Italy - ilivetotravel's travel log

Beautiful Sirmione, Lake Garda’s Jewel

7 April 2023 by Raul Leave a Comment

The town of Sirmione, Lake Garda is on the northern tip of a tiny peninsula that juts out of the lake’s southern shores. Lake Garda is the largest of Italy’s northern lakes and is very close to Verona.

I had never heard of it until 2021 when I went to the area to hike in the Dolomites. At that time, I was doing an overnight in Verona and decided to hop on the train for the short ride to Peschiera del Garda. Peschiera sits at the southeastern tip of the lake and just a little closer to Verona.

Second time visiting Lake Garda

In 2022, I got to return to Verona and decided that perhaps I would not overnight there but, instead, somewhere on Lake Garda’s shore. I started researching alternatives to Peschiera and discovered Sirmione. I opted for making a stop in Verona along the way for lunch at a restaurant I discovered the prior year, and then spending the balance of the day enjoying Sirmione.

Sirmione has a little bit of everything!

To enter the heart of the town, you must cross a bridge and go through the main gate. Once you enter the gate into the old town, it is pedestrian – for the most part. There are oodles of places to eat, have some gelato or perhaps a beverage.

Sirmione, Lake Garda, peninsula, Verona, Italy's lake district, medieval castle, roman villa, roman ruins, lake boat ride

Sirmione is known for thermal baths, for being a beautiful “town”, for its resort-like R&R offerings, and its amazing old medieval castle.

There are also the ruins of a Roman villa on the tip of the peninsula itself! This town has it all.

A different way to appreciate Sirmione

We opted for a boat ride around the peninsula to appreciate the town from a different vantage point. The tour boats are usually located right outside of the gate to the town; easy to find. The boat ride was super fun as our captain/guide was quite a character. I recommend going right before the sun begins to lower for the best light for photos!

Our lodging right outside the town gate

We stayed outside of the town but almost as close to the gate as possible on the west side of the peninsula. It is a skinny peninsula with only one road. Our hotel was small and super nice. My room’s balcony faced the park in the direction of the town’s gate but if I just looked left, I had a view of the lake.

While Sirmione may be off the main path of most tourists visiting Italy, if you want to branch out and see a different Italy in a beautiful natural setting, Sirmione is it!

Filed Under: Europe, Europe, Italy, Italy, Travel Journal Tagged With: Italy's lake district, Lake Garda, medieval castle, Peninsula, roman ruins, roman villa, Sirmione, verona

A Unique Spot in Verona: Piazza dei Signori

8 January 2023 by Raul Leave a Comment

The Piazza dei Signori (or, “Piazza of the Gentlemen”) is right next to the more famous (and impressive) Piazza delle Erbe in the heart of Verona, Italy. It likely earned its name as it is surrounded by important buildings or “palazzos”. It is not as old as the Piazza delle Erbe – and it is perhaps less “electric”. However, the buildings that surround it are impressive from an architectural and historical standpoint.

Finding this lesser-known piazza

Coming from the Piazza delle Erbe, one enters the piazza through an alley above which hangs a large whale bone. Legend has it that it will fall once someone who has never lied walks under it. I have walked under it on two different visits to Verona and I can report it did not fall on me.

Piazza dei Signori, Verona, Italy, italia, architecture, Palazzo della Raggione, history, Dante Alighieri, Divine Comedy, italian squares, whale bone — Look up!

If you keep going you will enter the large piazza surrounded by interesting buildings, some cafes and a large open space with a statue at its center. Of course, the piazza has entries on all sides so it connects well to other parts of the old town.

The next photo is taken looking back from the Piazza dei Signori towards the alley where the whale bone hangs.

Piazza dei Signori, Verona, Italy, italia, architecture, Palazzo della Raggione, history, Dante Alighieri, Divine Comedy, italian squares, lamberti tower — Looking at the Palazzo della Raggione (left)

Important buildings all around

From the Loggia of the Council to a small church, the square is dotted by buildings that have housed administrative, political and judicial offices. They were built many centuries ago. For example, the Palazzo del Capitanio was built in the 14th century and the Loggia in the 15th. However, many of these buildings have undergone changes and renovations over the centuries, as can be expected. Their styles seem to differ enough to my untrained eye with the Loggia being more different than the others.

