Perhaps you’ve traveled to the same beloved spot in Italy one too many times and need a change; perhaps you’re looking for something completely new and different; perhaps your favorite hotel is full. In any of these scenarios, we suggest you consider a trip to the Alto Adige region, known as Südtirol (South Tyrol) to the Austrians just a few meters on the other side of the Italian border.
One traveler’s engaging account of a journey to Bressanone might convince you: He talks of “stunning scenery” along the Brenner Pass and that charms of a town that remains wholly Italian yet undeniably influenced by Teutonic culture, including an important cathedral, a cloister with medieval frescoes, and a pharmaceutical museum.
This writer also took a short trip to Santa Maddalena, not only a charming hamlet, but also one of the best places from which to view the Dolomites [For more information on Reinhold Messner’s Mountain Museums in the Dolomites, including the final one designed by recently deceased superstar architect Zaha Hadid, click here.]. From Santa Maddalena and nearby Val di Funes (Villnoss in German), you can gaze over the Puez-Geisler peaks and the green valley with its scenic villages.
The surprising thing about the Alto Adige ( named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010) might just be how wonderful it is to visit during the summer. The Dolomites, named for the French geologist Deodat de Dolomieu who discovered them in 1789, contain a large amount of the mineral to which de Dolomieu also contributed his name. That mineral, with a high manganese content, gives the mountains a gold and then pinkish hue at sunrise and sunset.
Hiking is available at all different levels, making the summertime “Italian Alps” hospitable for families with more than one generation traveling together. Don’t forget to visit a rifugio, or mountain hut, whether for a midday meal or an overnight stay (camping in the wild is forbidden in the Dolomites). The highest peak is the 10,968-foot Marmaloda. If you trek with a guide, be sure to ask about the Ladino people and culture; the Ladini are a recognized Italian minority whose language makes the region trilingual.
By Kathy McCabe
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