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Dolomites: Is this crazy? A Dolomite hike & visit Otzi in Bolzano all in one day?

Ciao! We'll be in the Dolomites for three nights/2 full days in mid June. Traveling with my kids (twins-- age 12) and my older, active parents and my husband and I. We're staying in Ortisei. Would it be crazy to do a short hike on either Seceda or Alpe di Siusi one of our mornings through early afternoon and then zip down to Bolzano in the mid to late afternoon to meet Otzi the ice guy?

Or.... would it be better, weather permitting, to have full day for Seceda; a full day for Alpe di Siusi, and then hit Otzi on our drive down to Venice?

Thanks for your input!

Posted by
638 posts

Visiting the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano where Otzi is showcased can be appreciated during a one and one half hours time from entry to exit. During my visit last year the room where he was displayed was not clearly marked although there was quite a bit of information and displays just beforehand. It will be a worthwhile adventure.

Posted by
16683 posts

We (grandparents) were there last September with our son’s family (twins 11 years old). We actually had 4 full days there and needed all of them for our hikes and bike riding. We visited the Otzi museum on our way to Venice after departing Alpe di Siusi and that worked out well. We had 3 hours in Bolzano before catching our train; we stowed our luggage in the left luggage office and walked to the museum. We spent 1.5 hours in the museum (the twins were fascinated), picked up sandwiches at a bakery as we walked back through town, and retrieved our luggage for the train ride.

You will have a simpler task with the car to hold your luggage. So I would advise you to make the museum a stop on your way to Venice. I would not have wanted to give up even half a day in those glorious mountains to drive down to Bolzano and see the museum. Unless, of course, it is pouring rain for those hours. But we had perfect weather every day.

Posted by
5 posts

Hi Lola, we too will have 2 full days and trying to determine what hikes (where to eat). We three are all Rocky Mountain hikers and looking for suggestions on how best to spend our days. If you have a preference, which hike (s) did you love the most? Not sure we want a 8 hour hike day but certainly open some longer day hikes too. We have a car and able to move to any starting point. Since our time is short before heading to Venice, we are trying to streamline choices. So far, the RS community has offered amazing ideas and shortcuts to the endless hours of research for this vacation but this particular stop is hard to navigate! Help - feeling overwhelmed and don't wanna miss a thing!!

thanks

Posted by
16683 posts

Hi—-I wil just mention my two favorite hikes (or areas), but without great detail because right now I am away from my home and the map resources available there (babysitting a baby granddaughter).

One is from Ortesei. Ride both states of the Seceda lift to the top station, and ascent to the cross that makes the summit. Amazing views to the next valley from there as well as down into Val Gardena. There is a good downhill party from there, engineered with metal grips to help with footing. It goes right along the ridge line for a way, then splits. We made the mistake of heading down to one of the mountain “huts” (they are actually nice restaurants, positioned as lunch spots for hikers and skiers) for lunch, then depending all the way back to Ortesei. A bad idea and very hard on my old knees. Instead, I suggest you do as we did the previous year—-follow the trail leading to Rifugio Firenze and have lunch there, then make your way to the top of the Col Raiser lift for a ride down to Santa Cristina. You can walk or catch a bus back to your car at Ortesei from there.

The route should bbe obvious when you look at a trail map. And you need not be tied to Rifugio Firenze for lunch; there are other good options. As long as you end up at the top of the Col Raiser lift you can go any way that you like. This is a nice open area and you can get a good look at the whole thing when you are up high.

The second hike is up on Alpe di Siusi and is more adventurous. You ride a lift up to Alpe di Siusi from Santa Cristina and start there. You aim for the trail that circumnavigates the Sassolungo/Sassopiatto group and take that anti-clockwise. Where the trail splits, you go left and follow the rocky trail leading to the Tony Demetz Hütte which lies in the notch between the two peaks. https://www.tonidemetz.it/en/index.php

That is your lunch stop—-it is crowded with climbers and other hikers but they should be able to make room for you with a wait. Or since you are going to ride the little lift down to the other side, you could have lunch down there. The lift—-which consists of 2-person cabins the size of a telephone booth which you jump into on the fly—-takes you down the face of that slope you see in the photo of the hut. It is quite an adventure. I have done it twice and lived to tell. :>). From the restaurant at the bottom you follow the trail around Sassolungo back to the top of the lift you rode up, and take it back down. Make sure you on schedule to arrive at the lift before it stops running!!! I know this description is vague but if you look at a hiking map it will be clear.

If that seems too rugged, you can just ride up to Alpe di Siusi using that lift from Santa Cristina, or the one up from Ortesei to Mount Sëuc, or the one going up from the town of Siusi if that works better with your lodging. With a trail map for Alpe di Siusi you can wander wherever you like and stop at a hut for lunch. I believe Rick recommends a hike using the Panorama lift or another; we have not done that, but have hiked a number of the other trails around the Alpe. It is all good.

Posted by
26 posts

Hey Guys,

We're packing for our trip and (attempting) to go carry-on Rick style. Do we need hiking shoes for the easier Dolimites hikes? Would tennis shoes be ok?

Posted by
26 posts

Also, I'm overwhelmed with all the Refugio choices. The main one Rick mentions Rauche hutte, is closed when we're there (they will be on vacation, darn them :)). We really like gourmet food. Any other suggestions?