The third day was the most difficult, the longest and the most rewarding. After two days of light walks, we decided we were ready to pursue the long itinerary that brought us up as high as 2770 masl. It all started with a bus ride from Campitello to Vigo di Fassa. We tested the public transportation of Val di Fassa for you. In the early morning, we got pretty scared when we discovered that the bus stop in downtown Campitello is full of tourists. I counted them and they were more than 50 and I thought that the bus is too small to bring them all to the destination. I was wrong. The bus was late of about 10 minutes but when it arrived I realized how well Val di Fassa is prepared. All of the tourists got on board. The service of selling ticket was equally efficient: a young man crossed the bus selling the tickets to all tourists. He also served as tourist information reminding each passenger where he or she should get off. By the time we arrived at our destination everybody was served. The bus services in Val di Fassa is a great alternative to cars. Not only it is a green solution but it saves you money for the parking place and it allows you to start and end your itinerary in a different place! We walked to the cableway car and bought the tickets. Up at Ciampedie we started our fast walk only to discover that in less than an hour we arrived at Rifugio Vajolet at 2244 masl. It was fast and pleasant. Many tourists followed this path but we were fast enough to left them far behind. We further continued to Passo Principe and in 1h 59min we were up there, at the altitude of 2599 masl. Quite a few other tourists were having their second breakfast there, in the hut, and we joined them and sit on the small terrace with breathtaking views. We had a warm tea and after a short break, we continued our trek. Next, we climbed at the highest point of the path, at the level of 2770 masl. The surrounded peaks looked magnificent at the background of the clear blue sky. Even though the weather forecast was pessimistic we unexpectedly enjoyed the sun. The temperature was about 9C and the air was brisk. From the pass, the way was all downhill. First, we crossed a completely dry valley, full of white rocks and with no vegetation whatsoever. At the end of the valley, we discovered a small emerald pond. The size of the pond is strictly related to the quantity of snow melted in springtime. This year it was modest. Just above the pond, we saw the next Refugee called Antermoia and we gladly relaxed eating our lunch. It took us 3 hours to climb there and the view was worth every minute. The refugee itself was interesting: there is a new owner who completely renovated the place. He installed the solar panels and made the interior looked modern. The staff was friendly and the food was obviously delicious. A wonderful reward for the 3h climb! An hour later we continued our journey. The view towards Sasso Piatto, Val Udai and Val de Dona were fabulous. Crossing kilometres downhill brought us full immersion in the green pastures of the Dolomites. There were very few people who followed our footsteps, therefore, we fully enjoyed the path and the views. The way back via Val Duron was a bit long but it was easy and we arrived at our accommodation fully satisfied. The whole itinerary covered 20km, it took us almost 6 hours to walk it, excluding brakes and lunch. Travel tip: watch the weather forecast carefully and in the case of the sudden change go back to safety as soon as possible. Itinerary day 3: Campitello – Vigo di Fassa (by bus, ticket: 1,80 EUR) – Rifugio Ciampedie 1998 masl (by cableway car, one way ticket: 9EUR) – Rifugio Gardeccia 1950 masl- Rifugio Vajolet 2244 masl – Rifugio Passo Principe 2599 masl- Passo Antermoia 2770 masl – Rafigio Antermoia 2497 masl- Val Duron – Rifugio Micheluzzi – Campitello. Read about day 1 itinerary Ciampedie here. Read about day 2 itinerary Sasso Piatto here.  

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It was the third year in a row when I visit a mountain massif called Sasso Piatto. This is a beautiful part of the Dolomites thus I am not surprised that people tend to go back there, including me. After the first day of our short holiday spent in Ciampac, we enjoyed a light walk in Sasso Piatto. We took a cableway car for a variety of reasons: first, to relax before the third and the hardest day, second, to fully appreciate our location in walking distance from the cableway car, and first to go back to a well-known site and make the walk as easy as possible. A path from Col Rodella to Rifugio Sasso Piatto is one of the most frequented treks in the Dolomites. It is flat, easy and it offers spectacular views, therefore, hundreds of people decide to walk it on daily basis. The weather was not the best one, however, we enjoyed the chill wind and lack of sun. Many other tourists picked up this location even if the views were covered by the clouds. We watched our previous day itinerary from the distance which was a great experience. I’ve finally noticed a magnificent green massif in front of the Costabella chain and it was truly impressive. In less than an hour, we arrived at Rifugio Sasso Piatto to enjoy a hot tea and a great local dessert: strudel. It was full of tourists just as we were told a few days before by phone. Its interior design, however, is beautiful so we still had a great time and after a short break, we left the table for other tourists who kept coming and coming. The part of our itinerary downhill to Val Duron was much less crowded. We first crossed a small mountain hut called Malga del Sasso Piatto that was being repaired the last year. It opened this summer and next to a beautiful mountain restaurant the owner constructed a bread stove. The smell of a fresh bread is for me one of the most beautiful smells in the world, therefore, the view of fresh bread laying there on the wooden table was stunning. The next stage of the trek was full of small marmots, big cows and horned goats. In a total loneliness, we enjoyed the unspoiled nature. We felt light and happy which was exactly what we went after. The way back to the accommodation was easy and relaxing. TRAVEL TIP: if you plan to walk a path in a proximity to any cableway car start your journey as soon as possible, preferably with the very first run (8:30 in our case). The itinerary of day 2: Campitello – Col Rodella 2398 masl (by cableway car, ticket: 11 EUR) – Rifugio Fridrich August 2298 masl – Rifugio Sandro Pertini 2300 masl – Rifugio Sasso Piatto 2300 masl -Malga del Sasso Piatto 2256 masl – Rifugio Micheluzzi 1860 masl – Val Duron – Campitello. Read about day 1 itinerary Ciampac here. Read about day 3 itinerary Antermoia here.  

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For obvious reasons, travelling off season brings you many benefits. Not only the destination is less crowded and cheaper but also it offers you unpredicted weather conditions which make the journey adventurous. I personally prefer off season travels but sometimes, out of a variety of reasons, we are forced to make choices and this time I just had to be in Italy on a particular day at the precise time. As a result, a short holiday in the Dolomites happened in the middle of peak season. Here is a story how I survived peak season in the Dolomites. I spent three days on the dirt path in the high parts of the mountains and brought you marvellous photos from this wonderful UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Accommodation At the beginning of my holiday planning, I was determined to stay only in the mountain huts along the so called Via Alta delle Dolomiti which is a multi-day trekking across the Dolomites. I phoned to a few of the mountain shelters to book my stay only to discover they were all fully booked. Naturally, each mountain hut will accept guests even if they give you only a mattress and a small piece of the floor but you still need to pay for this doubtful ‘comfort’.  The vision of a lonely mattress at the end of the long corridor sounded less exciting than I expected so I thought that I should rethink my holiday plan. Flexibility is good. Fortunately, my husband had a similar impression and together we decided to find an accommodation in one of the villages in Val di Fassa. This time it was Campitello and a wonderful Chalet Marcora, a family run small and comfortable place. A beautiful interior design, high-quality abundant breakfasts and friendly staff made our stay pleasant. From Campitello we had all trekking paths at our fingertips. Day 1: Ciampac We started our first day in nature quite early. It was wonderfully chilly with a temperature of 12C. A glorious sunny day made our wake up an easy task. We left our chalet at 8:15 a.m. and followed the path along the stream towards Fontanazzo. From a crossroads near the wooden bridge, we climbed up to enjoy spectacular views after 1h 30min. The view opened up and we admired Catinaccio massif, Sasso Piatto and Sella Group. We saw them all at the same time which was thrilling. The path followed up, crossed green meadows of the Val de Crepa full of happy cows and brought us up to the pass Pian de Selle at the level of 2185 masl. We had our first break at the pass, looking at the majestic mountain chains in front of our eyes. From the pass, we also saw our target: Rifugio Ciampac located on the magnificent background of high peak Sas de Roca (2618 masl). We went down to the chalet and we had a lovely lunch there in a jolly company of construction workers who were renovating the other two huts: Baita Valeruz and Tobia del Jagher. The owner was charming and the food was great. Out of the window, we could the the Sella Group which was lovely. After lunch, we followed the steep road towards Canazei which in winter transforms into a ski slope. It is so steep that only expert skiers can ski there and watching in the middle of the summer convinced me about it. We continued the downhill trek passing huge lorries that were carrying up construction materials which was a downside of this part of our trek. All in all, we came back to our accommodation happy and tired. TRAVEL TIP: the paths located far from cable railway and funiculars are always less crowded even in peak seasons. The itinerary of day 1: Campitello – Fontanazzo 1395 masl – Val de Crepa – Pian de Selle 2185 masl – Rifugio Ciampac 2170 masl – Canazei – Campitello. Read about day 2: Sasso Piatto. Read aboud day 3: Antermoia.  

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It’s not the first time I had a chance to skiing in the Dolomites but the two weeks I spent in Colmean were truly spectacular. The most beautiful part of this story is the people: Adriano and Maria Rosa. They are the owners of the place we rented and they hosted us like their own family. We felt like at home and this is the reason why we had such a great time. If you consider skiing in the Dolomites their AirBnB is the best place to start. The Snow Storm The day we arrived in Colmean the snowstorm hit. For weeks before our arrival, there was no such violent event this winter year so I guess we can call ourselves lucky. The funny thing was that even twenty kilometres from the village there was no snow whatsoever and it was even raining! No surprises though, that we did not believe in the snow before we approached Passo San Pellegrino. At the altitude of two thousand meters, the rain turned into snow and the storm started. As long as we descended the car could handle it but the moment we started the final ascent it did not. We got blocked by the heavy piles of snow in the middle of a tiny road. It was dark, cold and really wet. We felt drained out and quite desperate. Adriano, the owner, phoned us a couple of times and promised to wait along the way to assist us in the final stretch. We went back for help to the nearest bar. A local guy who worked there mounted the chains but the snowfall was excessive and we lost them straightaway. Again, we went back to the bar and the other guests who had their aperitivo there advised we should take an alternative longer route. I can tell you that we felt much better when the local people offered us their help and support. This is the magic of the true journey: the good and sympathy you experience. Therefore, we drove uphill an alternative route and reached the bridge where Adriano was waiting for us, covered with snow. The car did not make it as the uphill road was steep so we left the it at the parking space, advised by Adriano. We took our luggage and walked the final 300 meters. The warm welcome by Maria Rosa and Adriano rose our spirit. Their wooden house was a true bliss and we felt really well in that dark and wet evening. The snow falling and watched from the warm and cosy room was fantastic! Skiing in the Sun Next morning we watched the landscape covered with deep snow and it was spectacular! All peaks around the valley were white, the trees as well and above this white quilt there was a blue sky. Out of our balcony, the view of the valley was breathtaking. Moreover, the sun melted the ice and snow on the road so we could freely move. An epic journey through the winter landscape began. We drove through Caviola and Falcade with our eyes wide open. What a beauty! The view of the mountains in winter time is one of the most beautiful things in the world! We spent next couple of days skiing in the ski area of San Pellegrino. They are part of Dolomiti Superski. The tracks are always well prepared and surprisingly there were not that many people skiing. We were lucky to have three sunny days in a row. The Locals On Monday evening we went out with the owners: Adriano and Maria Rosa. We had a super tasty pizza and we talked till late. We discovered common passions and delight. They shared stories about the geology of the Dolomites which sparked my interest. They asked a lot of questions about Poland thus we could act as ambassadors of our beautiful country again. We felt amazingly well in the apartment we had. The carefully renovated old barn with a modern touch was comfortable and cosy. Whether is was sitting on the balcony and taking a sunbath or cooking a nice meal it was really cool. Not only the views were spectacular but also the location for all skiers is just brilliant. The white crisp slopes are only twenty minutes away! Following the advice of Adriano we went for an afternoon walk in the valley called Val Venegia. Along the way, we passed a forest where the wood for famous violins are taken from, including Stradivarius. The valley itself is a delight. The view for the mountain chain San Martino di Castrozza is amazing. The deep snow only magnified our admiration. It was also a very easy trail and even in the snow the retired people can take it. I can’t wait to go back in the Dolomites. Whether in the summer or in winter this place is gorgeous!  

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Encouraged by the previous adventure in Mount Civetta, we decided to continue our journey and stay overnight in another refugee. We had one day off for a bad weather and charming meeting with friends who came to visit us. It left time to plan another adventure. Soon, we decided to explore the part of the Dolomites called Sasso Piatto and Sasso Lungo. A few years ago we visited this massif climbing it from the west and Val Duron but this time we scheduled it differently. The booking As this was the peak of the season we decided to book a bed in the refugee in advance. I would like to encourage you to do the very same thing. Obviously, the refugee should always host you even if they give you only a floor to sleep on but we were a group of five and didn’t want to risk. When we called, a lady told us there are five posts left and we gladly booked them. The traffic Next day, in the early morning, we took the car and drove from our tranquil valley called Valle del Biois, to Passo Sella. This was not a long way but with the heavy traffic in Val di Fassa, it took us as long as two hours to arrive! That’s a lot of time! So again, you should pick up off season months, when you have a choice. We found parking slot and waited in a line for an old fashion cableway car from Passo Sella to Rifugio Demetz, at 2685 masl. The weather was chilly and sunny. The hike Along the crowd, we followed the path down. The panorama was amazing. This particular part of the massif is all about rocks and sand. If you enjoy a very rough and unforgiving terrain, Sasso Piatto should be your next destination. A very interesting detail of this trek is that it starts downhill. The beginning was rough mainly because of the crowds. There were people of all abilities and skills, including small children who needed extra care from their parents. Soon, the crowd turned into a line. After half an hour, though, the path was less crowded and in about 45 minutes we arrived in the refugee called Vicenza, at 2256 masl. Luckily, we got a table inside and had a quick lunch. The whole facility, including the terrace, was full of people. Further north We continued our hike and followed the path downhill. It turned west and soon we started to walk around the west part of the massif. The path leads further through a picturesque meadows full of brown-and-white cows, who looked totally happy. Climbing up, we arrived at a large plateau with a lovely view towards Alpi di Siusi. This was a perfect place for a short break before the final stage of out trek. The next part of our walk was one of the most beautiful paths in the Dolomites, and at the same time, one of the the easiest one. Green hills, grey rocks, and small streams, all shined in a mild sun, making the walk carefree and relaxing. Rifugio Sasso Piatto After three hours in total, we arrived in the refugee. Rifugio Sasso Piatto, at 2301 masl, is one of the most beautiful ones that I have ever slept in. It is modern, well kept and very well organised. We got the key to our room quite quickly and were guided to a shoe room. We got our crocs and followed to the rooms. Wooden floor, large windows, new beds and clean bathrooms welcomed us. Also, the views from a comfortable common room were magnificent. This refugee is highly recommended for the night, especially to someone who has never done it before. Back home After a delicious dinner, we had a peaceful night and woke up relaxed. We had a short breakfast and started our return home. Along the way from Rifugio Sasso Piatto to Passo Sella, there are as many as three other refugees. First, a small wooden hut called Sandro Pertini, at 2300 masl. Last time we were there off season it was closed, but this time, we finally entered and had a warm tea. The weather was chilly so it was most appreciated. This part of the walk was pleasant due to the absence of other tourists. The silence was overwhelming. We could fully enjoy and appreciate the luxury of solitude that only the high mountains can give. After half an hour, we arrived in another refugee called Rifugio Friedrich-August 2398 masl. Large building seen from the distance welcomed us with the incredible smell of freshly baked sweets. Our Italian friends could not resist the smell and ate one bombolone each. The last half hour was a light walk down to Passo Sella where a luxury hotel opens its door to all. It is called Passo Sella Resort (2180 masl). The trekking around Sasso Lungo is doable in one day. We decided to split the hike in two days to get a profound experience of the Dolomites. I must say, it was truly enjoyable. A rich experience that I would recommend to anyone, including the beginners.  