Piazza dei Signori, Verona, Italy, italia, architecture, Palazzo della Raggione, history, Dante Alighieri, Divine Comedy, italian squares

I would not call it a pretty square though it is charming enough. Verona’s Piazza delle Erbe or Krakow‘s main square, for example, best it in beauty and charm. But this piazza conveys well how these cities were run centuries ago through the history of these palazzos (OK, “palazzi” in proper Italian…).

One cool and grand staircase

The Palazzo della Ragione sits on the alley that connects the Piazza delle Erbe and the Piazza dei Signori. Construction of the palazzo started late in the 12th century but the building kept getting modified/added on for centuries. It evolved with the needs of the time. And it has served many purposes: political, administrative, and even commercial, hosting markets. Today the palazzo hosts a modern art museum and a district court.

The palazzo has an inner courtyard (also called Courtyard of the Old Market) with one of the most spectacular outdoors staircases I have seen in Italy: Scala della Ragione. I did not know to go find it. I just accidentally discovered it. The lesson from this is to pop in any open entranceway one runs into when exploring a town!

Piazza dei Signori, Verona, Italy, italia, architecture, Palazzo della Raggione, history, Dante Alighieri, Divine Comedy, italian squares, torre lamberti, scalla della raggione

Climb and check out Verona from up high

If you have read other posts in this blog, you may have read that I enjoy climbing any tower or dome that gives me a great bird-eye’s view of any town.

Thankfully, the Palazzo della Ragione hosts the Torre dei Lamberti. This is the structure towering over the Scalla della Raggione in the photo above. This 84-meter tower offers a great 360 degree view of Verona. The tower was initially built in 1172 by the Lamberti family. If I understood right, it was made taller a little later (notice in the photo how it changes about halfway up).

Piazza dei Signori, Verona, Italy, italia, architecture, Palazzo della Raggione, history, Dante Alighieri, Divine Comedy, italian squares , view from above. tower in verona — Looking down towards Piazza d. Signori towards the river

The good news: there is an elevator for the climb so it is not all based on self-propulsion! And the ticket gives access to the modern art museum in the palazzo.

The main attraction: Dante Alighieri

As you can see, I discovered things I was unaware of. However, what drew me to this piazza was to see the statue to a famous guest resident of Verona: Dante Alighieri. Dante is Italy’s most pre-eminent poet and, possibly, of letters overall, not just poetry. The Divine Comedy with its hell, purgatory and heaven was written by an imaginative Dante in poetry form.

Dante, a Florentine by birth, exiled himself from his home town due to political drama. He never returned to Florence and is actually buried in Ravenna. At the 600th anniversary of his birth in the 19th century, the Veronese built the statue we now see in the piazza in his honor.

There is a lot to see in Verona. This piazza, though not the most famous of the sites in Verona, is well worth the visit.

Filed Under: Europe, Europe, Italy, Italy, Travel Journal Tagged With: architecture, dante alighieri, Italia, Italy, palazzo della raggione, torre lamberti, verona

Dante, Dante, Where Are Thou? (As in Alighieri)

22 November 2022 by Raul Leave a Comment

Dante Alighieri‘s Divine Comedy is a masterpiece of allegory, sharing with us the growth of the main character (Dante himself) as he traverses hell, purgatory and heaven. It has inspired many through the centuries (many centuries) since it was written. Including The Masquerade at Excelsior Mill in Atlanta with its three epic levels of hell, purgatory and heaven. But I digress.

Once an exile, always an exile

Dante was born in 1265 in Florence, Italy so he has been known for a LONG time. Due to politics (apparently, a nasty business not just in modern times), he had to flee his native town. Back then, Florence was a powerful republic, not just a city as we know it today.

He fled and took refuge in Verona, of Romeo and Juliet fame, where he is honored in a square – postcard #1.

Verona, Dante Alighieri, Divine Comedy, Divina Comedia, Italia, Italy

His Divine Comedy is a poem and I understand it is a brilliantly designed one in its original language: Italian. That -and a recent two-week trip- motivated me to learn Italian. I was able to actually hold conversations in Italian thanks to that effort. Though I am sure I butchered it a lot. In any case, he is the Shakespeare, the Cervantes of Italy and he pre-dates them. He is from the Middle Ages!

Death threat and actual death in Ravenna

Anyway, he was exiled on perpetuity and the pain of returning was being burned at the stake so one can understand why he did not return.

