We will be in Italy for 3 weeks in September and will spend a couple of days in Venice ( have been there before) and then drive up into the Dolomites for 6 nights. We have never been in the Dolomites. We would like to split our time there between two different towns. The will be 6 of us and some will want challenging hikes (altho not experts good experienced hikers) and others want 3 hour gentle hikes or walks and in town activities like historical tours, sightseeing or shopping. Any suggestions are most welcome.
Posted by
NYC area
2903 posts
Hi,
I'd suggest either the Alta Badia or the Val Gardena. For the shoppers/sightseeing part of the group, I'd say the Val Gardena. The 3 towns/villages are Ortisei, St. Christina and Selva, each just 5 minutes drive from one another, St. Christina being in the middle. You could easily spend all 6 nights here. The Alta Badia is a short, but amazing drive over the Gardena Pass, away. Ortisei has a pedestrian zone for the shoppers. The Mont Seuc (Seiser Alm) cable car is perfect for the "gentle" walkers. A restaurant with a large outdoor deck and Dolomite views at the top, plus paved paths, nothing very steep, into the beautiful Seiser Alm (Alpe di Siusi).
http://www.seiseralm-seilbahn.com/eng/index.html
KLausen/Chiusa is a cute old town at the entrance to the Val Gardena. 45 minutes away are the old towns of Brixen/Bressanone and Bozen/Bolzano. Brixen and Bolzano make excellent rainy day options, as both have worthwhile museums. In Bozen/Bolzano, the "Ice Man' exhibit, at the Museum of Archaeology, is excellent. In Brixen/Bressanone, the Diocean Museum is very interesting.
http://www.klausen.it/en/eisack-south-valley/chiusa-artists-city/
http://www.brixen.org/en/bressanone.html
http://www.bolzano-bozen.it/en/bolzano.htm
We have some photos from our stays in 10/03, 10/06 and 9/09 at:
www.flickr.com/photos/pjbassplyr/sets
Paul
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11315 posts
We are very fond of the Val Gardena and are headed there in July for our 5th time in 3 years. As you have ample time, I would suggest staying 2 nights IN the Alpe di Siusi then the remaining 4 in Ortisei.
In the Alpe di Siusi you will find a very unique experience. You stay in a hotel with half-pension that is right in the mountains, giving you immediate access each morning to hikes that otherwise take awhile to get to. You can take a lovely hike as recommended in Rick Steves' Guidebook such as Panorama to Zallingerhutte, or others as may be recommended by your hotel or the TI. Your breakfast and dinner are included and the hotels are lovely. We have stayed both at Alpenhotel Panorama and Hotel Saltria. Arrive in the afternoon, take a short walk, familiarize, get some advice have dinner. The next day you can hit the trail right after breakfast without having to ascend to the Aple first and get to the trailhead. Next day, transfer to Ortisei by a combination of cabinovia and bus, or take a taxi/shuttle. With 6 of you that is a cost-efficient option.
Then stay 4 nights in Ortisei. Lots of fabulous apartments as well as family-owned small hotels. Get a pass for the various lifts all over the Val Gardena and ride the lifts and hike both sides of the valley. Three days means you can see a lot/do a lot and still have time to chill. Hike to a rifugio each day for lunch with a view. There's nothing like it in the U.S. And with this nice length of time, you will most assuredly have some good weather. If it rains in the morning, it is usually beautiful in the afternoon.
PM me if you want some specifics beyond this.