A fairy tale malga (hut for summer pastures) serving delicious rustic fare of fresh eggs and ham from the chickens and pigs who are lucky enough to live in this idyllic spot. There may even be a weekend barbeque if you are lucky. The stupendous peaks of the Croda Rossa tower immediately in front of you and on the slopes of the sheltered col, there is mountain golf, a tree swing and home built trebuchet. Weissbeer or elderflower cordials refresh and sustain you on a walk through a truly astonshing landscape.

Best accessed on the Northern Dolomites walk at the junction of Trails 28, 3 & 4. Alternatively accessed by bus from Brunico - Monguelo - Villabassa or Lago di Braies to the Hotel Ponticello then trails 18 & No.3. If you don't like steep ascents then getting the shuttle bus up to Prato Piazza might be an alternative.

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

We hiked the area around Bozen and stayed in lovely country manor hotels which were once Austrian working hill top farms. Berghotel Zirmerhof has an indoor spa with ‘wellness’ and Sepp oozes Gastfreundlichkeit. Gasthof Dreikirchen can only be reached on foot and lies at 2300 meters. Matthias Woodenegg and his family have renovated all rooms and we wanted to buy our room No 26 which has a near 360 degree view over the snow topped mountains. Grandma still cooks in Gasthof Krone in Aldein. She deserves a Michelin star for her South Tyrolean cuisine. Gasthof Kohlern can be reached by the oldest cable car running from Bozen since 1908. More ‘wellness’ revived our tired legs here. There are no TVs in the rooms though each hotel [sadly] has WIFI. The Tyrolean wines are excellent, such as the red Sankt Magdalener. For lazy walkers your luggage is transported to the next place and they provide a picnic. You will not lose any weight on this holiday.

Radein. Redagno do Spra 59. 39040 Radein. Italy. Nearest station Bolzano/ Bozen or Ora/ Auer. www.idyllicplaces.com. Tel: [Italy] +39 0471 887 215.

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

A brilliant way to get into fantastic situations amongst some of the most dramatic, spectacular and beautiful mountains in the Alps.

The via ferratas are protected routes, or climbs, with fixed cables and some ladders and bridges which allow you to get to places normally reserved for rock climbers.

Even so some experience and mountain sense is needed, as well as the correct equipment that can be easily hired.

Arabba is one centre that gives access to a range of routes.

They are graded to degrees of difficulty.

Others are Cortina and Corvara.

One way to get there is to fly to Venice/Treviso followed by a relatively short drive north.

Essential reading are Volumes 1 and 2 of 'Via Ferratas of the Italian Dolomites' by John Smith and Graham Fletcher and published by Cicerone.

Arabba Tourist Office, Via Boè 3, Arabba, I 32020, Italy.
Tel: 39 0 436 791 30

Cortina d'Ampezzo Tourist Office, P.tta San Francesco 8, Cortina dAmpezzo, I-32043, Italy. Tel: 39 0436 3231/2/3/4/5.

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Male is an good base for exploring the Brenta Dolomites (walking or via ferrata), more soul and local flavour than Madonna di Campiglio. Excellent public transport (Ferrovia Trento-Male train).

www.valdisole.net/ing/est/Welcomeing.html

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends