We started at the Milan airport where picked up the rental car (Kajar) from Hertz. It was a warm and sunny day with beautiful scenery. It took 4 hours to get to Bolzano, we headed to Verona and then proceeded north. The views on the road from Verona to Bolzano were only a hint of what we would experience in the Dolomites. We arrived in Bolzano and to my surprise it was crowded and much more touristy than I was expecting. The hotel was a bit of a pit with a crappy bed and hard pillows. We came to Bolzano specifically to go to the Archeological Museum and to eat at In Viaggio which was jut issue its first Michelin Star this year.
In Viaggio was amazing. It was one of our top 5 meals of all time (Le Bra, Willows INN #1, Exobi and Arzak in San Sebastian). We had the 5 course meal which was really 12 courses with all the surprise courses that appeared at the table. As good as the food was the Chef was even more impressive. The restaurant is in a 17C palazzo and Chef Claudio Melis takes guests on an enjoyable gastronomic journey visiting places with a connection to the chef’s past. The dishes are skillfully prepared, but the chef is there to serve everyone and explain the significance of the food. He really seems to love what he is doing. There were 5 tables and only 12 places are served every night.
That was Saturday night, the next day was Sunday and we woke to church bells and and an antique car show outside our hotel. It was fun to see all the finally crafted Italian cars. Then we went to the Archeological Museum to see Otzi the 5,000 year old man. The museum was well done and the story of Otzi is told in a cptivating way. The actual body of Otzi is kept in a special freezer and everyone has a opportunity to take a look at the body. Very impressive museum.
From Bolzano we made our way to The Miramonti Hotel outside of Merano. The views fro the hotel were amazing. The hotel has an expansive view of the mountains and is in a fairly isolated part of the Dolomites. The rooms and the service were truly first class. The grounds had hiking trails, pools, a picturesque church and Halflinger horses. According to Wikipedia – The Haflinger, is a breed of horse developed in Austria and northern Italy during the late 19th century. Haflinger horses are relatively small, are always chestnut with flaxen mane and tail, have distinctive gaits described as energetic but smooth, and elegant.
We ate our meal ate the hotel and sat after dinner with an amaro at the fire pit. The next day we went to Lana and took the chair lift, which took a tranquil 15 minutes to get to the top of the mountain. This was the Vigiljoch /San Vigilio chair lift. At the top we were able to walk a good disytance to an old church on a hill top and there were more Haflinger horses to look at. We returned to the cable car and had a rustic lunch before heading back to the Miramont. Had New Zealand steak called Blue Ocean for dinner along with a bottle of Elena Walch’s red blend.
The next day (October 1), we left the Miramonti and headed for Ortisei in the Val Gardena. Our first stop was about 45 minutes away at Orchid museum, which was more like orchid nursery. We strolled and saw some interesting plants and then had lunch there. We left and continued the climd to Ortisei. The elevation was getting steeper and the there was a lot more signage in German. We decided to make a stop at the Alpe di Siusi funivia (cable car). It was a little cloudy and we were not sure of the vistas and we also did not know what type of weather we would have over the next few days. The funivia system is used for skiing and when we arrived at the landing after a 15 minute ride, we had many options for hiking. Joanne’s knee was giving her some trouble, she we did a small walk with the weather remained cloudy with an occasional sun break. It was a good introduction to the area, but we wished it was clearer to appreciate the vistas. After that, we drove to Ortisei and had trouble find the Adler Spa which would be home for the next 3 days. When we finally arrived we were very impressed with the hotel, which had an underground connect to a second Adler property in Ortisei. It was true Spa with everyone walking in terry robes on their way to the pool or spa treatments. We ate at the hotel every night and we were very impressed with he food and the level of the service. We actually ate 3 meals there every day. The food was excellent, with a little regional flair.
The next day, Oct 2, was cloudy and a little rainy. It turned into our Spa day and that was very relaxing. The following day (Oct. 3) was a glorious sunny day. There was not a cloud in the sky. We took the Seiser Alm cable car which in the center of Ortisei to the top of the mountain. Unfortunately, Joanne’s knee was still giving her problems. She ended up resting at the Adler hotel on the mountain. I walked on my own and took a number of pictures. The vistas were stunning. The beauty on the Dolomites is you feel very close to the mountain peaks without having to climb in elevation to get the best vistas. I hope to get back to that exact spot some day. After lunch we took the funicular Alpe Resciesa, which was at the back end of Ortisei. The ride climbs to 2,200 meters through woods and meadows with some spectacular views. We were not as impressed with the walking trails. There were a number of trails that required some hiking polls and looked like a steep climb. We headed for a flatter path and had some nice views, but I felt the morning hike was much more impressive. We also did the funicular at the end of the time and were time constrained.