Sadly, he died at 56 of malaria in the Adriatic coastal city of Ravenna. Ravenna became an important city as Rome descended into chaos. It became capital of the Western Roman Empire in the early 5th century.

And that leads me to postcard #2 – his tomb in Ravenna. This tomb is from the 18th century. No, he did not live that long. Over the centuries, Florence regretted casting out this most famous of its sons and tried to get his remains back and even built a tomb. But, it remains empty as Ravenna has kept him all this time, even hiding his remains for some period of time to ensure they were not taken away. I think Ravenna should keep him…

Dante Alighieri, Ravenna, Dante tomb, Italy, Italia, Divina Comedia, Divine Comedy

How to read the Divine Comedy

I hope this unusual post in my blog was entertaining if nothing else. And, if you have never read the Divine Comedy, I recommend you do it. But with some guide to explain it along as there are a lot of hidden meanings, parallels across stories in the book, etc. It is well worth discovering this gem of Middle Age (or any age) literature – and if you can do it in Italian, even better!

Filed Under: Italy, Italy, Travel Journal Tagged With: dante alighieri, divine comedy, Italy, ravenna, verona

Hiking to the Best Views of the Dolomites: Lagazuoi

13 March 2022 by Raul Leave a Comment

After spending a great night at Rifugio Kostner, who could be blamed for not wanting to leave such a cool spot? But, that is the trekking life, not staying in one spot.

sunrise, mountains, Dolomites, hiking, Italy, Italia, Lagazuoi — Red arrow points to our destination: Lagazuoi

Destination: Lagazuoi

So off we went to get to Lagazuoi, a mountain known as much for WW I history as for its beautiful setting. Lagazuoi sits at 9,301 ft – 2,835m, a short 18 kms from Cortina d’Ampezzo. The mountain had many tunnels dug by both sides (Italians and Austrians) as a way to protect themselves and/or try to surprise the opponent. All this land was part of the Austrian Empire until Italy attacked it early in WW I. You can read a little more about it here.

Starting the hike; bye Pordoi

We began the day with a great breakfast as is to be expected in these mountain rifugios (photo on my prior day’s post). Then, for the sake of getting to our next rifugio before sunset, took a little shortcut to come down from Pordoi: we took the chair lift down. Personally, saving a downhill is kindness to my knees so no complaints. And, like the day before, an easy start to a long day is nice.

sunrise, mountains, Dolomites, hiking, Italy, Italia, R. Kostner — Headed up to the chair lift.

sunrise, mountains, Dolomites, hiking, Italy, Italia, rifugio Kostner — One final look back at R. Kostner (middle left)

A different trail ahead

The start of the actual hike was very different than the rocky / pebbly trails of the prior day. I don’t know the technical terms for the landscape but low grasses and lots of green ruled the start of the day.

sunrise, mountains, Dolomites, hiking, Italy, Italia, Lagazuoi, Kostner — Beautiful trails

sunrise, mountains, Dolomites, hiking, Italy, Italia — Time for a break and absorb the views!

Many spots offered a view back to Pordoi (and Rifugio Kostner, if I zoom into the photo). It is a neat way to see where we’d been. Later, we would be offered another, even better viewpoint to watch the sun set.

OK, some rocks

We still encountered rocky terrain but no massive downhill covered with scree. But the paths, hugging the rock walls, were simply enjoyable.

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking,

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, technical hiking — A few steps and rope were involved here but not too technical

Approaching Lagazuoi Mountain

We concluded the hike by approaching the Funivia Lagazuoi which would take us to the feet of our next lodging: Rifugio Lagazuoi.

My feet were pretty beat and I was in need of taking my boots off. When we reached the top, we still had a steep hill to climb but, guess what? That just made the big beer I got that much more savory!

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, cable car — The view down from the ride; and the rifugio almost at hand…

Majestic views of the Dolomites

Lagazuoi also offered an outdoor deck with majestic views. This rifugio was bigger than the last one and the one from day 1. Many more rooms, a larger deck, and a much larger dining area. Our floor only had 2 showers for a large number of rooms so we took a number and just let each other know when their number was getting close to not lose the spot. Thankfully, no lack of hot water!

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, rifugio in the dolomites — Part of the deck; my room was one of those balconies

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, sunset — We would reach the top of the mountain on the right to watch the sun set

Just a little more hiking at sunset

But the one thing that set this rifugio aside was fantastic vantage point to watch the sunset a short up-hill walk away. The sun would set over the Pordoi massif where we had hiked and stayed the day/night before.

