Conducted by Italian Catholic daily Avvenire, the annual Ben Vivere (Good Living) study ranks cities based on factors such as health, business opportunities, level of environmental protection, life satisfaction levels and “the capacity to welcome and protect life in its various forms”.

This year, Bolzano took out the top gong, followed by Trento, Pordenone, Florence and Parma.

Pisa, Milan, Bologna, Gorizia and Udine rounded out the top 10.

Let’s learn some more about the best city to live in the Belpaese.

With a population of 107,436, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in the autonomous province of South Tyrol, which was passed from Austria to Italy in 1919.

Situated in the northernmost part of Italy, on the border with Switzerland and Austria, Bolzano is nestled in a valley amid hilly vineyards and surrounded by conifer woods, grasslands, lakes and valleys.

Bolzano is a gateway to the Dolomites mountain range in the Italian Alps, whose valleys offer some of the most beautiful scenery in Italy and are a real paradise for skiing enthusiasts. 

In the medieval city centre, the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology houses the city’s most famous resident: the Neolithic mummy called Ötzi the Iceman.

Ötzi, along with his equipment and clothing, was preserved in ice from about 3300 BC, and was discovered in 1991 by two German tourists.

Also in the city centre is the imposing 13th-century Mareccio Castle, and the Duomo di Bolzano cathedral with its Romanesque and Gothic architecture.

Perhaps Bolzano’s most appealing trait is the fact that it is a vibrant melting pot of cultures, all of which live in harmony together for the most part.

The confluence of Italian and German-Austrian culture is reflected in the three languages spoken in the area: Italian, German and Ladin.

According to the 2011 census, 73.8 per cent of the city’s inhabitants spoke Italian, 25.52 per cent German and 0.68 per cent Ladin as their first language.

Visitors to Bolzano will immediately notice that the street names and signs tend to be in both Italian and German.

Meanwhile, the local cuisine is characterised by both hearty Bavarian dishes, such as Knödel (bread dumplings) and Gröstl (fried bacon, potatoes and onions), and traditional Italian specialties, such as ravioli and ossobuco.

Bolzano is also home to Italy’s biggest and most famous Christmas market, the Christkindlmarkt in Piazza Walther.

The annual market has been attracting thousands of visitors for nearly two decades.

Meandering through the market, you’ll come across stalls with traditional gifts, dazzling decorations and regional specialties like vin brulé (hot mulled wine) and strudel.

It’s safe to say Bolzano has a lot to offer.

With its rich history, beautiful architecture and stunning natural surroundings, we can see why it would be a wonderful place to live.