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Do you hike? Are you an outdoor activities lover? Have you ever spent a night in a mountain hut or a refugee? If you are a camping type of person you probably did but to some people, this might look like an adventure. In fact, two of our Italian friends have never done it before and so this year’s plan was to expand the mountain adventure and include at least one night slept in a mountain hut. Here is how we did and how you can do this too, in the Italian Dolomites. I love the Dolomites in every season. These large mountain chains in the north of Italy provide memorable holidays, breathtaking views and outstanding level of services to all nature lovers. I tend to go back there at least once a year and I never get tired of its views. In major part, I spent time in Val di Fassa, which is the most developed part of the mountains but this year it all went differently. It was five of us and we explored a totally new area: Monte Civetta. Here is a review of a two-day hike we did in the second week of August. Starting point We stayed in an apartment in Caviola, a small village near Falcade. Although this is not that far from Val di Fassa, these two places are located in different Italian regions: Val di Fassa is a part of autonomous region Trento-Alto Adige, while Falcade makes part of Veneto. This might look only as an administrative detail but you can spot the difference in a minute. Val di Fassa, through its extensive international promotion and excellent ski facilities, earned a title of one of the best places for skiing in the world. For years, it has gathered thousands of skiers and it increased its income quite successfully. Being an autonomous region Trento-Alto Adige keeps the major part of this income while Veneto does not. Luckily, the Dolomites are for everyone. If you are more into social life and high standard services you will find Val di Fassa appealing. If you prefer tranquillity and contact with local people you should stay in Falcade, Caviola or Alleghe. Both areas are just fine if you know your preferences. Way up In the early morning, we took a cableway car from a lake town Alleghe called Ski Civetta. At about 9:00 we started our walk up. The first part of the path is more like a walk in the park. After 15 minutes we arrived in a small mountain hut where sheep and goats are held. The milk is used to produce delicious cheese that we bought on our way back. From the hut, there was a one hour walk up to the refugee called Rifugio Coldai, at 2315 masl. It is located in a beautiful place, surrounded by high grey rocks and looking at a very weird peak called Pelmo (3168 masl), that grows out of nowhere. We ate a strudel in the refugee that was slowly filling up with the tourists. The lake We continued our way up for a while and after less than a quarter we saw a beautiful small lake. We went down and enjoyed the panorama of the town Alleghe way down and high white rocks mirrored in its surface. The lake was a busy place. To some tourists, this is an arrival point and so the meadows near the lake were full of picknick baskets, colorful blankets, and families with the kids. A spectacular place for a picknick, indeed. The final part Our target was Rifugio Tissi, though, at the altitude of 2250 masl. We saw it way before arrival! There was still more than one hour climb when we spotted it for the first time. It seemed very small and distant but smartly located. There were two different paths to take: one just below the rock wall and the second one which leads first down and then up. We picked up the second one and in the heat of the day we climbed right to the refugee. It did not come easy. For me and my Polish companions, the heat was unbearable. This hour climb might seem not much but, considering the circumstance, this was a challenge. The Tissi Refugee The whole hike took us around three hours. The final part was especially hard as it leads up and in the heat of the day it was not really pleasant, however, we got our reward. On a blue sky, there was the whole chain of the rocky peaks seen from the window of our room and the terrace of the refugee. The building itself is old and used by endless generations of mountain trekkers. The quality of services was not as we expected. The bathroom was small and crowded but it was the shower that beat everything. The shower hung just above the squat toilet, sometimes called the Turkish or Indian toilet. Believe me, this was not the most pleasant shower I’ve had. The sunset The real pleasure of sleeping in a refugee is the sunset. Along the unexpected crowd of other tourists, we climbed a few meters up and enjoyed the view. On the one side, there was a high wall of the Civetta peak that turned into a mild rose colour. It is sometimes called “the wall of all walls” due to its difficulty and fame among the alpinists. The setting sun made all the frayed edges of the rocks visible. The mountain seemed like it was a living thing. The colours exploded into a vivid orange to fade slowly after the sun set. The real nature show available only to those who stay up there for the night. We slept in a room with 8 bunks and this was one of the downsides of our stay in Tissi. The other tourists did not bother to take a shower and made a horrible noise snoring loudly. This was definitely not the best night ever but we survived it. At 5:00 a.m. we...

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If you ever come to the Dolomites you must drive this road! Route 242 (SS 242, Strada Statale) is one of the most beautiful roads I have ever seen. Moreover, you can enjoy amazing views both on foot and through the window of your car. The Italian Dolomites are well organized, the infrastructure is impressive and you will find visiting them delightful! And SO easy! If you are a skier you should know so called Sellaronda – a very long ski circuit, literally around Gruppo Sella. One of our daily trips started in Passo Sella. This is a marvelous place with breathtaking views. We drove from Canazei, where we stayed at AirBnB, and drove up to Passo Sella located at 2180 masl. The pass (or saddle, if you like) crosses two large massifs: the first is Gruppo Sella and the second is Sasso Piatto. There are summits that rise above 3000 meters above sea level in both massifs. Thus, the pass is really beautiful because you see two large valleys below and rocky peaks above. Either driving through the pass or walking the trails from the pass up to the mountains is a pleasure. The driving in this part of Italy is a bit demanding. You need to be focused on the road and be skillful enough to drive through numerous 180-degree turns. There are many motorcycles driving these roads so you need to be extra careful. We picked up a trail number 526 with the intention of arriving at refuge called Vicenza, at the other side of the massif. It all started nicely, from an interesting rock formation called Rocky City (Citta dei Sassi). The path was very comfortable there, and some parts are even suitable to walk it with a stroller. Further up, there is a nice refuge called Emilio Comici, situated in a marvelous spot, looking at the Gruppo Sella. You can see the whole massif from there, in its majesty and beauty. As this was out of the season, the refuge was closed. There were some people doing spring cleaning, but we could not enter, nor eat anything. This is the downside of visiting the Dolomites out of season. Therefore, we continued our walk towards the next refuge. As we picked up a path close to the slope we had a long and bumping way to go. Apart of the distance, the difficulty was to cross every couple of hundred meters a sort of little hills created by the numerous scree. As a result, we got tired quickly, there was no sign of the refuge in our sight and when we came to a crossroads we saw a storm coming from the other side of the valley. In this circumstances, we decided to go back rather than continue to the shelter. On our way back we picked an alternative path so we could meditate the beauty of these peaks of Sasso Piatto from a distance. All in all, this was a fabulous day, with nice sunny weather and fantastic views. Highly recommended, especially to the fans of epic views of rocky summits.  

