Situated in the Val d’Isarco between the Alpine mountains, between the rivers Eisack and Rienz Brixen is a holiday haven covered in orchards and vineyards. This quaint little town has a long and rich history. Between 1027 and 1803 it was an important religious center in South Triol and its bishop-princes ruled the entire region from here. Several monuments built during this period stand alongside the beautiful pastel-coloured houses and the narrow cobblestone streets.

The Brixen tourist office is on Via Stazione. It is open from Monday to Friday between 8:30 am and 6 pm, closing for lunch between 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm. On Saturdays it is open from 9 am to 12:30 pm.

Christmas is huge in Brixen and the Christmas market, Christkindlmarkt, is the biggest event each year. Held around Piazza Duomo, it starts in late November and goes on until Christmas Eve. You can buy all sorts of Christmassy things here – handcrafted good, hand made ornaments, pastries and other holiday presents.

The other big market is the fruit and vegetable market on Piazza Parrocchia near the Duomo. It is open for business from Monday to Saturday from 8 am till noon and again from 3 pm to 6 pm.

The Piazza Duomo is situated in the center of the town. Surrounded by threes, this rectangular square has cafes on one side and the Duomo on the other. This duomo with its white façade was originally built in the 13th century. Renovations were later made and today it is predominantly a baroque church. It is a massive structure with two tall bell towers on either side. Behind this gigantic façade, hidden from the outside, are the original 13th century features in the interiors of the church and the crypt. The Duomo is open from everyday between 6 am and 6 pm, closing for lunch between noon and 3 pm. There are guided tours in Italian and German from Monday to Saturday from 10:30 am to 3 pm.

Visit the Museo Diocesano to find out how the bishop-princes lived and ruled out of Brixen. To get here, head south of the Piazza del Duomo to Piazza Vescovile. The bishop-princes were very worried about losing their power as it evident from the heavily fortressed walls and the moat surrounding it. This palace was built in the 14th century and the museum has 70 rooms that have on display wooden statues, paintings by local artists from the Renaissance period and a fabulous collection of Nativity scenes. You can visit the museum between 15th March and 31st October. It is closed only on Mondays and works all other days between 10 am and 5 pm. However, you can see the Nativity collection only between the 1st of December and the 31st of January between 2 pm and 5 pm. To visit the entire museum an admission fee of 3.50€ is charged. If you are only after the Nativity-scene collection, admission will cost only 2€.

If you are a skiing/hiking enthusiast, head to Monte Plose just outside the village of Sant'Andrea. Although no comparison to Cortina Monte Plose has a few good slopes and is definitely less expensive. A daily ski pass costs 25€ to 28€ a day. To get to the slopes you will have to take a funicular and a roundtrip costs 9€ for adults and 7€ for children between 8 and 14. The slopes are open from July to September on all weekdays between 9am and noon and again from 1 pm to 6 pm. On Saturdays and Sundays you can ski between 9am and 6pm. From December to May the slopes are open everyday from 9 am to 4:30 pm. For more information on ski slopes, hiking trails and mountain accommodation contact the tourist office at Brixen.