Villas in Alto Adige/South Tirol

Merano and Kaltern suit food, wine and walking, Aldein the Dolomites, and Sulden and Meransen skiing, with Verona or Innsbruck the airports. South Tyrol is Italy's German-speaking north, and most properties here are apartments in farmhouses and chalets rather than villas. Choice is limited and spread across the province, so pick the valley before the property.

Where

Villas: 79
From, per week: £341
Cheapest month: October
Nearest airports: Verona (around two hours to Bolzano) and Innsbruck (around one and a half to two hours over the Brenner) are the main options. Munich and Milan Bergamo are around three to three and a half hours away. Bolzano has a small airport with limited scheduled flights, so check current routes. Flights from London to Verona take around two hours.

Where to stay in Alto Adige/South Tirol

Aldein, Kaltern and the wine country south of Bolzano (Aldein, Kaltern, Andriano)

Aldein (Aldino) sits on a high plateau above the Adige valley, next to the Bletterbach gorge, part of the Dolomites UNESCO site, with walks through layers of rock and fossil tracks. Below, Kaltern (Caldaro) is a wine town on the South Tyrol Wine Road, with Lake Kaltern for summer swimming. Andriano is a small wine village near Terlano. Bolzano is 20 to 40 minutes away and Verona airport around two hours.

Best for: Walkers and wine drinkers who want the Dolomites within a short drive

Not for you if: You want to ski from the door: Aldein's nearest bigger slopes are at Obereggen, around half an hour away.

Merano and the Adige valley (Postal, Gargazon, Merano, Schenna)

Merano is an old spa town with a thermal baths complex, riverside promenades and a mild climate that grows palms as well as apples. Postal (Burgstall) and Gargazon are flat villages among the orchards between Merano and Bolzano, handy for cycling the valley paths. Schenna sits on the slope above Merano, close to the irrigation-channel walks (Waalwege). The Merano 2000 ski area is a short drive. Verona airport is just over two hours away.

Best for: Couples and families who want a spa town, orchards and easy walks

Not for you if: You want cool mountain air in August: the valley floor gets hot and humid in high summer.

The upper Vinschgau and the Ortler (St Valentin, Sulden, Latsch)

St Valentin auf der Haide sits beside the Haidersee on the Reschen Pass road, a few minutes from the church tower that stands in Lake Reschen at Graun. It has its own small ski area. Sulden lies at the foot of the Ortler, South Tyrol's highest mountain, with high slopes that usually open in autumn and run into May. Latsch is lower down among the orchards. Innsbruck is around two hours away over the Reschen Pass.

Best for: Skiers who want a long season and walkers after high, quiet country

Not for you if: You want a short transfer: this is the far west of the province, three hours or more from Verona.

The Eisacktal and Pustertal (Meransen, Villanders, Bressanone, Valdaora)

Meransen (Maranza) is a sunny plateau village above Mühlbach with lifts into the Gitschberg-Jochtal ski area. Villanders (Villandro) looks across the Eisack valley to the Dolomites, with walks on the Villanderer Alm pastures. Bressanone (Brixen) is an old bishop's town with the Plose ski area above it. Valdaora (Olang) sits at the foot of the Kronplatz, one of the province's biggest ski mountains. Innsbruck is around an hour to an hour and a half away.

Best for: Families who want Dolomiti Superski areas and Christmas markets

Not for you if: You want a single base for everything: these villages are spread out and an hour or so apart.

Bolzano and the Sarntal (Bozen, Sarentino)

Bolzano (Bozen) is the provincial capital, with arcaded streets, a daily fruit market and the archaeology museum that holds Ötzi the iceman. Cable cars climb from town to the Renon (Ritten) and San Genesio plateaus. The Sarntal runs north through a narrow gorge to Sarentino (Sarnthein), a farming village with traditional crafts and the small Reinswald ski area. Verona airport is around two hours from Bolzano.

Best for: City breaks, museums and a quiet valley next door

Not for you if: You want lakes or big skiing nearby: the Sarntal has only small ski areas.

When to go to Alto Adige/South Tirol

There are two seasons. Ski areas open from early December to Easter, longer at Sulden, and Christmas brings markets in Bolzano, Merano and Bressanone. Summer runs from June to October, with walking, cycling and mountain huts open. August is the busiest month, when Italians are on holiday around Ferragosto on 15 August, and the valley floor around Bolzano and Merano can be very hot. Autumn is harvest season, with Törggelen meals in the farmhouses and wine villages. April and November are quiet, and many lifts and huts close.