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This track was fabulous! The views were simply stunning and in excellent weather condition we enjoyed the whole trail so much! We started from a short walk to a cable railway  in Arabba and went up to Porta Vescovo getting fantastic view towards the Marmolada Glacier. It was an early morning so we had an opportunity to watch the sheep eating their breakfast. There was no wind that day and so in the silence of the morning the sound of their little bells were marvelous. The first stage of the walk was a downhill right to the artificial lake in a valley. This was a sort of wired feeling: meeting people who arrived there by their cars as the lake is a dam at the same time and is well connected to the nearest village. We entered the refuge and had our morning cappuccino. We chatted for a while with a lady who worked there and after a while decided to buy a book Alta Via delle Dolomiti that describes a mountain track starting in Bressanone and ending in Feltre. It is brilliant! It would be great to walk it one day. We crossed the dam watching amazing color of the lake and went straight to another ropeway to arrive at the proximity of the glacier. the shelter Pian dei Fiacconi (2626 masl) is in one of the most beautiful places around: on its one side the glacier is at the fingertips and on the other side there is a background made of the green valley and blue lake. For us it was also great to feel the cool breeze from the glacier as the summer in Italy was really, really warm. We went up to the glacier to walk on the deep snow and had a small lunch while sitting on a rock. That was half of our trail and so we got back to the lake in the early afternoon to have few hours for an alternative back route. We climbed from Passo di Fedaia to the shelter on Passo Padon and continued to the cable railway to get back to Arabba. This part was a bit steep and sloppy so we made a short brake at the shelter. The part of the track from Passo Padon to Porta Vescovo is beautiful not only because you watch the glacier but also because of its geological particularity. There is a geological trail and massive rocks along the path. This is really spectacular! It took about 8h to complete the track in excellent weather conditions and it is relatively easy to follow. Highly recommended for one day walk. The Trail Summary ARABBA (1601 masl) PORTA VESCOVO (2562 masl) RIFUGIO CASTIGLIONI ALLA MARMOLADA (2044 masl) RIFUGIO PIAN DEI FIACCONI (2626 masl) CAPANNA AL GHIACCIAIO (2700 masl) RIFUGIO DOLOMIA (2098 masl) PASSO DI FEDAIA (2057 masl) RIFUGIO PASSO PADON (2369 masl) RIFUGIO L. GORZA (2478 masl) PORTA VESCOVO (2562 masl) ARABBA (1601 masl) Have you ever thought about visiting Italy? Here is an alternative way on how to visit Italy and get really close to the Italian way of life. I created a project ‘I love Ferrara‘ so you could join me and experience how beautiful and tasty Ferrara is. If you wish to immerse in Italy book your holiday now!  

