Days 3-4: Dolomites/Bolzano | rick-steves-italy-1

Where are we?

Encouraged by Paganini,

French Romantic Composer Hector Berlioz wrote this opera inspired by Lord Byron's poem Childe Harold's Pilgrimage.

Harold en Italie -

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DAY 3

Leaving Verona, we travelled to the most northern part of

Italy, the DOLOMITES and BOLZANO. Our

extraordinary driver, Michele, guided our bus from one hairpin turn to another until finally we reached our hotel for the next two nights, Hotel Seelaus.

The chalet-style hotel is located on the slopes of the Alpe di Siusi, the largest high altitude Alpine meadow in Europe and has a breathtaking view of the mountain peak Schlern.

Family run, it is charming, luxurious and the gourmet meals simply AMAZING!

The meadow is popular for both skiing and hiking and we were encouraged to spend our free day exploring its many trails. Not being experienced hikers, several of us chose the moderate three hour "Trail of the Witches" walk which combined an exciting cable car ride from the tourist village,

Compatsch, to the start of our walk at Puflatsch. What an

indescribable experience...blue skies, endless rolling hills and a panaramic view of the valley below.

DAY 4

Since Tyrol was part of Austria prior to WWI, that influence was evident at the food and refreshment huts we encountered along our trek. At one hut we were all serenaded by an accordian player and at another the two of us exchanged emails with a hiker from Germany!

At the beginning of our Italian tour we were asked to select "buddies", someone we didn't know who would be in charge of making sure we were "present and accounted for" each day of the trip. We were given several days to interview this "buddy" and prepare to present what we learned to the group. Following another wonderful dinner, we gathered together to do just that...

California "buddy", Michael, relaying Bill's story.

Thinking things could not get any better than this, we boarded the bus the next morning stopping along the way at Bolzano, home to 5,300-year-old Otzi. A highlight of our informative tour of the South Tirol Museum of Archaeology was actually seeing Otzi's preserved frozen body.

With generous free time given to explore this quaint city and eat lunch (learned our lesson...pizza for us!), we boarded the bus and continued our journey.