Eight days, Seven nights
Val Gardena, Alta Badia, Cordina d’Ampezzo
Day One – Arrival in St. Ulrich; Spa Hotel Adler
St. Ulrich in the Val Gardena is reached via Bolzano, which lies on the main railway link between Italy and Austria. The lovely Spa Hotel Adler lies in the village center of St. Ulrich. Operated by the Sanoner family since 1810, this magnificent hotel is truly an oasis for the body and mind. After check-in, you may relax on your balcony, in the hotel's lovely private park or enjoy their spa facilities.
This evening, we will meet at 6:30 to become acquainted with your guides and hear more about your trip before a lovely dinner. Each night Hotel Adler’s expert culinary staff creates a unique offering, be it an extensive buffet of Tyrolean specialties, more traditional Italian favorites or an informal outdoor barbeque. The up-and-coming wines of the Veneto region of Italy, or perhaps a frothy German beer accompany all of our meals. Assortments of breads, cured meats, cheeses, salads and deserts are also always available but save room for the magnificent breakfast buffet in the morning! Salmon and champagne anyone?
Day Two – St. Ulrich; Spa Hotel Adler
We begin today with a cable car ride up to explore the southern ridge of the Val Gardena. Initially, we walk through the meadows of the high alpine plane of the Seiseralm, which offers spectacular views of three different mountain ranges. Then slowly we approach the immense rock face of the Sassolungo, which at almost 10,000 feet is the highest peak of the region. As we begin our traverse through pines and meadows, the mountain looms ever closer, and it seems as if you could almost reach out and touch it.
Near its base, in an open field, we stop at a local "Gasthaus" or small mountain inn for a rustic Alpine lunch consisting of locally cured meats and cheeses, warm homemade barley soup and our first taste of “Kayserschmarn” or “King’s Folly”, a delicious warm shredded crepe topped with mountain berries. Afterwards, we descend to the valley floor via chairlift where we follow the river in a leisurely stroll back to St. Ulrich. We return with plenty of time to enjoy the hotel's many amenities before rejoining for dinner, which this evening takes on a modern flair. We head to St. Ulrich’s oldest dining establishment, an 18th century inn fully renovated and experimenting in elegant cuisine – maybe some basil sorbet for desert.
Day Three – St. Ulrich; Spa Hotel Adler
We board a lift this morning for the journey up to the opposite side of the Val Gardena. At over 7,000 feet, the Seceda is our starting point and offers a unique perspective of our previous day's walk. We begin well above tree level, strolling through high alpine pastures, past the small mountain huts where shepherds still sleep and where we can taste a sip of fresh Alpine milk. At the summit, we reach the Rifugio Col Raiser and enjoy not only a stunning panorama of the Puez Geisler Dolomite group, but also a memorable lunch of pasta with sausage and radicchio, risotto with fresh mushrooms or the Tyrolean specialty of baked eggs with potatoes and bacon.
Afterwards we will take the lift down to the valley floor and stroll through villages and into the woods and then proceed into St. Ulrich and our sumptuous home. There will be time for any last minute shopping this afternoon, for sadly we will be leaving the Val Gardena, but not before the Hotel Adler provides us with a farewell feast.
Day Four – To Corvara; Sporthotel Panorama
This morning, we take one last look back to the Sassolungo before descending from the Gardena pass down into the long finger-like valleys that make up the Alta Badia region. Our stroll this morning takes us through a variety of local villages as we make our way to a lakeside inn for lunch. It is here in the Badia that the cultural diversity of the Dolomites is at its most playful. An animated discussion at a local cafe becomes an amusing off-key melody of German, Italian and the Ladino dialect, all spoken simultaneously. Spatzle (German pasta) with arugula and smoked ricotta and “Tutres” (pastry dough filled with spinach and cheese) share the table with grilled vegetables topped with pecorino and spaghetti Bolognese.
Our home is the Sporthotel Panorama in the heart of the mountains. The views are unsurpassed and it is difficult to pry oneself away from the balcony, if even to sample the local delicacies that the chef has prepared for us this evening.
Day Five – Corvara; Sporthotel Panorama
The "Col di Lana" or “woolly hills” are a small range of mountains, which punctuate the Badia's many isolated valleys. The Pralongia point caps the Col di Lana and it is our destination today as we slowly rise to one of the most spectacular panoramas in the entire Dolomite chain; a 360 degree view of the Marmolada, Sella, Puez and Kreuzkofel groups. At first, our path winds through the dark forests and then gradually opens into small clearings dotted with wildflowers. The "Jaegerhutte" or “hunter's lodge” marks the tree line and during the final forty minutes, each twist in the trail reveals a new peak until we make that final step to the Pralongia.
We must stop here for a hot chocolate or cappuccino to revel in the view before we walk our last stretch along the hilltops to our rifugio for lunch. Today’s meals are as local as it gets as we share our tables and bratwurst with walkers, hikers and climbers of all nationalities, while being observed by the cows outside.
Our afternoon walk is slow, delightful descent right back to our hotel door. A dip in the whirlpool or sauna could rejuvenate us before our dinner down the road at a family-run restaurant that welcomes us the way only a family can.
Day Six – To Cortina d’Ampezzo; Hotel Ancora
For three long years during World War I, Italy held Austria at bay from the 6,300 ft. Falzarego pass. Tunnels were carved from Cortina through the peaks of the Tofane range to supply the barracks, which were hewn directly into the red granite walls. Today we retrace this route through the eerie ruins and galleries of stone that provided Italy's defense. It is not unusual to have mountain goats, deer or marmots share this trail with us.
Lunch is enjoyed at a rifugio known as a haven for climbers and the vast photo array on the walls give us a glimpse into the long history of this exciting sport. Ravioli in butter and sage or “Mountain Pasta” with tomato, cream, mushrooms and prosciutto can keep us warm as we gaze over the snow-covered peaks.
In the afternoon, as we arrive in Cortina it is overwhelmingly evident how effective these defenses were. Gone are any traces of the German, which is spoken just 15 miles away. Sunny outdoor cafes replace the dark, rustic, alpine taverns here and the menus are distinctly Italian. Our hotel overlooks the village cathedral and provides an excellent base for an extended exploration of town and its elegant shops.
Tonight’s dinner is a special treat as we head to Tivoli, Cortina’s Michellin-starred gem. Our view is of the evening stars and city lights as we sample 5 types of chocolate for desert.
Day Seven – Cortina d’Ampezzo; Hotel Ancora
On our final day we board a succession of three cable cars to reach the peak of the Tofana di Mezzo, which towers above Cortina. At 3,243 meters, the Tofana di Mezzo is the second highest peak in the Dolomites and from its edges we look down into the velvet green valleys we have traversed on our previous walks. After an exhilarating walk around the paths at the summit, we descend to enjoy lunch beside a secluded alpine lake where the trout is caught fresh that morning. This afternoon, we stroll the meadows of the Val Cortina, enjoying a sweeping panorama of the chain whose peak we summited just hours before. - Back in town, there will be plenty of time to shop and explore town before meeting for our farewell dinner.
Day Eight – Departure From Cortina
This morning we depart for Calazo, which offers connections via bus to Venice or by train to Verona and Milan. Should you need to make train reservations or rent a car for your trip, your guides will gladly assist you.
We Look Forward To Seeing You In St. Ulrich!
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