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Just when we visited Ferrara and Ravenna this was a high time to start the core of our holiday: The Dolomites. We picked up a typical Alpine hotel in Arabba and began our first walk. Read the story and share. The Dolomites are exceptionally friendly to all sorts of tourists: starting with climbing experts, through walkers with dogs, families with small children, organized groups, school trips and finishing with handicap people. The main reason is related to an excellent touristic facilities, operating in winter and in summer seasons. To give you an example: we had been staying at a hotel in Arabba (1601 masl), and to start our walk we could go by car at Passo Pordoi (2239 masl), so we cut the 600m level difference before even starting our walk. The relative height of valleys and peaks is huge: often more than 1000m so the system of roads and well developed cable railways gives you an opportunity to benefit from stunning views with relatively modest climbing effort. Here is what we did the first day in the Dolomites: a very light and pleasant trail from Passo Pordoi (2239 masl) to Viel del Pan Mountain Hut (2432 masl). We picked up this trail for three reasons: as an easy beginning of our week-long adventure, as the best panoramic view of the Marmolada glacier and because of its historical value. The trail Viel del Pan has been used since medieval times by the merchants transporting salt and flour through the Alps. Walking along this tiny path I could imagine the donkeys carrying the precious cargo and their tired owners rushing them loudly. What is most beautiful in this trail is the proximity to the Marmolada range. For the whole day we were blessed with views of glacier and the green valley below. This is a popular winter destination so you have large mountain hut Baita Fedarola (2370 masl) with view to both valleys: towards Gruppo del Sella and Marmolada. On our way back we stayed in baita for our lunch. To our surprise the waitress was a Tuscan girl who told us her story and recommended excellent roast meet with vegetables. This is the true luxury of the Dolomites: at various height there is a good chance to eat well and drink good Italian cafe. Just saying here…climbing the German Alps is pretty different! Find out why the same mountains from opposite sides are so different! This is a very popular trail so in July it is crowded. If you’re looking for silence and solitude pick the different track. There is no point of writing how beautiful it was, so enjoy watching the photos taken ( don’t forget about my Flickr.com page) and plan your own trip to the Dolomites. The story to be continue… Do you wonder how is it to visit the Dolomites again? Here is a post for you! The Trail Summary ARABBA (1601 masl), PASSO PORDOI (2239 masl), BAITA FEDAROLA (2370 masl), VIEL DEL PAN, RIFUGIO VIEL DEL PAN (2432 masl), COL DE PAUSSA (2415 masl), and back.  

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Visiting Italy is always fun. I had been living in Italy for many years, I visited the majority of known places, I saw many of its famous monuments but it’s never enough. You simply can’t get bored in this country. Over and over again, in familiar places you discover something fresh and fascinating. At this point what I enjoy the most is visiting with Italian friends or showing it to the foreign friends. Both ways are awesome. And here is my surprise for you: it is possible to join me this autumn to experience a real life in Italy. Live like a local for a week in Ferrara with me! A super cool idea for this holiday plus participation in 5th edition of Street Dinner! Ferrara There is no holiday without a short visit in Ferrara. My favorite Italian town was visited with a friend who hasn’t been there before. And this was cool. As he is a huge fan of cinematography he discovered that famous Italian director Antonioni was buried in Ferrara and indeed, he is. We went to a cemetery and found it. My favorite part, however, was just passing the time together, talking from time to time about what we saw, and sitting in a cafe for hours. Luckily, he was a perfect company to do the best holiday like things. So I had a great time, despite the unbearable heat. I’m working on a short clip from Ferrara these weeks, and I really hope I’ll share it with you soon. Ravenna One of the dreams of my travel fellow was a visit in Ravenna. Sure! Why not? By the time we went to Ravenna we were three. We went to Ravenna for one day. And this was even more entertaining. Two of us visited Ravenna before but the only thing I remembered was a pain in my knee caused by a little incident with a bee (running away from a bee I run directly into a road barrier made of concrete and- not surprisingly- hurt myself). So three of us went to this small town and got marveled with everything what we saw. The mosaics in couple of its churches are amazing. I’ll write about this in one of the next posts as this is really exceptional. …and finally… The Dolomites By the time we went to the Dolomites we were four. Spending the whole week in a small village Arabba and visiting most spectacular tracks around in great weather was causing a goose-flesh every day. I’ll probably never found precise words to describe everything so I’ll focus on sharing photos taken (by the time I left the Dolomites they were about thousand!). I’ll also describe precise itineraries I made in few next posts so you could visit the same places, if you wish. Day one is here. Day two is here….and will be continued. Right. The trip ended up in the German city of Munich, where three of us visited our friend. Despite the unexpected heat we spent marvelous time on lazy chatting about the recent trip. Warm welcome made this day a lovely conclusion of the whole trip. So what I’m going to do is to flood all my readers with stunning photos from the Dolomites. I believe it is far better than my lame attempts to describe the beauty of what I saw. Have you ever thought about visiting Italy? Here is an alternative way on how to visit Italy and get really close to the Italian way of life. I created a project ‘I love Ferrara‘ so you could join me and experience how beautiful and tasty Ferrara is. If you wish to immerse in Italy book your holiday now!  

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