Steinach 10

Floral ornaments, cornices, wrought-iron balcony railings—in front of this house in Merano’s Steinach district, you may well put down your suitcase for a moment and look up. It took on its present form in 1897, when the Merano master builder Pietro Delugan remodeled it and added an attic floor. For many years, it was dark up there, a maze of small rooms tucked beneath the roof. Since 2025, this top floor has been home to the two holiday apartments Loggia and Bellina. A young couple with a passion for art history bought the attic and, together with the Bolzano-based architectural firm NAEMAS, set out to bring the house’s history back to life. Built-in structures and unnecessary masonry were removed, windows were enlarged, and new openings were created. All the colors used echo the building’s original palette from the time of its construction: reddish-brown tiled stoves, burgundy trim, gray-blue built-ins and glass lights, alongside herringbone oak parquet. The historic tiled stoves were restored; in the Bellina, the stove has also been fitted with electric heating elements and once again provides warmth on cooler evenings. In the Loggia, a solid wall was replaced by a large glass surface with a metal frame; the second apartment opens onto a rooftop terrace. From here, the view stretches across the rooftops of Merano – and makes you look forward to heading down into town: to its arcades, winding lanes and the pleasure of simply wandering wherever the streets take you.

WHAT WE LIKE MOST:

• How sensitively the historic fabric has been renovated and complemented with new elements that feel at home in the building. The bay dormers were restored, the façade repainted in its original colour, the wooden windows replaced and the ornate original window handles reused.
• That the floral and leaf motifs on the façade inspired the interiors, too—as seen, for example, in the floral-patterned wallpaper in the en-suite bathroom. Specially designed painting stencils were used to apply floral ornamentation, such as the Merano palms, to the walls.
• A curved staircase with its original concrete steps, leading all the way up to the top floor and the two apartments.
• South-facing gable windows that bring light into the rooms throughout the day.
• Custom-made furniture in stained wood veneer, made by a workshop in Lombardy, and the sinks in glossy red and deep blue
• The conservatory and roof terrace: favourite spots for the first coffee of the morning and a fine South Tyrolean wine to round out the day.
• Steinach itself, Merano’s oldest neighborhood: it dates back to the 12th century, while the Passeirer Gate on its edge dates from the 13th—and much of its original character remains.
• Merano is already in bloom when it’s still winter elsewhere: palm trees and cypresses down by the Passer River, with the snow-capped peaks of the Texel Group behind them.

GOOD TO KNOW:

• Loggia sleeps four. It spans 70 m² and has the loggia it is named after, a bedroom with a double bed, and a living room with a cozy sitting area and a sleeper sofa that can accommodate two additional guests.
• Bellina accommodates 3 people: approximately 55 m² with a bedroom featuring a double bed, a sleeper sofa in the open-plan kitchen and living area, and a large rooftop terrace overlooking the Pulverturm.
• Children are welcome.
• Both apartments are located on the fourth floor of a historic building. Due to technical limitations, an elevator could not be installed here; guests must use the staircase to reach the apartments.
• The building forms part of a protected architectural ensemble; the renovation of the attic was completed in 2025.
• Both apartments have modern bathrooms with rain showers and underfloor heating, as well as fully equipped kitchens with everything you need to prepare some South Tyrolean delicacies.
• The Old Town, the Kurhaus, and the Passer Promenade are just a few minutes’ walk away; good restaurants, cafés, and shops are right around the corner.
• Getting here: the Merano train station is within walking distance; the nearest airport is Bolzano (35 kilometers); for international travel, fly via Innsbruck or Verona.

Foto Credits: Tobias Kaser