Italian Dolomites

2026

We are flying across the Atlantic Ocean tonight on our way to Italy. We are spending 17 days hiking in the Dolomites. Wild alpine meadows, mountain lakes, soaring peaks, the Dolomite Mountains feature an infinite number of trails winding their way through these incredible landscapes, with breathtaking vistas adding to the drama. This will be our 5th hiking trip to the Dolomites. In September 2000 we hiked the Alta Via 1 trail, 70 miles, over 12 days. We spent every night in Refugios (high mountain hotels) looking down on small towns in the valleys below. No luggage transfers, we carried all our worldly needs on our back. On this trip, we are spending 12 nights in wonderful hotels with Spas and heated swimming pools. However we are also spending 5 nights in two high mountain Refugio’s. The Dolomites are located in northeastern Italy, forming a distinct UNESCO World Heritage section of the greater Alps. This region of Italy was once part of the Austro-Hungarian empire until the early 20th century. During World War I, some of the deadliest battles were fought here.
Italian is the official language, but many parts are also German speaking. Straddling the border between Italy and Austria, almost every town, and sometimes even the mountains, have two names – Italian and German – and often, they are not even remotely similar. There are so many beautiful places in the world to hike but hiking in the Dolomites has always been extra special. The light, the history, the mix of cultures, the food and wine, and the incredible high mountain terrain create an experience that is hard to match. We have attached some photos taken over the last 26 years. Be Happy.

Love to all,

Barbara and Joe

Thursday, August 27, 2026

“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down “happy”. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.”

— John Lennon

Saturday, August 29, 2026

A perfect Hiking day. 6.5 hours, 23,747 steps, 9.7 miles of walking with plenty of stops to enjoy the magnificent views and lunch at the Tierser Alpl Mountain Hut | Alpine Hut in the Dolomites at 8,000 feet. It was a long and hard climb to the Hut.

We are staying 4 nights at the Hotel Brunelle Seiser Alm Lodge (elevation 5,600 feet) located in Alpe di Siusi, also known in German as Seiser Alm, in the Dolomites. It is Europe’s largest high-alpine meadow plateau and is framed by some of the Dolomites most recognizable mountains , including Sassolungo (Langkofel), Sassopiatto (Plattkofel), and Schlern (Sciliar). It is a hiker’s paradise with over 270 miles of hiking trails, 7 ski lifts and gondolas and over 50 mountain huts with restaurants and rooms. No matter your age or physical condition this beautiful place can be enjoyed by all.

The Florian chairlift close to the hotel can quickly get you up the mountain. Breathtaking views of the alpine meadow below with a Resturant and outdoor terrace at the top of the lift. Short walks in every direction. When you return to the hotel there is a heated indoor pool and spa to enjoy. Every night we have been enjoying a gourmet meal, with a local wine, in the hotel restaurant and every morning we wake up to enjoy the fabulous view from our room (first photo). Be Happy.

Love to all,

Barbara and Joe

Food For Thought

There is no shortage of delicious beer, wine or food in the Dolomites.

Barbara and Joe

Life is a combination of magic and pasta.” — Federico Fellini

“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” — Luciano Pavarotti

Food, in the end, in our own tradition, is something holy. It’s not about nutrients and calories. It’s about sharing. It’s about honesty. It’s about identity.” — Louise Fresco

Food is art, and food is love. And we should show love and appreciation for those who cook it by eating it with relish.” — Mark Bittman

Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.” — Dough Larson

I only drink Champagne on two occasions, when I am in love and when I am not.” — Coco Chanel

Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Our last day in the Alpe di Siusi/Seiser Alm. We have a car service taking us at 2 pm to our new hotel in the Alta Badia region of the Dolomites. It has been a perfect stay here with lots of hiking and no rain. On Sunday we hiked 4 hours, 7.3 miles with lots of stops and lunch. The Hans and Paula Steger Trail on the Seiser Alm is a scenic hike between Compatsch and Saltria. The route is named after Paula Wiesinger and Hans Steger, who were important pioneers in skiing and alpinism in the area. There are several variations of this hike. Today we did the longest version. We took the bus near our hotel in Saltria to reach the trail head in Compatsch. The bus runs every 15 minutes and with the 3 day pass, you can get unlimited rides. There are numerous bus stops at hotel restaurants and view points. The walk starts near the Seiser Alm cable car area in Compatsch and heads toward Saltria, passing open alpine meadows, forest edges, and views of the Langkofel and Plattkofel mountains. Beautiful walk with lots of ups and downs. On Monday we took the bus back to Compatsch and the start of the Puflatschrunde, or “Trail of the Witches.” A beautiful 6.9 mile walk with spectacular views of the villages in the Valley below. We also had great views of Alpe di Siusi/Seiser Alm meadows below the trail (first photo).

Today, the first day of September, we rested. We had a late breakfast before spending the rest of our time in the indoor pool and spa before leaving this special place in the western part of the Dolomites. We are now moving to spend 6 nights in the central part of the region.

Love to All.

Barbara and Joe

“We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate. We travel to bring what little we can, in our ignorance and knowledge, to those parts of the globe whose riches are differently dispersed. And we travel, in essence, to become young fools again- to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more.” -Pico Iyer

Sunday, September 6, 2026

Alta Badia is one of the best places to stay in the Dolomites for hiking. It is nestled right in the heart of the South Tyrol region between some of the most beautiful and iconic mountain groups – Fanes, Sella and Puez. There’s an abundance of gorgeous towns, rugged mountains and rolling alpine meadows and lots of cable car and ski lifts to get you up high into the mountains. The main towns in Alta Badia include Corvara, Badia, La Villa and Colfosco. We are staying at the Hotel La Majun in La Villa ( Stern is the name in German) The view of the mountains from our room balcony is just amazing. (First photo). Over the last 5 days we have hiked a total of 29 miles on trails with steep climbs, rocky descents, high mountain passes, and challenging terrain—but the scenery made every difficult mile worthwhile. Plus the weather has been perfect for hiking. Alta Badia is also special because it combines some of the most dramatic scenery in the Dolomites with a very strong Ladin cultural identity. Following the Roman Empire’s conquest, the people of the Dolomites gradually adopted the Latin spoken by Roman soldiers, transforming it over time into the unique Ladin language still spoken today and is recognized as a third official language in South Tyrol, alongside German and Italian. In Val Badia, it is not just symbolic: it is taught in schools and used in daily life.

The Ladin people distinguish themselves not only through their language but also through a rich cultural heritage rooted in mountain farming, unique settlements (Viles), and artisanal crafts. A typical feature of Val Badia are the "viles", agricultural core settlements occupied by a several families. The “viles” are closely connected houses with stables and barns. Small communal service facilities, such as: ovens, granaries, grain dryers, woodsheds, water troughs are used by all. The terrain surrounding the viles is parcelled up and fairly divided, with collectively owned agricultural land. Live and share: this is the core principle of the "viles". This nucleus differs from the settlements typical of South Tyrol or the USA which consist of individual farms. On Monday morning we are leaving Alta Badia with only what we can carry in our packs and spending the next 5 nights in high mountain huts/refugios around the Five Towers or Cinque Torri mountain range. On Saturday , September 12, we will return to Alta Badia to pick up our luggage and to move on to our final hotel in the Val Gardena.

Love to all,

Barbara and and Joe

“Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.”

– Mary Anne Radmacher

Saturday, September 12, 2026

We have spent the last 5 nights in high mountain huts/ Rifugios around Cinque Torri and Averau Mountain. After breakfast at our hotel in Alta Badia on Monday, September 7, we took the bus to the Passo Falzarego and the cable car that would take us up to the summit of Mount Lagazuoi at a breathtaking altitude of 9,028 feet.

26 years ago we stayed at Rifugio Lagazuoi as part of our 70 mile Alta Via 1 hike. As the highest mountain hut in the Dolomites, it boasts the most panoramic site in the region, providing awe-inspiring views (first photo). We also spent the morning walking the nearby trails before taking the cable car down to the hiking trail that would lead us to the 5 Torri ski lift and then up to the Scoiattoli Refugio (7,420). We spent 2 nights in a private room with shared bathrooms. Lots of hiking around Cinque Torri in perfect weather. We also hiked the WW1 outdoor museum.

