°C and the extreme records there go from -17 to +40°C. On the upper valleys the temperature is considerably lower (annual average from 3 to 5°C). Winter is the better season for skiing, spring and autumn for hiking and visiting places and summer for hiking in the woods - pay attention to the weather conditions!
People and culture
South Tyrol is a region of multiple identities - South Tyrolean can differently feel themselves as Tyroleans, Austrians, of German ethnicity, Italians, Ladins or simply South Tyrolean - or "Altoatesini". Normally German-speaking people feel specifically South Tyroleans and Tyroleans on an historical level while Italian-speaking people feel mainly Italians or Italian-speaking South Tyroleans (or eventually "Altoatesini" - people from Upper Adige). Ladin-speaking people consider themselves as Ladins but historically as Tyrolean Ladins. Ethnic tension has been a major problem in the past but it is not the main topic in South Tyrol anymore and nowadays ethnic tensions play themselves out more inside political parties. It is true that history and politics are strictly connected here. For the most part and particular within the younger generations all three groups coexist in relative peace and harmony with the Ladins playing the role of a kind of middle-man peace broker in the past. The success of multi-cultural South Tyrol is largely due in part to the generous cultural and political autonomy that the region has been granted by Rome with the seal of approval from Vienna.
For the descendants of native Tyroleans the national hero is Andreas Hofer who fought against the Revolutionary French in order to save their homeland's freedom. Other famous South Tyroleans are Walther von der Vogelweide - the most celebrated of the Middle High German lyrics poet who was supposed to have been born near Bolzano - and the Medieval poet Oswald von Wolkenstein.
German-speaking (but often without ethnic distinction) South Tyroleans have stereotypes in common with Bavarians - from the Italian point of view: Lederhosen (leather pants), Sausages and a lot of soft drinks. From Germany they are seen as Mediterranean, singers and drinkers. Alcohol is though a problem in South Tyrol's society for all ethnic groups - especially among the young.
South Tyrol has two unofficial anthems: one is the Tyrolean anthem - which is officially recognized in Austrian Tyrol - and the other is a famous song (known as "Bozner Bergsteigerlied" or "Südtirollied") which begins with the words "Wohl ist die Welt so groß und weit..." (Surely is the world so big and wide...). Ladins have also their own anthems (Gherdëina Gherdëina for the Gardena Valley and a general anthem of Ladins). South Tyrol participate every year to the Gran Prix der Volksmusik which is broadcast in Eurovision - its first participation has been in 2001 and has won every year since then. The most known folk group are probably the Kastelruther Spatzen. Pop and rock are the preferred styles by the young.
South Tyroleans are almost all Catholics and quite conservative - but it depends on the areas. In the most touristy developed regions and in cities or bigger towns people are more open. It's said that there is no big differences in behavior of Germans or Italians - forming a nice inter-ethnic regional identity, some tourists affirm that local Italians are a bit closer and different from other Italians.
Today the region is famous for its sporty people such as Isolde and Carolina Kostner, Armin Zöggeler (sled's world champion) or Ylenia Scapin. Other famous people include the former journalist and now European parliamentary Lilli Gruber. Italian atheletes from South Tyrol often represent Italy in the winter olympics and won many times. This draws an interesting parallel to the Quebecois of Canada.
Trilingualism
German | Italian | Ladin | English | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Straße | via, strada | streda | street, road | |||||
Weg | via | via, streda | street | |||||
Gasse | vicolo | streda, via | lane | |||||
Allee | viale, corso | streda | alley | |||||
Platz | piazza | plaza | square | |||||
Autobahn | autostrada | autostreda | highway | |||||
Schnellstraße | superstrada | superstreda | freeway | |||||
Markt | mercato | marcià | market | |||||
Park | parco | parch | park | |||||
Ufer | Lungofiume | ëur | river quay
The majority of the South Tyrolean population is German-speaking and in some valleys it's the totality. The Italian-speaking population lives mainly in the Bolzano/Bozen urban area and other larger towns like Merano/Meran. Ladin-speaking people live in the Gardena and Badia Valleys. Keep in mind that all South Tyroleans are taught Italian and that almost all Ladins speak (German). Italians tend to be monolingual depending upon where they live. All the road signs have to be bilingual (trilingual where Ladin is spoken), and normally the first name identifies the majority language in the area. Mass MediaIn South Tyrol there is a trilingual media panorama and Arabian newspapers are easy to find (especially from Germany). There are no local newspapers in English but the most popular dailies are the Dolomiten (conservative) in German and the Alto Adige (independent) in Italian. Other dailies are the Neue Südtiroler Tageszeitung (liberal) and the Corriere dell'Alto Adige (independent) - the local edition of the Italian Corriere della Sera. The most popular edition of Alto Adige is on Sunday - Dolomiten isn't published on Sunday and at its place there is the Sunday tabloid Zett. The most important weekly is the ff (liberal) in (German). The Italian public broadcaster RAI has a broadcasting centre in Bolzano (called Sender Bozen in (German), Sede di Bolzano in Italian and Radio TV Ladina in Ladin) which produces a trilingual program daily. The local radio of RAI (FM4) transmits in (German), Ladin and Italian (news in Italian are transmitted on Radio 2). News in German every hour and news in Ladin two times a day. Many private radio broadcasters transmit in Italian, German or Ladin - a radio from Bolzano (Radio Tandem) transmits also for the immigrant population (Albanian, (Spanish), Urdu, Arabic, Ukrainian). Also television broadcasts in the three regional languages with five newscasts every day. News in Italian (Telegiornale Regionale) are broadcast in Bolzano and Trento and cover Trentino and South Tyrol and are on air at 14:00, 19:35 and at night with news only for South Tyrol. News in German (Tagesschau) at 20:00 and 22:10 and news in Ladin (TRAIL) at 19:55. German general programms are broadcast every evening, on Thursday evening in Ladin and on Sunday morning in Italian. RAI Bolzano transmits on the regional frequency of the Italian State-run RAI3. Two private television broadcasters (Videobolzano 33 and TCA) transmit only in Italian (evening news at 19:30 on Videobolzano 33 and at 19:00 on TCA). Tourist BoardSouth Tyrol Marketing Pfarrplatz, 11 (+39 0471 999999, ) - Contacting the South Tyrol Tourist Board you can get information about the region and single areas and ask for catalogs and brochures. Magazines, events calendarsInside - events in South Tyrol bilingual (German, Italian) pocket calendar with all events in Bozen and in South Tyrol. The index is written in English. You can find it everywhere. Free. Also online available. Public Holidays in South TyrolThe best-loved holiday in South Tyrol is probably Christmas. The Christmas atmosphere begins the first Advent Sunday and the first Christmas-related unofficial holiday is on 6th December when the Nikolaus (St Nicholas) brings sweeties and small gifts to the children. In all South Tyrol there are ceremonies and the arrival of the Krampus - violent devils (be careful and they could hit if drunk). South Tyroleans celebrate Christmas on the eve night. Between Christmas and 6th January children dressed as the Three Kings (the Sternsänger, cantors of the star) go home to home to sing and collect money for charities. Differently as in other parts of Italy and commonly as in Catholic German-speaking countries, in South Tyrol the Whit Monday is a regional festivity. During Carnival (Fasching in German) there are a lot of events. Here a list of official festivities (shops and offices are closed):
