The biggest advantage is the journey. The direct flight to Bolzano takes one to two hours, then 30 to 90 minutes' transfer depending on the destination. By car from northern Germany that would be around ten hours — a difference you notice sharply with small children. There is no changing to worry about, the airport is small and easy to manage, and prams can be checked in at the aircraft door.

On the ground, the mountain lifts make many things easier. Almost every interesting mountain has a cable car, so children arrive at the top without first having to climb a thousand vertical metres. Many paths on the high plateaus are flat and pram-friendly — including the Panoramic Trail on the Alpe di Siusi or the paths around Compatsch. Anyone who'd prefer more altitude takes a chairlift.

On top of that comes a hotel category rarely found elsewhere. South Tyrolean family hotels typically have children's pools, playrooms and supervised programmes, often with fixed childcare times in the morning and afternoon. For parents that means: spa day is really possible even when the kids come along. Half-board with dedicated children's meals is common — children can eat earlier and go to bed, while adults have a proper dinner.