Bucket List: Dolomite Mountains
“Each mountain in the Dolomites is like a piece of art.”
Dolomite Mountain Range, Italy
Overshadowed by their northerly neighbor the Alps, Northern Italy is home to the lesser known but just as jaw dropping Dolomite Mountains. Nicknamed “Pale Mountains” because of the color of the dolomite rocks found throughout this range, the mountains are home to many towns and villages that have been tossed between the Bavarians, Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Italy throughout the centuries. Because of this, there is a large German/Austrian influence in the area. German is spoken by many locals and you’ll find culinary delights that are more akin to traditional Austrian/German cuisine, like meats and hearty meals, rather than typical Italian dishes such as pastas.
Trento
Because of its proximity to hubs of Italian tourism such as Florence, Rome, and the Amalfi Coast as well as its much bigger cousin to the north, the Alps, stretching from France to Slovenia, we think this beautiful region is too often overlooked and has much to offer! The Dolomites have 19 peaks that stretch above 10,000ft and many more going above 9,000ft, making this a wonderful place to step away from the big city and hike or just take in some fresh air.
Fun Fact
In 1991, hikers on the Schnalstal Glacier came across the remains of Otzi. Nicknamed ‘The Iceman’, he is a 5,300 year old mummy who is one the most preserved mummies ever discovered. They were able to uncover what he ate right before his death, his approximate age, his lifestyle, 61 tattoos, and that he was most likely killed by an arrow.
Bonus Fun Fact
The Dolomites were once underwater! #mindblowing
When To Go
This all depends on what you like. If hopping on some skis and slicing up the blanket of snow over the mountains, then the winter time is probably the best for you. If smelling the flowers and crisscrossing the peaks on foot, spring, summer, and fall will be for you. All year around there is something for everyone!
Average winter temperature: 41 F - 21 F
Average summer temperature: 59 F - 84 F
Notable Towns
Trento: Consistently ranked as one of the top places to live in Italy in terms of quality of life, Trento has been thriving since the 4th century BC with its location on the Adige River. The beautiful Buonconsiglio Castle is the focal point of the town with different buildings from different eras.
Bolzano: The capital of South Tyrol and the largest city in the Dolomites, Bolzano is home to many musical and theater events as well as our friend from above, Otzi!
Cortina d’Ampezzo: A small town with a huge influence on the winter sport emergence in Italy, it hosted the Winter Olympics Games in 1956 and many skiing events in the years since.
Cortina d’Ampezzo
How To Get There
Trento and Bolzano have major train station with regular trains from Bologna, Italy to Innsbruck, Austria. These can be extended to Rome and all the way to Munich, Germany.
Or you can join VoyEdge Rx in 2024!
Bolzano
UP NEXT: Starling Murmuration, Brighton, UK
Any ‘Bucket List’ suggestions? Let us know at staff@voyedegerx.com
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