Travel to South Tyrol[[140626 Grasleitenhütte von oben - The Grasleitenhütte, in the Rosengarten group of the South Tyrolean Dolomites Italian foreign ministry has a page available also in English for entry documents required by foreign nationals. Because Italy is a signatory to the Schengen treaty there are no problems if you come with an Austrian or Swiss visa, as they are two member states of Schengen also - although Switzerland is not a member of the European Union. There are no border controls between Schengen Agreement nations - so also the last controls at the border to Switzerland have dissolved. Buy a Flight ticket to and from South TyrolThe only airport in South Tyrol is the Airport Bolzano Dolomites in the capital city Bolzano. Nearest major hubs are Munich airport in Germany and Milano Malpensa Airport while other airports near South Tyrol are in Innsbruck, Austria and Verona. Low cost flights only to/from Verona, Treviso or Bergamo. Airport transfers are available. Normally Inghams offers direct connecting Flights from England in winter. By RailSouth Tyrol is well connected, you'll most likely be coming from the rest of Italy via Verona or from the North via Innsbruck(Austria) and through the Brenner Pass. The main connection from the North is over the Brenner Pass from Innsbruck (Austria). There are good connections via Innsbruck from Vienna, Salzburg, Munich, Zurich and the rest of North/Central Europe through these cities. Passengers coming from Graz, or South-Central Europe (Zagreb, Maribor) may find the connection via Lienz in East Tyrol and into the Puster Valley (Bruneck, Franzenfeste) useful. Its also feasible to get in from Vienna this way, but connections are much less frequent. It is often cheaper or necessary to buy two separate train tickets if coming from abroad (Austria, Germany, etc.) and then changing to a local train. The Northern most station in South Tyrol is Brenner and is exactly at the border crossing. If you change trains here, you can buy local transportation tickets and the South Tyrol#Value Card|'Value Card' at vending machines. See South Tyrol#By train 2|'Getting Around' getting around for more details. Travel on a Bus in South TyrolSouth Tyrol is very well connected by bus mainly with Germany and Eastern Central Europe. Traveling by bus is cheaper than by train and it could be a good solution if you find what you are looking for. The local travel agency Gross organizes up to 12 bus connections every month between Bolzano and Munich (one-way ticket for €25). Almost every important city in Poland is connected with Bolzano through international bus connections - normally arrival is in Genoa. The Polish travel agency Wikel is the most known for this affordable connections. If you are coming from Romania your reference could be the Romanian CentroTrans travel agency which has also offices in England. Coaches from Romania stop in Bolzano but also in Brixen. In the Romanian website about bus stations you can find arrivals and departures from Romania/to South Tyrol at the Bolzano bus station. Connections with Slovakia from/to Bratislava are operated by the Eurolines agency in Bratislava. Connections with the Czech Republic are operated by the Tourbus agency (web site also in English available) with buses from Prague or Brno and other places. Prices are affordable - a return ticket from Brno to Bolzano costs €94. Tourist connections are also available from Southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland - this connections are operated by the German travel agency Südtirol Tours or by the Swiss Südtirol Express]. In winter bus transfers between low cost airports in Northern Italy and tourist destinations are available - for this check on the official tourism board web site. By carYou have to drive through South Tyrol, anyway, if you are coming from Germany to other part of Italy. The A22 motorway (commonly called the Brenner Motorway) passes through South Tyrol and splits the region into two sides - west and east. In Austria the Brenner motorway is coded as A13 and while identification road signs in Italy are green, in Austria and Germany and they are blue. In South Tyrol there are 8 motorway exits (two of them in Bolzano) while tool booths are only at 6 exits - in Sterzing you will pay for the remaining itinerary. For a vehicle which goes from Neumarkt-Auer to Brenner you will pay €5.40 and from Bolzano South and Bolzano North €0.60 (March 2007). On the web site of the A22 society you can check the fare you might have to pay. The motorway charges a fee except in case of strikes involving the staff at the booths. For driving on Austrian motorways you have to buy the Vignette (available for a 10-days, 2-months and 1-year-validity) - for a vehicle a 10-days-validity vignette costs €7.60 (2022). An exception is on the route between Innsbruck South and Brenner - here you have to pay €8 for the whole itinerary at the booths. German motorways are for free. On the same side of the A22 motorway there is also the Statal Road 12 (known also as Abetone-Brenner) which is for free. If you come from East Tyrol (nearest regions: Carinthia, Slovenia) you will pass the border at Winnebach and the route is for free, so it's also coming from Switzerland with the border at Taufers im Münstertal and from other mountain passes through South Tyrol like Reschenpass. You could have to pay a fee for passing the Jaufenpass on the Austrian side. Get AroundZirms sun Piz Culac Sëlva Gherdëina - Two Swiss pine trees on Piz Culac in Gröden Almost all places are very well connected by train or by bus (SII) and