During the day huge crowds enjoyed the views, hiking and restaurant. The last ski lift was at 5 pm and with it all the crowds were gone. Evenings were spectacular as the light reflected on the Towers (2nd photo).

On Wednesday morning we woke to a huge storm with lots of rain, wind and thunder. Around noon with light rain we started hiking, up and up, to our next Refugio. Over 1,000 feet hiking up to the Refugio. The Averau Mountain Hut (8,444 feet) sits at the base of Mount Averau. We spent 3 nights in this beautiful hut in a private room with bath. Averau sits on the Forcella Nuvolau saddle between the Averau tower and the Nuvolau summit, looking one way at the Marmolada glacier and the other at Civetta. It has quietly become famous for something rare at this altitude: food people plan a day around. The kitchen turns out hand-made pastas stuffed with wild herbs, rack of lamb, rabbit stew and mountain trout. The London Sunday Times lists the Averau Refuge among the 10 best mountain restaurants in the Alps, with these words:

"... the Averau Refuge is known as the Restaurant at the Edge of the Universe...while you eat, you have a stupendous all-round view of the far-off peaks of the Dolomites.”

It rained all night but after breakfast on Thursday we hiked in the morning before the rain started again. We spent the rest of the day living in a cloud but warm, safe and surrounded by fabulous food and wine. It was also a perfect time to take a nap after lunch. Friday turnout to be perfect. More sun than clouds. Fresh snow on the mountain tops. Our 3 hour hike took us down into the valley below, over 2,000 feet down. Beautiful views, lots of sheep and fall crocuses. Lunch and beer at a Refugio Fedare ( 6,500 feet) before taking the chairlift back up to the Refugio Averau to spend our last night before hiking back to Passo Falzarego this morning. Another perfect hiking day. We then took the bus back to Alta Badia to pick up our luggage. A car service is taking us us to the village of Ortisei for our last 3 nights in the Dolomites.

Love to all,

Barbara and Joe

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow! What a Ride!’”

— Hunter S. Thompson

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

We have reached the end of our hiking journey. After breakfast, a car service will drive us to Verona where we will catch our flight to Frankfurt, Germany and then on to Boston. We should arrive Boston at 8:39 pm Tuesday. We have loved our trip to the Dolomites and we are already planning out return trip here in 2029. With the exception of 2 days of heavy rain, the weather has been perfect for hiking. We have enjoyed all of our hotels and mountain huts but our hotel in Ortisei/St Ulrich is our absolute favorite. The Hotel Angelo Engel always provides an extraordinary lodging experience. (Hotelangelo.net) We stayed here 3 years ago ( in the same beautiful room) and we met a couple that had been coming to this hotel every September for the last 11 years. At dinner on Saturday night we had a happy reunion with them. We had two great hikes here. On Sunday we had a 5.5 mile hike to The Church of St. Jakob (also known as St. Jacob, Chiesa di San Giacoma and Dlieja da Sacun in Ladin) sits high above the steep evergreen slopes of Ortisei/St Ulrich.

It is the oldest and highest church in the valley and can only be reached by foot. The church is dedicated to Saint James, the apostle and patron saint of hikers and pilgrims. ( first 2 photos) On Monday we took on one of the most popular Tourist destinations in the Dolomites. Taking the cable car up to Seceda. It has become so popular that timed tickets are now required. Hundred and Hundreds of people. Most individuals only go up to see the amazing views at 8,260 feet. A small percentage, like us, also go up for the great hiking opportunities. Our hike on Monday was 7 miles over 5 hour including lunch at our favorite Refugio. Wonderful last day of hiking. We had lots of UPS and lots of DOWNS on this trip. But all of them were great. Be Happy.

Love to all,

Barbara and Joe

“Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder.”

— Henry David Thoreau

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