Clinging to a steep crag high above the Adige valley, the ancestral seat of the counts of Tyrol houses a dynamically curated museum of Tyrolean history, including, in the keep, a series of exhibits on the turbulent years of the 20th century. To get here, take the chairlift or drive from Merano to the higher village of Tirolo (Dorf Tirol). From here, a pretty 1km walk snakes up through terraced vineyards to the castle. Book ahead for English-language tours.