Best time to visit South Tyrol: seasons by activity
The best time to visit South Tyrol is not one month but a set of windows. The mountain lifts, the gardens in Merano and the access rule at Lago di Braies each have their own dates, and the dates below are for 2026. Operators publish the times for the next season separately, so check them before you book a trip that falls outside this year.
This page is about timing. For temperatures and rain by month, use the South Tyrol weather page, where the monthly figures for Bolzano are collected. If you are still deciding where to base yourself, see where to stay.
Our pick: a winter snowkiting course
Snowkiting is a winter product, so it fits the snowy part of the year; equipment and theory are part of the course.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Snowkiting courses on the Seiser Alm or Rittner Horn
A winter course with kiting equipment and theory, plus other trips from the region, with live prices and availability. Check the meeting place when you book.
Summer lift season
Seiser Alm and Seceda in 2026.
The Seiser Alm cable car from Seis ran from 22 May to 2 November 2026, starting at 08:00 and running until 19:00 between 15 June and 14 September. The Seceda lift from St. Ulrich via Furnes ran in the same period, from 08:30 to 17:30, until 18:00 from 11 July to 23 August and until 17:00 from 12 October. Treat 2 November as the end of the 2026 season, not as a sign that the lifts are open now. Times for the next season come from the operators.
Check the last descent before you go up: the operating hours do not guarantee a ride back after sunset. Details on each lift are on the Alpe di Siusi and Val Gardena pages.
Lake Braies summer rule
The valley access changes in mid September.
From 1 July to 15 September 2026, between 09:00 and 16:00, you reach the lake only by public bus, on foot, by bike or with an online reservation or a permit for driving through. Arriving earlier does not guarantee a parking space. Since 16 September there has been no such seasonal rule, and bus 442 from Toblach accepts the Mobilcard or the Guest Pass without a reservation. Everything else is on the Lago di Braies page.
Spring and the gardens
The Trauttmansdorff season starts on 1 April.
The gardens of Trauttmansdorff in Merano open for the season on 1 April. From then until 15 October they are open from 09:00 to 19:00, with the last entry at 17:30, and the regular opening is daily. The apple blossom depends on the altitude and on the year, so plan for flexibility rather than a date. See the Merano page for prices and the baths.
Autumn and Törggelen
Gardens until 8 November and the wine season.
In 2026 the gardens close their season on 8 November. From 16 to 31 October they open from 09:00 to 18:00, and from 1 to 8 November from 09:00 to 17:00, with a late autumn ticket for 10 EUR. The Wednesday cellar tour in Kaltern at 16:00 runs from Easter to the end of October, so it fits early autumn. Törggelen, the autumn custom of young wine and chestnuts, has no single date, so ask where you plan to go. The wine page has more.
Winter
Road rules, markets and winter sports.
From 15 November to 15 April, winter equipment is required on the A22 and in Bolzano; on other roads the signs apply when there is snow or ice. The Lumagica event in Merano runs from 19 November 2026 to 10 January 2027 and is a separate offer. Winter sports start at different times in each area, and we do not list lift pass prices. For a winter option, the snowkiting course above takes place on the Seiser Alm or the Rittner Horn.
One tip for any season: the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology also opens on Mondays in July and August and on public feast days. See the Ötzi museum page for details.
Best time to visit South Tyrol: frequently asked questions
When do the Seiser Alm and Seceda cable cars stop in 2026?
Both seasons end on 2 November 2026. Check the operators for the dates of the next season.
Does the rule at Lago di Braies apply all year?
No. The rule applied from 1 July to 15 September 2026, between 09:00 and 16:00. Since 16 September there has been no such seasonal rule.
When is the apple blossom?
It depends on the altitude and the year, so plan flexibly rather than around one date.
Are winter tyres required in South Tyrol?
From 15 November to 15 April, winter equipment is required on the A22 and in Bolzano. Elsewhere, follow the signs when there is snow or ice.