Bolzano to the beat of jazz

When summer takes hold of Bolzano’s historic squares and alleyways, the city sheds its alpine austerity to don a joyful garb of Mediterranean sounds, lights and scents, transforming itself into an open-air stage with a vibrant, ethereal atmosphere. From June to September, the summer events programme is a perfect mosaic of concerts, theatre shows, contemporary dance performances and art exhibitions.

From 26 June to 5 July, the Südtirol Jazzfestival Alto Adige takes place – the annual event that transforms the region into one vast open-air stage. Established musicians from the international scene and young talents from all over the world perform in venues far removed from traditional concert halls: mountain huts, lakes, clearings, squares, historic inns, industrial warehouses and disused mines become surprising backdrops for unique performances. For the artists, taking part in the festival means not only pushing themselves towards new musical heights, but often actually reaching them, transporting instruments and equipment to high-altitude locations where music and landscape come together in a natural and captivating way