Living in Bolzano feels a bit like slipping into a pocket of Austria that somehow ended up in Italy. It’s closer in spirit to Innsbruck than Naples, with street signs in Italian and German and the Dolomites looming over the city. It’s small, safe and outdoorsy, and was recently rated as having the best quality of life in Italy.
Day‑to‑day life in Bolzano is very compact and walkable. The city feels organised and calm, with reliable buses, loads of cyclists, and riverside paths where you constantly bump into dog‑walkers and serious runners.