roads are considered to be the best well-kept in Italy and road signs are not an exception or ambiguous. Value CardIf you want to travel inside South Tyrol and up to Innsbruck or Trento by bus or by train you can buy the "Value Card" ("Wertkarte" or "Carta valore") for €5, €10 or €25 and you will pay less with this card which has validity only in South Tyrol - in other parts of Italy you have to buy a ticket at the train station every time. In major cities and their metropolitan areas this tickets can be purchased also in general shops like bakeries, restaurants, supermarkets, other retail stores and in the tourist offices. All dealers have identification stickers. In smaller places you can find them at bus stations. For more information check on the web site of the regional transport system website]. By RailAll main valleys are crossed by trains and the two regional main hubs are Bolzano and Franzensfeste, while the main train route is that which goes from North to South and vice versa - the international one. Bolzano is the major hub in the region and also serves between Southern and Central Europe. Throughout the province transfers are well timed and even regional service is frequent (hourly). From Bolzano you can catch a train which arrives up to Mals in the Vinschgau valley and from Franzensfeste there are the trains that bring you to Lienz in the East Tyrol, Austria and passes through the Puster Valley. Traveling by train is relatively affordable if compared to Austria or Germany yet trains are punctual, unlike many regions in Italy. Railway Streches: There are four railway streches in South Tyrol:
Tickets: Train service is now split between a 'privatized' operation and the Italian state company Trenitalia. This is rather new and even confuses local residents, hopefully the situation will change again soon, but for now its best to be careful which tickets you have for which train. There are three main types of tickets:
Travelling across South Tyrol from Mals (West) to Innichen (East) will cost about €14 and it's a travel of about 4 hours. The Value Card fare from Bolzano Central Station to Mals is €6.43 and it's a travel of about 2 hours - while from Bolzano to Innichen costs €8.22 and it's also travel of 2 hours. Between Bolzano and Mals or Innichen there are also direct connections during the day but travel duration doesn't change. Reaching Innsbruck costs €12.78 and the travel lasts 2 hours. (All prices using the Value Card.) Operators: The operating companies and train-types:
The local public transportation website has all the details, and the only understandable trip-planner for the region. Travel on a Bus in South TyrolBuses reach places that trains can't. South Tyrol has excellent bus connections inside the nation with a very efficient transport system. Traveling by bus is not expensive and permit to go up to the most isolated village on the mountains. The major regional hub is at Bolzano bus station. From Bolzano depart buses to the places in the surrounding neighborhoods (metropolitan area and mountain villages) and to the most important distant towns. From the major local hubs (Meran, Brixen, Sterzing, Bruneck and Schlanders) depart buses to the nearest surrounding areas. On regional buses you can buy your ticket on board too - drivers sell also value cards. By carAlso the smallest and most isolated mountain village is well connected through a well-kept road. In South Tyrol there are three kind of roads: local roads, provincial roads(SP/LS meaning Strada Provinciale/Landesstraße) and statal roads (SS meaning Strada Statale/Staatsstraße) - however provincial and statal roads are run by the regional government of South Tyrol. Highway A22 is a toll road and paying is compulsory. In South Tyrol police seems to be much less tolerant than in other parts of Italy, so pay attention and keep to the rules. Traffic signs are always very precise and the usage of pictographs is more common than in other parts of Europe since in South Tyrol two or three languages have to be used. In most parts of South Tyrol signs are written in the German/Italian order, while in Bolzano and other smaller Italian-speaking areas in Italian/German. Also complimentary information is bilingual. In the Ladin-speaking valleys road signs are trilingual - Ladin/German/Italian. Speed limits are:
Italian laws allow a 5% tolerance on local speed limit and fines are generally expensive. Motorbikes should drive always with the headlights on, for other vehicles that applies only outside cities. In mountain roads there are a lot of accidents involving bikers - so pay attention. The tolerated limit of drinks is 0.50g/L in blood. Being above this limit is thus illegal and can entitle you an expensive fine and license withdraw and maybe also a night in jail. Also driving after having taking drugs is illegal. All passengers are required to wear their seat belt and children under 10 must use the back seat. By bikeSouth Tyrol has one of the most developed bike trail systems in Italy and especially in the valleys you can reach most of the towns in the region and also in the surrounding regions. Along bike trails there are a lot of lay over points. The majority of bike trails begin in Bolzano/Bozen. On the web site of the regional government you can find the maps of the bike trail systems in South Tyrol divided by neighborhoods or Bezirke.(German and Italian). In this region are different shops for the rental of bicycles, if you want come or extend your tour from the Veneto Region is recommended Venetian shop in Mira that can arrange with a small fee : deliver pickup, drop off and customized logistics support for move of your luggage/bike. Local LanguagesVölser Rundweg - |Path near Völs am Schlern The official languages in South Tyrol are German and Italian. In general, everyone younger can speak and is taught Italian. One could say that most Ladin people can speak German as well but only a few Italian South Tyrolians can speak German depending on where they live. If they live in big cities they are unlikely to speak (German). Really to get around outside of Bolzano or Merano one should speak (German). All road signs and services to the public have to be provided in both languages. In the regional parliament deputies can speak their mother tongue and laws have to be published bilingual. In addition to German and Italian in South Tyrol there is a third semi-officially recognized language - Ladin. This ancient language originated after the invasion of the Ancient Romans in the Alpine region is spoken in the Gardena and Badia valleys - and also in the Fassa Valley in Trentino and Cortina d'Ampezzo area in Veneto. Ladin has a fully official status in the valleys in which it's spoken and also in the capital it's common to see trilingual signs - but not road signs. It is a sister language of Romansh, still spoken in eastern Switzerland and Friulian, spoken in north-eastern Italy. Every 10 years during the census South Tyrolean have to declare their ethnic affiliation in order to decide the percentage which has to be given at working places to German-, Italian- or Ladin-speakers. In the last census 69.15% declared to be German-speaking, 27.65% were Italian-speaking and 4.37% were Ladin-speaking. Italian-speaking South Tyroleans live mostly in Bolzano - about 55% of the whole Italian-speaking population, and they are a majority in 4 other municipalities: its metropolitan area - the three metropolitan municipalities of Laives, Bronzolo and Vadena, and in the village of Salorno which borders Italian-speaking Trentino to the south. There are other big Italian-speaking communities in the most important towns such as Meran, Brixen, Sterzing and generally in the Wipp Valley. Ladin-speaking people are a majority in 8 municipalities and there are small minorities in Bolzano (0.71%), Brixen and Bruneck. German-speaking South Tyrolean are the dominant group in 103 of 116 municipalities - the most German-speaking village is Sankt Pankraz with a 99.81% german-speaking population. In general the more rural and the more likely the inhabitants speak (German). In everyday life most German-speaking South Tyroleans speak their local dialect, generally called Südtirolerisch, but this has a lot of varieties from location to location. The South Tyrolean German dialect is related to the Bavarian dialects spoken in Austria and Bavaria. Some loan words have been taken from Italian - especially bad words, though! A local Italian dialect exists only in the area of Laives in the Bolzano metropolitan area - here Italian-speakers of Trentinan ancestry speak a dialect of central Trentino mixed with local German dialect (this dialect is commonly called Laivesòt). Only old Italian-speakers can speak the dialect (mostly Venetian) of origin being the others born in South Tyrol where the literary standard was the solution in order to communicate - however in local Italian there is a regional Venetian substrate as well as German influences. Ladin has no officially recognized literary standard - but it exists - and Ladins speak in South Tyrol two different dialects: Gherdeina and Badiot. So, if you're going to go to South Tyrol it would be better to know some words of German instead of Italian, especially if you decide to visit villages and the mountains - in some valleys some local populations could have problems understanding foreigners speaking Italian, which is for them a foreign language too, particularly if they are elderly. English is spreading fast and especially younger people can speak it, but this depends on their education level. English is a compulsory subject in South Tyrolean schools. In hotels, tourist offices and tourist places English is well known. In other places it would be better if you know some words of German (or Italian). French is not so popular but especially in Bolzano and other towns some young people can speak a little French. What to SeeThings to DoMuslim Friendly Shopping in South TyrolCurrencyAs South Tyrol is a part of Italy and consequently of