While not as stunning as Lago di Braies this lake had everything I wanted - an easy hike, views of the Italian Alps in the Dolomites, and lots of seclusion. We must have seen no more than 10 other people hiking the trail. Had lunch at the restaurant on the north shore, though, the wait staff was a bit slow. Highly recommend if you're looking for seclusion in the Dolomites with beautiful lake views!
Lake Braies is stunning and a must-see for anyone visiting the Dolomites / Italian Alps. The north shore was busy with plenty of tourists who simply hung around the breathtaking views of the lake. Hiking the loop trail got us away from the crowds and was well worth the easy-to-moderate effort. One of the best hikes in the Alps by far! Highly recommend Lago di Braies.
Short walk to beautiful cascades in the stream. No one else was around. These waterfalls were a 1 minute drive from our hotel (La Court My Dollhouse) and were a great place to explore a secluded trail in Ortisei. Highly recommend if visiting the area and looking for seclusion and waterfalls!
We showed up later in the day and didn't know what to expect. Right from the trailhead, the views were stunning. A slow ascent up through the alpine valley lead to grazing cows in the open pastures with their chiming cowbells. I wanted to turn around not long after the cows but we kept hiking a bit further and I'm glad that we did. Once we reached the vast open valley near where we turned around, the trail opened up to breathtaking Alps views. Easy hiking and family-friendly. Highly recommend.
Lago di Carezza was a stunning alpine lake with unreal emerald and turquoise colors. The trail is mostly crowded on the north side of the lake so if you want solitude, head for the south shore. When we showed up, the clouds covered the alpine peaks for our entire walk so we might have to come back someday. If visiting the Dolomites this lake is a must-see for your bucketlist.
We spent almost 1 full hour exploring the castle and it was worth the entry fee. The frescoes were unreal and the castle even included some original frescoes from the 12th century. The original 12th century floors with stars, a sun and moon, were fascinating. Great views of Bolzano from the castle tower. Very fun place to poke around.
Short hike, but a favorite from the Dolomites. The trail seemed more popular and crowded than the Alpe di Siusi hike but worth a visit. The trail became a bit less crowded after passing the toll station since a lot of hikers refuse to pay and skip that section. Great food at the Sofie Hut as well.
Personally this a top 5 favorite hike. Views for virtually the entire loop of stunning alpine peaks in the Dolomites. Would hike this one again someday.
Probably one of the best easy walks on our Alps trip. The vineyards and orchards were beautiful. After our walk we stopped at the vending machine and purchased delicious local alpine cheese.
Really fun and secluded hike with great views of the vineyards. The castle ruins were a lot of fun to explore and we only saw one other couple that hiked up the road to reach the castles. Highly recommend if driving through the valley.