Bolzano's main attraction is Ötzi the Iceman at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, one of the great museum experiences in Europe. Beyond that, the old town is worth unhurried exploration — the Gothic Duomo, the arcaded Via dei Portici, and the markets around Piazza delle Erbe are all worth time. The surrounding mountains are extraordinary: cable cars reach alpine terrain within minutes of the city, and the Dolomites are among the most dramatic mountain landscapes on earth.
In summer the city gets warm — the valley traps heat and temperatures regularly exceed 30°C. The cable cars are the escape. In winter the Christmas market on Piazza Walther is one of the best in northern Italy.