The Dolomites

Day 1: Bolzano

We rendezvous in Bolzano, the capital of the Alto Adige, for our drive into the mountains to the elegant, fashionable village of Moena. There is time to explore before we meet for an Introductory Talk and Welcome Dinner.

Day 2: San Cassiano

After breakfast, we stroll through the streets of this old town and ascend to the hamlet of Sort and admire its houses characteristic of the mountain architecture. Our trail takes us through woods of spruce and pine with occasional views of Moena below to lunch in a mountain tavern at Hennenstall. We hike on through alpine landscape to Lake Carezza, much loved by Winston Churchill, who painted here, and Agatha Christie, who based her novel The Big Four here. We continue to San Cassiano, our base for the next three nights, for dinner.

Day 3: Colfosco

We drive from our hotel to Colfosco with its splendid views of the cliffs of the Sella across the valley. We take a steep, sometimes rocky, uphill trail, pausing at the Cafe Edelweiss, to Forcella (mountain pass) de Campei, at an altitude of 2366m. Mountain trails take us to a lakeside walk and the plateau of Gardenaccia with a panorama of peaks - the Owl, the Sella, the Sasso Lungo, the Vallelunga, the Scylla, Piz de Puez, the Sas Ciampac, The Sassongher. After lunch at Jimmy’s Hutte (boasting the best grappa in the Dolomites), we slowly descend by pinewood tracks and meadow paths to meet the van and return to our hotel. Dinner tonight highlights the traditional food of the Ladino people, whose language and culture are at the heart of a true Dolomite experience.

Day 4: Park Fanes Sennes Braies

We walk from the hotel, uphill along a quiet tarred road until we reach the beautiful wood of larches of the Park Fanes Sennes Braies. An undulating hike, accompanied by the sound of cow-bells clanging across the valley, with great views brings us the Church of la Croce. We stop for refreshment at the local Rifugio and continue to the Ranch Hutte da Andrè for a hearty mountain lunch in this family-run restaurant. In the afternoon, choose to walk down on meadow trails and village streets or take the van directly to the hotel.

Day 5: Capanna Alpina

A long, bracing, challenging day in the mountains: From the mountain chalet at Capanna Alpina, we ascend along a rocky trail to reach the high plateau. On a wide path, we continue through alpine pasture, where cows graze amid the flowers, to lunch in a mountain rifugio. In the afternoon, we pause to refresh our feet in the cool, sparkling water of a mountain lake before starting our easy descent by the dramatic waterfalls and gorges of the Fanes valley. We meet our van for the transfer to our hotel in famous Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Day 6: Passo Falzarego

We drive to Passo Falzarego where we admire views of the Cinque Torri (five towers) just above Cortina. We walk past WWI mountain tunnels before descending through pine woods to the cable-car which we take for lunch at the stunning restaurant, with 360 degree views, at Rifugio Scoiattolo. After lunch we take a circular walk around the Cinque Torri and visit the open-air World War I Museum, before taking the cable car to meet our van for the return to our hotel – and our Farewell Dinner - in Cortina.

Day 7: Venice

After breakfast, transfer to Venice, where we say “arrivederci”.