The real destination of our trip was the Dolomites. We just threw in Lake Garda and Verona for fun.
Hiking (plus rock-climbing and mountain-climbing) in the Dolomites is the local summer sport. People don't walk - they hike and cover a lot of ground. Most people use hiking poles or hiking staffs, for good reason. You are always going up or going down. There is some mountain biking too. In winter, it's all skiing.
The Italian province is the Trentino/Alta Aldige/Sudtirol , on the Austrian border. Of the ten or so Dolomite valleys where people can stay, Mrs. BD picked the Val Gardena.
We drove from Lake Garda up on the scenic route and watched the agriculture change from olives, palms, and lemons to vast apple orchards and vinegards, and finally to Alpine hay fields. ...caught the autostrade in Trent (Trentino) and drove up it to Bolzano (where the Ice Man resides) to exit before the Brenner Pass to drive up windy roads to our classic Alpine Hotel in the tiny hamlet of Bulla on a hillside up above Ortesei.
Here's one of the high Alpine meadows above Ortesei - the highest Alpine meadow that exists. Alpe di Siusi.
As I have said, there is no one Italy - it is many places. Observations, suggestions, and lotsa scenic pics below the fold.
Our small hotel, Uhrerhof Deur
The dining room. Crucifixes everywhere
Typical houses and barns in Bulla
The church
Our daily hiking routine there was a hearty breakfast at 8 - brioche, cold cuts, cheese, soft-boiled eggs - then a quick drive down to Ortesei to pick up one of the funiculars or gondolas that take you up to the high hiking networks of trails. Like skiing. There are pretty good trail maps.
The natural tendency is to plot out hikes to a refugio for lunch, where you can get food, beer, coffee - and fresh buttermilk from their cows.
Pics from a few of our hikes:
A flat stretch of trail was unusual - and welcome
Top of the gondola, above the funicular
