Bolzano, Italy  - Pope Benedict XVI arrived Monday in Bolzano at the foothills of Italy's Dolomite Alps to begin a two week-long holiday that follows a hectic first half of 2008 for the 81-year-old pontiff.

Benedict, who last week returned from an intense 10-day visit to Australia where he presided over World Youth Day celebrations, was greeted in Bolzano by local dignitaries and church officials.

After his plane from Rome landed at Bolzano, the pontiff then continued by car to Bressanone, a town of 20,000 inhabitants where he is set to spend his vacation in the local seminary, until August 11.

Alto Adige which borders Austria, is home to Italy's German- speaking minority, and marks a switch from Benedict's previous summer holiday destinations as pope - Les Combes in the Valle d'Aosta in 2005 and 2006, and Lorenzago di Cadore in 2007 - both of which were also in the Alps.

For the Bavarian-born Benedict, Bressanone, where he often vacationed as a cardinal before his 2005 election as pope, "has particular value for its German-language culture," papal spokesman, Federico Lombardi, said.

"The place is associated with many memories of Pope Benedict's life... what we call Alto Adige and in German is known as Suedtirol is, in fact, a fundamental area for German-language culture and the Pope, as a highly cultured man, will certainly feel at home there," Lombardi told Vatican Radio.

The seminary houses a well-stocked library, and the intellectually-inclined Benedict is likely to spend time in quiet contemplation. He may also do research for the second part to his best-selling book: "Jesus of Nazareth," Lombardi said.

The pontiff has no major public engagements planned during his stay in the cool mountain surroundings, but is scheduled to meet priests from the local diocese and parishes on August 6, and deliver his traditional Sunday Angelus prayers and blessings on August 3 and 10.

A busy schedule awaits Benedict when he returns to the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo near Rome at the end of his holiday.

A trip to Cagliari, Sardinia is scheduled for September 7, following which, Benedict is set to travel to France from Sep 12 -15 with visits to Paris and and Lourdes.

In April, Benedict made a groundbreaking visit to the United States that included a White House meeting with President George W Bush and a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. (dpa)