And now posing the in the other direction! I look tired…

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, sunset, clouds, cloudporn, — This photo almost looks eerie… what do you see? I see an old woman’s head & hair

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, sunset, sky, skyporn, yellow sky — A fellow trekker just soaking it all in…

It was a peaceful place and it was well worth the walk up to the spot, despite tired feet. I am sure you will agree after seeing the sunset pics.

Oh, wait, but the food…

Yes, the food was really good. The double-carb first plate was absolutely perfect. The main dish was a little less impressive but the dessert made up for it!

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, food, pasta, risotto — First dish

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, sunset, food, main entree — The main entree

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, apple strudel in Italy, dessert, sweets, foodporn — Perfect picture to end this post!

Stay tuned for the final posts about this trek in the Dolomites!

Filed Under: Dolomites, Dolomites, Europe, Europe, Hiking, Hiking, Italy, Italy Tagged With: dolomites, Italia, Italy, senderismo, trekking

A Phenomenal Spot to Chill in the Dolomites

27 February 2022 by Raul 6 Comments

The third day of my hike in the Dolomites had me being driven from the Sasso Lungo area to a cable car (funivia) leading to Sass Pordoi. It is a nice way to ease into a hiking day to start with a short drive as, unbeknownst to me, this day was not going to be an easy one! But the whole day was full of experiences and views I would not trade as we made our way from Sass Pordoi (9,343 ft – 2,848m) to the Rifugio (Hütte) Kostner (8,366 ft – 2,550 m) at the Sella Group (east of the Langkofel, north of the Marmolada). Hiking and -then- chilling in the Dolomites is for me!

Dolomites, hiking, Italia, Italy, travel, outdoors — Here we are at the 25th switchback out of so many (I stopped looking)

The grandeur of the Dolomites

The views from the cable car exit point at Sass Pordio were fantastic. It was 41F (5C) when we got up there around 9:40AM but, with those views, who cares!

Dolomites, hiking, Italia, Italy, travel, outdoors, Sass Pordoi, funivia, terrazza delle dolomite — The entrace to the funivia and the board at the top

Dolomites, hiking, Italia, Italy, travel, outdoors, Sasso Lungo, massif, funivia Sass Pordoi — Behind me, the Sasso Lungo massif where I stayed the prior night, Facing me, the sun.

The back trail to Rifugio Kostner

We walked a short distance and we got to a small rifugio (Forcella Pordoi). It was too early in the day’s hike for a stop so I knew we would continue along the nice trail ahead. Looking to the right, flanked by two large stone massifs was a path down that I assumed would be a black slope in the winter if not a double diamond. And then I learned that was the path we were going to continue one.

Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner — The gap through which we would descend…

I t was quite the sight… Ahead was a snaky path down over scree that required a lot of skill (we were reminded of the technique to handle the terrain). I can’t recall how long it took us to make it all the way down but I “mastered” the technique after like 10 mins when I decided I needed to pass those who had not quite mastered it yet as watching people take mis-steps sort of put me on edge and I was risking a solid slip-n-fall. I ended up catching up with two of my fellow hikers in the lead and we got a nice break while we waited for the rest of the gang to make it down to the lowest point we would hit, before hanging a left.

Rocks-n-Slopes ‘R Us

Right when we made the left, we hit a very rocky path along route 626. It would be on-and-off rocky / boulder-y which was a little scarier than the downhill scree as a fall would be potentially more painful / risky. I walked with good care and had a couple of almost-falls that felt painful on my left arm as I suddenly swung my hiking pole to prevent the falls. Those brusque movements contributed to a partial tear on my rotator cuff as I would learn weeks after the hike. But, no pain, beyond a fleeting moment, those couple of times or during the remaining part of the trek, thankfully…

Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — The rocky path

Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada, route 626 — Route 626 shows the way! Still rocky

Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — Look at the leg span and that guy is over 6 ft tall!

The path closely followed the massif wall. Finally, we were a tad more than an hr away!

