The province is dominated geographically by the high Alps to the north, and the Adige River, the most important in Italy after the Po, which runs from north to south through the entire province.  The area is heavily wooded.  Forest acreage and the high pastures connected with it are mainly held by very large property owners, whose estates cover one third of the territory.  The rest of the land is so minutely broken up that the average holding is only 1/3 of an acre.  To prevent further fragmentation, special inheritance laws are applied, under which the eldest heir retains all the land, indemnifying brothers and sisters for their shares.

The capital, also named Bolzano (Bozen), is almost equidistant from Munich and Venice.  Since medieval times, it has been a staging point on the main route south from the Brenner Pass to Rome - a route traveled by early Germanic tribes searching for land and  later by emperors traveling to Rome for their coronations.

The Province of Bolzano is steeped in tradition and culture and is justifably proud of its rich eclectic heritage.  There are many sites on the internet about Bolzano's history, culture, valleys, castles, museums,  tourism, etc.   Some links are included here, but there are many more sites that should be explored.