My wife and I hosted an exchange student from Italy in 2015, and during Lea’s stay, I took her to Bear Butte in South Dakota, which is a unique hike up a dormant volcanic core. Plus, there were buffalo! It turns out there was a very good reason for her enthusiasm toward the bison and measured enthusiasm for good ole Bear Butte: Her backyard has AMAZING hiking!
The Dolomites are pretty much part of the Alps, but what makes them unique is their unique white color in that region. We’ve now taken two trips to the Dolomites, first flying into Munich, which began on an open highway and soon cut through the mountain valleys. For our second trip, we flew into Venice, which was a much more scenic and winding drive (beware of car sickness). We stayed in the little village of Sexten at the family-owned Hotel Schoenblick. There are a ton of these family owned hotels, and all have the same charm. It’s like having the Sound of Music take place out of your window, and spending a week sitting on a deck chair is certainly tempting.
But not when there’s so much to see!
The village of Sexten, and most of South Tyrol for that matter, is very remote, but there are a ton of little shops in the village to keep you busy during a stormy summer day. Both Innsbruck and Vienna were unique day trips with two unique cultural flavors.
Hungry? Just ask. Part of the charm of the South Tyrol region is that it is NOT overrun with commercial restaurants. There are little shops and restaurants on every corner, and on multiple occasions, a quick conversation sent us to some gourmet eating. The locals are quite patient and inviting with the tourists. Granted, there are no big neon signs, but whether at the top of a mountain or down in the valley, quaint little restaurants were easy to find. Most of the dining was inspired by German cuisine but the region serves international tourism, so there is a lot of diversity also.
Our hosts took it easy on our first trip. There are some pretty chill hiking trails one can take, including one that we took around a beautiful lake and another right up the hill from our hotel. After that, an uncle with a helicopter took us up to the top of a mountain that took normal hikers hours to earn their tea (we just stepped off the chopper like celebrities). We tried to hike the “Three Peaks” but a wicked thunderstorm came through, and we huddled under the eaves of a shelter giggling about the intensity of the weather. Our first trip was pretty easy. Plus, I don’t think I saw a single grizzly bear warning anywhere in all of Italy.
On our second trip, we earned it. First, we warmed up with a hike around some famous “movie” lake that had the Europeans chattering like American fans of National Treasure chatter at Sylvan Lake. Which lake? That’s the point. These Italian lakes crush most American lakes and even most Canadian lakes with their stunning beauty, and when I google searched the Bruneck area for our lake, there were a dozen lakes that all looked the same. But…ask a local and they’ll go on and on about the lake from that one movie.
The highlight of hiking the Dolomites is Tre Cime di Lavaredo, or the Three Peaks. On our first trip, I really didn’t feel very cheated (ignorance is bliss). Billowing black clouds came sweeping up from the valley, and I honestly didn’t know how high the mountains went. Wow! On our second trip, we went flying past that storm shelter/bathroom/chateau, and up, up, up we went. Our hosts were hopping around like mountain goats, promising stunning views behind each turn. Beyond impressive!
(Above) Up in the clouds of Three Peaks.
(Above: That lake from that movie)
(Above: Family dining)