Vipiteno, called Sterzing in German, is a small walled town that has been collecting travellers for a very long time. It stands on the old route over the Brenner, where the road from the Eisack valley opens out into a broad basin before climbing to the pass, and it grew rich on trade and, in the late Middle Ages, on silver mining in the surrounding hills. The result is a main street that looks like a film set, with a long, curving line of arcaded houses in pastel colours, oriel windows, wrought-iron signs and, at one end, the Zwölferturm, a tall tower from the late fifteenth century that is the town's emblem.
The town is officially bilingual, though German is the everyday language, and you will see both on every sign. The food is Tyrolean, with dumplings, speck, goulash and apple strudel in every restaurant, and the beer is good. It is a pleasant place for a slow lunch or a coffee under the arcades, with the town hall and the old customs houses to look at. The Pfitsch and Ridnaun valleys open off the basin and lead to quiet mountain scenery for those with time to spare.
For a rider, Vipiteno is mostly a junction and a service stop. The A22 motorway takes most of the traffic over the Brenner these days, which leaves the old state road relatively quiet, and from here you can head west over the Jaufen Pass to Merano, east towards Bressanone and the Pustertal, or north toward Austria. The roads out of town are well surfaced and the gradients fairly gentle until the passes begin. In winter, snow comes early and stays late, so check conditions before you set out.
The town has everything you need. There are fuel stations on the main road, supermarkets, banks, bakeries, pharmacies and a good choice of hotels, and prices are lower than in the resorts higher in the Dolomites. It is a good place to stay if you are crossing the Alps and want a quiet evening. Traffic can be heavy on summer weekends and during holiday periods, but the town centre is mostly pedestrianised.
Walk the length of the main street at least once, under the tower and out the other side. The mountains at the end of the street are close and dramatic, and in the evening the light on the pastel facades is excellent.