Hello - my wife and I are looking for suggestions of where to stay to experience three nights/day hikes in the Dolimites.
Last Euro trip we stayed in Swiss Alpine village of Murren. Each day taking the tram up and spending afternoon hiking back down to our hotel. Ideally a charming Italian alpine village at the base of tram system to take us up. Spectacular mountains views, fresh air and simple accommodations would suite us fine.
Suggestions?
You will find all that in the Val Gardena villages of Ortesei, Santa Cristina, or Selva. Lifts go up both sides of the valley to access wonderful hiking.
Also lots of hiking opportunities for all hiking abilities at the Alpe de Siusi near Castelrotto. There is a lift to the plateau and more lifts for hiking higher up altitudes. Gorgeous scenery. Enjoy.
dave,
I'd also suggest looking at the area around Alpi di Siusi, as there are LOTS of trails in that area, with many accessible by chair lifts. I stayed in Castelrotto and quite enjoyed it there, and it's possible to hike from there to Alpi di Siusi. The average hiking times are shown on THIS sign at Marinzen which is on the hill above Castelrotto.
I would echo Lola's advice for the Val Gardena. You can hike one side of the valley in the morning and a different one in the afternoon. You can travel by lift from Ortisei to the Alpe di Siusi, hike across the alpe and descend the other side, returning to Ortisei by bus. Makes a fabulous day!
We find ourselves torn between the Lauterbrunnen Valley and the Val Gardena for favorite hiking spot. The food is better in Italy, though, and so is the exchange rate. :-)
We went for a week last year and are returning again this summer and staying in Selva, in this hotel:
http://www.hotel-corona.it/en/welcome.html
We enjoy getting the half-board: great food, huge selection, good chef. Good rate for the hotel and the food. We hike all day, come home, and enjoy just being "home", going downstairs for lovely multi-course meal and walk upstairs to go to bed.
Furthermore, we travel with our cat and they are very accommodating. The cat likes the place, too. :-)
The hotel is a member of the Valgardena Active organization--and many of the guided hikes, bike rides, etc., etc. are free to guests staying at member hotels. http://www.valgardena-active.com/public/selva/en/summer
Also, this hotel will give you a pass to ride the bus that goes from town to town (places like Ortisei, Santa Cristina, Castelorotto, etc) for FREE. So you park your car and really don't need it again until you are ready to go.
Val Gardena has wonderful trails for all skill levels and a great transportation system. If you stay in Selva, Ortisei, or S. Christina you can easily hop on a bus that will take you to the lifts in any of the other villages in just a few minutes. The Val Gardena Card pass gives you access to the buses and most of the lifts without the need to purchase individual tickets. I'd also recommend Gillian Price's hiking guides for the Dolomites from Cicierone Press, along with the #05 Val Gardena-Alpe di Siusi 1:25,000 map from Tabacco, as wonderful planning tools.
http://www.amazon.com/Shorter-Walks-Dolomites-selected-Cicerone/dp/1852846585/ref=pd_bxgy_14_text_y/180-0840306-6435303
http://www.amazon.com/Walking-Dolomites-Cicerone-Guides-Gillian/dp/1852843853
http://www.omnimap.com/catalog/hiking/tabacco.htm
Another vote for Ortisei. We stayed here http://www.hotel-fortuna.com/en/Default.asp
We had incredible views of the mountains and town. We were just two blocks off the main town and funicular to the Alpe du Suisi. The hotel owner gave us great tips for places to eat and hike. It was exactly what we were looking for.
Hi Dave,
For a simple but very nice accommodation, we stayed at the Garni Ariston in St. Christina, which is between Ortisei and Selva. Both towns/villages are about 5 minutes away. The bus stop is just a short walk from the Garni.
If you've never been to the Dolomites, brace yourself, they're spectacular. As a bonus, the best of Austrian and Italian cuisine and pastries. What's not to love? We've been to Switzerland, including a 4 night stay in Wengen, once. We've been to the Dolomites 4 times now.
Paul
