Hi. I'm attending a conference in Austria but really want to see the Dolomites - so, I'm going to Italy, but only have 3 days including travel days to do it. Someone had recommended that I consider Val Gardena, but when searching for a hotel in Val Gardena, a hotel in Colfosco came up, and I reserved there - after which I realized, I'm not actually in Val Gardena though it's sort of near - I'm not sure if I made the best decision. Hoping someone who knows the region well can advise. Not knowing the area, it seems like Colfosco is as beautiful as Val Gardena. One concern is that we will be taking train from Innsbruck to Brexin (Bressanone) and then will have nearly a 90 minute taxi ride to our hotel, though I'm not sure that Val Gardena is a signfiicantly shorter taxi ride - is it? We like the idea of really being in the mountains, and in the country, but we'll probably have to leave the hotel in Colfosco at 6:30 a.m. which is before sunrise to get 8 a.m. train to get to Vienna in time for start of conference - so the taxi ride is long and costly, but in addition, some of it may be in the dark both coming and going, so we won't get to fully appreciate the scenery. Colfosco is doable and looks amazing, and we got a great hotel - but wondering if we should look for something different because of our time factor. Renting a car is not an option for us, and there's no flexibility about time/dates now (it's in Sept). The hotel room in Colfosco is only $105 per night which is good for us, and the hotel has great reviews (Hotel Nature Delta). Physically, my travel partner and I are not able to do really strenuous hiking, more like minimal walking - but want to see the mountains; fabulous mountains hikes are mostly not really doable for us. So I like having great views from hotel and trails that go from hotel parking lot, which we have at our hotel - not sure how far we'll walk, but I know we'll get some beautiful views. Thanks for any advice re location for visit to Dolomites.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11364 posts
Go to the Val Gardens. You can take a bus from Bressnone or Bolzano in less than one hour for little money. Stay in Ortisei as it is closest. If you need a cab from the bus piazza to your hotel it is cheap. Your hotel will give you a bus pass you can use throughout the area and for the return to the train station. From Ortisei you can ride three magnificent lifts to stellar views. Buy a pass with the money you save on the taxis. Take the Promenade Walk, which is super easy and beautiful right in town.
Posted by
NYC area
2914 posts
Colfosco will not be convenient at all. Yes, it's not far from the Val Gardena, but you need to drive over the Gardena Pass, a high mountain road with severe elevation changes and plenty of switchbacks. This alone takes about 30 minutes. Colfosco is in the Alta Badia, the next valley over from Val Gardena. The Gardena Pass joins the two valleys.
I'd go with any of the 3 villages in the Val Gardena. They are all close to one another, maybe 5 minutes from one to the next. I'd change the Colfosco plan.
Paul
Posted by
Green Bay
20256 posts
There is an hourly bus (Mon-Sat, less frequent Sun) from San Lorenzo train station to Colfosco. Bus 460. Get to San Lorenzo by changing trains at Fortezza before you get to Bressanone. If you want a taxi direct to your hotel, maybe get off at Corvara, as it is a bigger town and taxi availability a bit better.
Edit- Looks like you can leave Colfosco at 6:21 and be at Innsbruck Hbf by 9:38 on a weekday. Get the 10:17 Railjet from there to Vienna, arriving at 14:30. Does that work?
Use Suedtirol route planner for transport as for as Innsbruck. https://www.sii.bz.it/en
Use www.oebb.at for train between Innsbruck and Vienna.
Posted by
OP
9 posts
Thanks very much for the advice, Paul, and Laurel. I am looking at Ortisei just now. Martha
Posted by
OP
9 posts
Sam, thank you for your suggestion for making Colfosco work. I will look into those logistics. Because our time schedule is already so tight, making more connections with train or bus may be difficult, but good to know about these options, and I will out schedules etc, thank you very much. I am leaning more toward Val Gardena instead, but have to see what my travel partner thinks. Thanks.
Posted by
Green Bay
20256 posts
See my edit. The Suedtirol route planner works for anywhere in Suedtirol/Alto Adige, including Val Gardena.
Posted by
Portland, OR
1091 posts
I completely agree with Laurel. Go to Ortisei. It's the best option from a logistics perspective and it simply breathtaking. We stayed at this hotel two years ago and had a front row seat to Dolomites and a balcony for a very reasonable rate http://www.hotel-fortuna.it/en/Default.asp. You can walk in to town in two minutes from here and then if you do want to go up to the Alpe Di Siusi, the funicular to do so is right there. For us, this was the quintessential Dolomites experience.
Posted by
OP
9 posts
Sam, thank you for the links and further information. Yes, to get to Vienna by around 2:30 p.m. is perfect.
Posted by
OP
9 posts
Thanks for your suggestion also, April. I'm looking at everything and trying to decide, but it seems like Colfosco and Val Gardena are both beautiful and doable. Thank you.