Dolomites, Italy
In Italy’s South Tyrol region, with Kastleruth as a home base, 3 days was just enough to explore the glorious Alpe di Siusi (Seiser Alm), Ortesei, Seceda and Lago di Braeis. It left us wanting more.
Notes from Christina.
Number of Nights - 3
Time of Year - July 2023
Type of Trip - Road Trip / Family Travel
There were two anchors when we started dreaming about and planning our European Road Trip in the Summer of 2023.
I wanted to road trip down Croatia’s coast, stopping in Split and Dubrovnik.
Ryan, my husband, wanted to experience the Dolomites and the Tyrolean Alps. So, we crafted a route that would take us through both.
The typical way that most people get to the Dolomites region of Italy would be to fly into Venice and drive North for about 3 hours. We almost did this, but instead we chose to fly into Munich, Germany and drive South for 3.5 hours. Both routes are roughly the same driving time, but we opted for a direct flight from Boston to Munich with the kids.
The drive from Munich to our home base of Kasteruth was relatively easy, with Innbruck, Austria being a great midway point to get out and walk around to break up the trip, which is what we did.
I actually think that starting in Munich and Austria, both German speaking countries, better prepared us for this German-influenced region of Italy. You will notice that most things have two names – a German and an Italian name. You sometimes are not sure whether to greet someone in German or Italian, and it made it quite unique and fun.
Kastleruth / Castlerotto.
We chose this German-speaking commune (village) as our home base for our 3 nights in the Dolomites after much research. There are so many places that looked wonderful, but its high recommendation from Rick Steves due to its car-free center, cobbled streets, beautiful bell tower, and plentiful shops and restaurants with a small-town charm was one of the main selling points for us. We also knew that proximity to Alpe di Siusi / Seiser Alm was of utmost importance, as this was a place we wanted to spend the most time. I can see why Rick Steves loves it so much. Its streets were so quaint and strollable, and anything we needed was within walking distance. Not to mention the bus routes to all of the surrounding towns and the Alpe di Siusi were right in the town center. Charming doesn’t even begin to describe it; it was absolutely lovely.
I could not recommend a hotel for your stay in this region more highly. We had such a fabulous stay here that I think about it often. Our family room had bunk beds for the kids (much better than the pull-out sofa that most family rooms have), a beautiful view of the mountains with a balcony, and plenty of space. The on-site restaurant was fantastic for dinner and breakfast (if not a bit fancy for the kids, but we did enjoy one formal dinner there). There was a rock wall/fun room for the kids, parking in an underground garage, and a very knowledgeable and helpful staff. But our favorite, by far, was the rooftop spa with saunas, steam rooms, hot tub and a “sky pool” with an open ceiling and unparalleled views of the Kastleruth Bell Tower.
The Seiser Alm is the largest alpine meadow in Europe. It sits approximately 5,500 – 7,500 feet above sea level. It is an absolutely must see, and must do on your Dolomites itinerary. There is nothing like it. I had read about parking being a bit difficult, especially in the crowded summer months, so we opted to take the bus from the center of town and it could not have been easier. The bus drops you at the transportation center where you buy your tickets up the state-of-the-art cable car which brings you to the top of the meadow. From there, the opportunity for hikes and meadow strolls are endless. There are refugios and huts to stop for lunch and drinks, many with animals and parks for the children. There are walking options for all levels of abilities. Some people do through hikes and sleep in huts overnight. We spent one glorious, blue-skyed day running through flowered meadows and taking lifts to wherever and stopping for Aperol spritzes. It was picture perfect, and we cannot wait to go back one day. One day was not enough!
Ortesei / Val Gardena / Seceda
Even though we were very tempted to go back to Seiser Alm, we decided with our next full day to take the bus to a nearby village of Ortesei, located in the picture Val Gardena, which is a valley as beautiful as its name implies. After walking around the village, we took a rather scary cable car up 8,200 feet to the top of the Seceda plateau. From there, it is an easy hike over to the striking top of Mt. Seceda to take in the views.
Lago di Braies / Pragser Wildsee
Lago di Braies is one of the most Instagram-famous locations in the area. It is a lake known for its crystal-clear turquoise water with a dramatic mountain backdrop, and quaint wooden boathouse and row boats that have become a craze on social media. We were passing this area on our way out of the Dolomites, heading to Slovenia, so we stopped here to break up the drive. We got coffee at a stand and walked around the lake. But it was very over-crowded and touristy. It was definitely beautiful, but in my opinion could be skipped unless it is off-season or off-hours.
