When most people think about making a trip to Venice the last thing that probably crosses their minds is taking a trip into the mountains of northern Italy. In fact, I’m willing to bet that most visitors to Venice are totally unaware that a mere two hours away is some of the most dramatic and majestic mountain scenery to be found anywhere. The migh...
READ MOREGlitz meets the montane in Cortina d’Ampezzo, the sublime ski destination in the Dolomites. Though the exceptionally jagged limestone mountain range in northeast Italy is part of the Italian Alps, in several ways, it feels a world away. Influences from Austria, its northern neighbor, abound in the cuisine, landscapes, architecture, and culture. Cor...
READ MORESan Martino di Castrozza, a petite and cozy Alpine town in eastern Trentino, lies in the heart of the Dolomite Mountains (themselves a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Part of the municipalities of Tonadico and Siror, San Martino di Castrozza boasts 4,757 ft between it and the level of the seas, and it calls the slopes of the majestic Pale di San Mar...
READ MOREThe Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park was officially opened in 1990. The Park covers not only the Belluno Dolomites, but also the Feltrine ones, namely the mountain groups: Vette, Cimònega, Pizzocco, Monti del Sole, and Schiara-Talvèna. It is renowned for its naturalistic circular itineraries which generally run at modest altitudes and are dedicated...
READ MOREIt started in a vast meadow of the Colorado backcountry, mid-summer. In the distance, I saw what looked like a bear, but then realized the large, dark form was accompanied by a human. “It’s just a dog,” I said to myself, relieved. I gripped the leash of my small pup and called out: “Is your dog friendly?” Seconds later the animal — all 120 pounds...
READ MOREPink clouds like candyfloss float above as we bump along in our snowmobile past quaint wooden chalets with smoke billowing from their chimneys. It’s that bewitching time of day in the Dolomites. They call it enrosadira (or alpenglow) and it’s when the mountains glow pinky red. Geologists believe the explanation lies in the unusual composition of ca...
READ MOREEach mountain in the Dolomites is like a piece of art,” said legendary mountaineer Reinhold Messner, who was born and trained in these mountains in northern Italy, before going on to become the first man to climb all fourteen peaks over 8,000 meters, including the first ascent of Everest without supplemental oxygen. Extending from the River Adige...
READ MORECortina d'Ampezzo, one of the most popular mountain resorts of the Dolomites, is already preparing to host the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Which means that ski aficionados will be able to enjoy newly opened slopes and lifts, to be later used by competing athletes. Cortina offers more than 140 km of pistes, with legendary ski areas such as Cristallo,...
READ MOREEvery year, people from all over Europe and and North America travel to Northern Italy to enjoy its amazing mountains: the Alps. The Alps are home to some of the best ski resorts and most picturesque towns in the world. There are plenty of winter sports to practice and you can choose from a number of locations to enjoy skiing activities. If you wou...
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