THE DOLOMITES

ourlodging
Hotel Cavallino d' Oro

distancewalked
6 Miles

Our water taxi in Venice took us to the bus where we met our delightful driver, Cesare. Our destination today is Castelrotto, also known as Kastelruth, a lovely village situated in the hills of the largest European alpine meadow known as the Alpe di Siusi. If I didn't know better, I would have thought we crossed over the border into Austria! You immediately notice the strong German/Austrian influence intertwined with Italian culture.

On the way, we made a stop in Bolzano, the capital city of South Tyrol and home to Ötzi, the Iceman.

Oh, we also had another surprise encounter on our first comfort stop!

day3

The drive to the Dolomites was picturesque, especially with the sunshine and puffy-clouded blue sky. On our first comfort break, we again ran into our friend, Stephanie! I'm amazed at the serendipity that has occurred on our Rick Steves' Tours. Practically every trip we've taken has had some sort of "it's a small world" occurrence. You might say we've been in the right place at the right time, or you might just call it fate. I believe these moments are special blessings—reminders that we are a connected world.

I discovered another connection during a conversation with one of my new friends. She has business dealings with a childhood friend of mine as they both work for the same company but live in different states. Indeed, it is a small world!

Home of the Iceman and Good Bier

BOLZANO

Even the comfort stops offer a scenic view along the way. This one had nice bathrooms and plenty of snacks. There was a variety of Pringles to choose from, but I recommend you pick up some traditional cheese pastries to munch on instead.

A stroll through Bolzano

Flower market with our group seen in window reflection.

Ötzi
the Iceman

You can view Ötzi at Bolzano's South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology. The museum is somewhat small but very organized and detailed.

Ötzi is a mummy from the Copper Age, who has been amazingly preserved to the point that his tattoos are still visible. Hikers discovered him in 1991 on the Schnalstal/Val Senales Valley glacier.

*Cabbage Salad/Krautsalat

I always try to duplicate one of my favorite dishes from our tours when I get home. It was the krautsalat from Hopfen & Co. this time and I nailed it!

CASTELROTTO/KASTELRUTH

I can picture this quaint little Tirolean village covered in snow with ski enthusiasts! The fall scenery in October is equally inviting. We took a stroll after settling into our cute hotel and stopped in a market for some snacks and essentials. We later met up for a group dinner at Sporthütte, where the goulash soup, weiner schnitzel, fries and ice cream dessert satisfied our alpine appetite.

Bus time = nap time

Hotel Cavallino d' Oro had Tirolean

decor inside and out.

This is the place to go for a hearty meal.

today'shighlight
Trail of the Witches

distancewalked
11 Miles

day4

Today the group had a couple of options for alpine activities. We chose to take the bus to nearby Compatsch, the main entry point to the Alpe di Siusi/Seiser Alm, and hike the Trail of the Witches. (There are tales of witches in the area!) Five other adventurous tour mates made the same choice so we ventured out together. The beginning of the trail was quite strenuous and we became fast friends encouraging one another along! It was all worth it as the terrain eventually transitioned to rolling hills and green meadows that were sometimes ringing with cowbells. There were so many amazing views along the trail which, thankfully, was not very crowded. It felt a bit like "Heidiland" and we loved it!

Our hiking group stopped at a hütte for food and drink, supplementing the meal with snacks that we brought along.

Once back in Castelrotto, we explored more of the town before our group Happy Hour, arranged by Sarah. We were on our own for dinner but several of us joined Sarah and Cesare at a popular pizzeria restaurant called, "Toni." The meal was so good I ate it before thinking about getting a picture!