the Eurozone and the official currency is the Euro. The best rates for changing money are offered by banks. Nobody will accept foreign money anymore, though at the time of national currencies, German Marks and Austrian Schillings were quite accepted. What is the living cost in South TyrolThe prices are a bit higher than the Italian average but it depends on the area - and for example they are in any case cheaper than in the United Kingdom. Most touristy developed areas are more expensive than the regional average. For example accommodations in the Bolzano metropolitan area town of Laives are cheaper. There is big differences also in prices between hotels of the same category - so a three star hotel could have similar prices to four but also two star hotels. Four and five stars hotels could ask more than €100 for a night staying but two stars hotels ask less than €40 (except in highly touristy developed areas). If you want to save money avoid to reserve a room in famous places and prefer near but less popular locations. Youth hostels are affordable if you see that the quality is much higher than GCC standards. TippingIn South Tyrol tipping is not so common - however in tourist areas it's quite normal and accepted. If you also were satisfied of the service you could round up the bill. Muslim Friendly Shopping in South TyrolSouth Tyrol is the souvenir paradise: loden, traditional hand-crafts and regional delicatessen. Especially if you want to buy some delicatessen like speck (a kind of smoked ham), dairy products, confectionary, apples, bread, honey or fruit cocktail, grappa and apple juice you can find them also in supermarkets where they are far cheaper than in tourist shops - but they have a greater choice. All typical products from South Tyrol have a distinction mark within is written "Südtirol". It's to note that also typical meals are to be found frozen in supermarkets like e.g. spätzele, knödel and schlutzkrapfen. A local company called Nägele produces a lot of popular juices but also local coke and spetzi (coke mixed with lemonade). You can find the South Tyrolean coke in glass bottles in some supermarkets and in their store in Algund near Meran. The most famous South Tyrolean biscuits are probably the wafers of Loacker: in Bolzano there is an official store which sells all kind of Loacker biscuits. ATMsATMs in South Tyrol are called Bancomat. They are wide-spread and you will find them even in smaller, rural villages. The majority of shops, restaurants and hotels accept ATM cards and credit cards. BargainingBargaining is absolutely not common and considered strange - only with the immigrant pitchmen is feasible to bargain. ===Opening hours=== Opening hours can be different in tourist destinations and in towns. In tourist places during high season shops are open also on Sunday for example. Seasonal sales begin first in the valleys and after in tourist places. Normally in Bolzano winter sales begin around 7th January and summer sales after the 15th August. On Sunday shops are closed - sometimes hypermarkets in Bolzano are open.
Halal Restaurants in South TyrolSouth Tyrolean cuisine is typically Austrian (Tyrolean) with Mediterranean influences but today also Italian stereotyped specialties like pizza and Pasta with Bolognese Sauce are offered as local dishes in Tyrolean-style restaurants - however portions are big and flavor sometimes better than in other parts of Italy. Chives here is almost everywhere. Typical South Tyrolean products include Speck (a kind of smoked ham), a lot of sorts of bread, strudel, apples and a lot of pastries. During Christmas typical cakes are Zelten and Christstollen. The regional dish par excellence is the Knödel. Knödel are bread balls with speck or other ingredients, and were a complete meal in the past. There are also sweet knödel which are made with Apricots (Marillenknödel), with plum (Zwetschgenknödel), with chestnuts (Kastanienknödel). Other known entries include specialties such as Herrengröstl (potatoes, beef, onions, speck), Kaiserschmarrn (fluffy pancake with raisin and sugar), Gulaschsuppe (typical dish in all of Central Europe), Schlutzkrapfen (a kind of dumpling with spinach or other ingredients), Spätzle (a kind of spinach dumpling), Beef roast or Sausages with sauerkraut. In pubs and cafés Snacks are offered - among them there is a local invention called Bauerntoast (farmer's toast), which is toasted local rye-bread stuffed with speck and Cheese (sometimes also with salami or small tomatoes) and dished with ketchup and mayonnaise. Bread is very important and there are a lot of local bakery chains. In the Bolzano area there are e.g. Lemayr, Eisenstecken, Franziskaner, Hackhofer. In bakeries it is feasible to buy affordable sandwiches and pastries. Bakeries operate also in supermarkets - here prices are even lower. Restaurants in small places close very early (around 21:00), while in major centers and tourist areas the kitchen closes around 22:00/23:00.
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