Sissi Tours Merano may sound old-fashioned at first – not particularly clever, some even called it overused or worn out. But Sissi Tours was simply our project name. As former Rotalis (still a familiar name to some German guests) tour guides from the late 90s and early 2000s, the rise of modern e-bikes inspired us to create a one-day circular tour around Merano. It was designed for guests who had already visited the Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle and seen Tyrol Castle. Following the spirit of Rotalis journeys, the focus was always on land and people – a mix of culture and cuisine, enriched with insider tips and local highlights. Riding was meant to be enjoyable and far away from the beaten tourist paths.

Since such a product was still missing from the weekly tourism program, we wanted to test how it would be received by both guests and locals. And so, in August 2016, Sissi launched its first gourmet e-bike tour around Merano. All local tourism associations were contacted, thousands of hotels informed, a flyer printed, and our partners fully briefed. We were curious – and constantly watching the online booking platform. First week: zero inquiries. Second week: zero inquiries. In the meantime, the barn at Biedermann Hof – where we had planned wine tastings – burned down completely. Third week: zero inquiries. Fourth week: zero inquiries. We were starting to feel uncertain, but told ourselves: “now more than ever.”

About a month later, the Merano Tourist Board contacted us. They were looking for a suitable initiative for a staff outing for the local tourism associations. An IDM employee and two influencers also wanted to try the product. And yes… the feedback was clearly positive! We were included in the official event program for 2017, and at Easter we finally launched our first inaugural tour with 10 guests.

If you’ve done the math, you’ll notice: this year we are celebrating the 10th season of Sissi Tours – despite everything that happened along the way.

Today, we are proud of what we offer. Every season we’ve experimented with new ideas – some we dropped, others we kept and refined. Alongside our Gourmet Bike Tours (now three different routes), we offer weekly Gourmet Walks and a Gourmet Walk Aperitivo. Our newest “baby” is Secret Spots – a culinary mystery rally for families with kids through Merano. And under Secret Spots, we also run Secret Tastes, aimed at couples who want to discover cool places and hidden gems together in a relaxed, intimate way.

And if there’s one thing we’re especially grateful for, it’s this: over the years we’ve met incredible hosts and people – and, most of the time, said goodbye to very happy guests.