I mentioned in my post about romanticized ideas of moving to Italy that the bureaucracy is a monster who gleefully eats up your patience every time you produce more of it.
Hi Michele, where I stayed isn't Soprabolzano. If I am not mistaken, Soprabolzano is north east of the city and you get there with the Funivia del Renon. Whereas Gasthof Kohlern is directly south and is reached by Funivia del Colle. (I suppose that area could also be called Soprabolzano but I did not hear anyone referring to it that way.) I did not take Funivia del Renon but I think it is more of a dramatic gondola. Funivia del Colle wasn't scary.
We spent time in Bolzano area 6 years ago in the Fall. It was wonderful then too. The infrastructure for biking is impressive with bike paths etc. And the Otzi museum is one of a kind. I had followed the discovery in the early 90s and was so excited to see his remains and artifacts. Did you notice that he had a grain in his pouch that was Eincorn wheat which is a very low gluten ancient wheat that has had a resurgence in recent years. Thanks for sharing This adventure.
Teri! So fun to hear you "met" Ötzi! So, so, so, cool that this info was preserved, down to the Eincorn grain in his pouch and his last meal in his stomach. I totally want to go to the museum again!
Do you use the trenitalia site? I have always used it in Italian and haven't had problems. I wonder if the English option is not as clear 🤔 At any rate, it's about a hundred times better than the government sites I was dealing with last week. That was a serious nightmare.
I hike in the Dolomites every summer. Each region of the Dolomites is different from the other. Personally I like Alpe di Siusi (Seiser Alm). I like to stay up in the Alpe di Siusi itself so I don’t need to drive around. You can hike right out of your hotel or take a chair lift to another area that’s good for hiking. The problem with the Dolomites in summer is the enormous traffic jam in and out of the towns. So staying high up in Seiser Alm means you never have to drive from one hiking area to another.
I also enjoy Corvara in Badia. The people in the valley where Corvara is located, are Ladin, and they speak the Ladin dialect. They are friendlier and less insistent on speaking German than South Tyroleans.
That is so wonderful that you hike there every summer! After that first little taste of the area on that train journey in the 1980s, I went back a few years later with a boyfriend (we were big hikers in Sierras of California in those years and also in Nepal). We hiked in the Gruppo del Catinaccio (I guess that is on the edge of Alpe di Siusi) and also up in the Val Pusteria. Have you been there? What do you think of it compared to the Alps di Siusi? That was a hundred years ago now and I haven't had a chance since to go back in the summer. I hope to have a chance soon.
I’ve been to both places. Alpe di Siusi is the best because you have so many hiking trails up there, reachable via chair lift or cable car from the Alpe Di Siusi itself. Staying in a hotel on the Alpe di Siusi means you don’t drive at all. The only driving you have is up to the Alpe and back down. The traffic in the Dolomites is horrendous and getting worse each year.
Hiking is now a popular sport, plus the different towns have events all the time: cycling events, half marathons, etc. There are really too many people in the region especially in August. However, end of June is perfect. The Italians aren’t on holiday yet, as they go in August, and the Germans are just starting to go.
Thanks for that info. I have heard the traffic has gotten quite challenging in the summer. They say it is due to Instagram and TikTok😟 I'm glad I did so much hiking in my twenties and thirties because now I have health issues and while I can do simple hikes, I can't do what I used to. If I am able to go back to the Dolomiti in June or September, I'd need to keep the hiking low-key, which is fine, I would totally enjoy the scenery and the fresh air, and the cute villages.
I remember you mentioning being up there and seeing unknown things on the menus, LOL. What was the driving like? Roads crowded? I know the roads can get quite slowed down at Christmas time up there, but still not as much as in the summer. We chose not to drive, so we stuck with Bolzano.
You have such great adventures in fascinating and interesting places. Your stories are descriptive and thorough in their telling, always making them compelling reading. I do speak some German so Bolzano would be on my places to visit if I'm ever in that part of the world again. ❤️
I visited in April 2018 and loved it! I hope to return one day. You stayed in Soprabolzano? That cable car ride was a little scary for me. 😄
Hi Michele, where I stayed isn't Soprabolzano. If I am not mistaken, Soprabolzano is north east of the city and you get there with the Funivia del Renon. Whereas Gasthof Kohlern is directly south and is reached by Funivia del Colle. (I suppose that area could also be called Soprabolzano but I did not hear anyone referring to it that way.) I did not take Funivia del Renon but I think it is more of a dramatic gondola. Funivia del Colle wasn't scary.
Ah, yes, I took Funivia del Renon - dramatic indeed! 😄
🙈
SUCH A WONDERFUL DESCRIPTION OF A PLACE I WOULD LOVE TO VISIT,AND THE PHOTOS ARE ENTICING.
The Iceman Museum is fascinating! Thank you for sharing all these nice pictures.
It is! I want to go again 😃
We spent time in Bolzano area 6 years ago in the Fall. It was wonderful then too. The infrastructure for biking is impressive with bike paths etc. And the Otzi museum is one of a kind. I had followed the discovery in the early 90s and was so excited to see his remains and artifacts. Did you notice that he had a grain in his pouch that was Eincorn wheat which is a very low gluten ancient wheat that has had a resurgence in recent years. Thanks for sharing This adventure.
Teri! So fun to hear you "met" Ötzi! So, so, so, cool that this info was preserved, down to the Eincorn grain in his pouch and his last meal in his stomach. I totally want to go to the museum again!
Buying a train ticket online used to be a nightmare until recently!
Do you use the trenitalia site? I have always used it in Italian and haven't had problems. I wonder if the English option is not as clear 🤔 At any rate, it's about a hundred times better than the government sites I was dealing with last week. That was a serious nightmare.
I tried in both and when I inputted my US credit card, that's when the trouble started. But that was years ago. Now no problem.
Oh, yeah, I can I imagine that happening with a US credit card.
I hike in the Dolomites every summer. Each region of the Dolomites is different from the other. Personally I like Alpe di Siusi (Seiser Alm). I like to stay up in the Alpe di Siusi itself so I don’t need to drive around. You can hike right out of your hotel or take a chair lift to another area that’s good for hiking. The problem with the Dolomites in summer is the enormous traffic jam in and out of the towns. So staying high up in Seiser Alm means you never have to drive from one hiking area to another.
I also enjoy Corvara in Badia. The people in the valley where Corvara is located, are Ladin, and they speak the Ladin dialect. They are friendlier and less insistent on speaking German than South Tyroleans.
That is so wonderful that you hike there every summer! After that first little taste of the area on that train journey in the 1980s, I went back a few years later with a boyfriend (we were big hikers in Sierras of California in those years and also in Nepal). We hiked in the Gruppo del Catinaccio (I guess that is on the edge of Alpe di Siusi) and also up in the Val Pusteria. Have you been there? What do you think of it compared to the Alps di Siusi? That was a hundred years ago now and I haven't had a chance since to go back in the summer. I hope to have a chance soon.
I’ve been to both places. Alpe di Siusi is the best because you have so many hiking trails up there, reachable via chair lift or cable car from the Alpe Di Siusi itself. Staying in a hotel on the Alpe di Siusi means you don’t drive at all. The only driving you have is up to the Alpe and back down. The traffic in the Dolomites is horrendous and getting worse each year.
Hiking is now a popular sport, plus the different towns have events all the time: cycling events, half marathons, etc. There are really too many people in the region especially in August. However, end of June is perfect. The Italians aren’t on holiday yet, as they go in August, and the Germans are just starting to go.
Thanks for that info. I have heard the traffic has gotten quite challenging in the summer. They say it is due to Instagram and TikTok😟 I'm glad I did so much hiking in my twenties and thirties because now I have health issues and while I can do simple hikes, I can't do what I used to. If I am able to go back to the Dolomiti in June or September, I'd need to keep the hiking low-key, which is fine, I would totally enjoy the scenery and the fresh air, and the cute villages.
I just visited nearby Bressanone. It is SO different than Rome or Venice or Florence! I can’t wait to explore some more.
I remember you mentioning being up there and seeing unknown things on the menus, LOL. What was the driving like? Roads crowded? I know the roads can get quite slowed down at Christmas time up there, but still not as much as in the summer. We chose not to drive, so we stuck with Bolzano.
We were there in the quietest (& when lots of things are closed) time of the year so the driving & parking was easy.
Oh, like a few weeks prior to Christmas?
We went in late November. Almost everything was planning on opening the first week of December.
👌🏼
You have such great adventures in fascinating and interesting places. Your stories are descriptive and thorough in their telling, always making them compelling reading. I do speak some German so Bolzano would be on my places to visit if I'm ever in that part of the world again. ❤️
Hi Margery, great to hear you found it compelling. I hope you will get a chance to see the area!