We seemed to be hugging a large massif. At some point we ran into WWI barbed wire. This whole region was engaged in WWI skirmishes and battles on-and-off for three solid years; the highest altitude battle site of that scale. More died due to particularly bitter winters or due to avalanches… There were a few mountains that were partially blown-up for tactical reasons during those years. The next day we would stay atop one of those…

In any case, at some point, we turned a “corner” and off in the distance we could see our rifugio for the night. It seemed so close… yet, it would take another hour to reach it. So close, yet so far…

Perfect spot for chilling in the Dolomites

But what a reward for our efforts! Rifugio Kostner was my favorite of all the rifugios and that is saying a lot because I liked all. It is run by the Agreiter family and you can tell by looking at the staff that most are related. They were not the typical loud, smiley, friendly Italian but were very service-oriented and ran the place ship-shape; my kind of place! It was neat to see them take their dinner together after they cleaned up from our dinner.

sunset, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — The dining room

It had a great outdoor deck to enjoy the views after finishing the hike, a generous piece of their apple strudel loaded with real cream, and some vino (we discovered Lagrein wine during this trip – it became one of my favorites).

Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada, Veneto — Enjoying the deck and the sun!

apple strudel, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — That was DELICIOUS and DECADENT. All this hiking

Seeing that piece of strudel and the cream you may understand why after days and days of hiking I did not lose a pound of weight (thankfully, neither did I gain).

Lagrein wine, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — Nice Lagrein wine

wine, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — Hard to beat!

Sunset & sunrise in the Dolomites

The views were magnificent in broad daylight, sunset or sunrise as the pics below will show (though they will not do justice).

wine, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada, sunset — Sun setting behind the massif

sunrise, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — Sunrise the next morning – just stunning

Food at Rifugio Kostner

Of course, the meal deserved its own homage through this small collage – as did the breakfast…

dinner at rifugio, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — Everything was outstanding!

breakfast, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — Perfect to start a hiking day!

Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada — Departing view. Such a cool place!

Want to read more about my hike in the Dolomites. Check out:

Day 1 – Rosengarten Massif
Day 2 – Sassolungo Massif

Filed Under: Dolomites, Dolomites, Hiking, Hiking, Italy, Travel Journal Tagged With: Italia

The Best of Venice – Get Lost in Its Neighborhoods

21 November 2021 by Raul Leave a Comment

In a prior post, I shared some images of Venice‘s majestic boulevard: its Grand Canal. From the modern pedestrian bridge near the train station to the iconic Rialto Bridge to St. Mark’s Square – and many palazzos in between, that post showcased Venice but now, the best of Venice!

However, I enjoy Venice a lot more when I begin meandering the alleys and small piazzas “far” from the tourist areas anchored on the Grand Canal. I say far in quotation marks because Venice is not that big and you are never far from the Grand Canal given its grand meandering that always manages to disorient me. You think you may be at the opposite end of Venice if you judge by the Grand Canal’s route but then you look at a map and see that really are not far at all from the other end of Venice!

While tourist Venice can be overwhelming most times of the year with the crowds, its back alleys can be a different story. And you get to see more of how locals live – and remember Venice is a residential place, not just a tourist attraction for us visitors.

So, I stop writing here and share images of the Venice I love the most!

best of venice, venice neighborhoods, italy, italia, exploring venice

Filed Under: Europe, Europe, Italy, Italy, Travel Journal Tagged With: architecture, Italy, Venice

Venice’s Splendor Is Best Seen from Its Grand Canal

7 November 2021 by Raul Leave a Comment

Venice must be one of the most photographed cities in the world and the views from the Grand Canal, the wildly curvy main thoroughfare of the city, are likely the main object of such photos. In this “postcard” post, I will share Venice’s splendor from its great waterway. Many of the buildings along the way are palazzos (or “palazzi” to be proper) that may serve now as hotels or museums.

In another post, I will share some images of what’s beyond this most touristy section of Venice. It is Venice’s back alleys and squares that fascinate me and really make the city appeal to me as a visitor.

But for now, enjoy the Grand Canal!

Venice's splendor, Venezia, Italia, Italy, Italie, Grand Canal, St. Mark, gondola, tourism, travel — Modernity greets you near the bus station

Though this is a postcard type of post (mainly photos), I will share that catching the number 1 vaporetto (or boat-bus) is the best way to get an intro for the new visitor – or a refresher for a third time visitor like me! It makes stops on both sides of the Grand Canal, making it also a great way to move around Venice quickly. But I suggest you take it from near the bus station and then ride it all along until one stop past St. Mark’s Square. Then meander your way around Venice walking back.

But look at a map, the Grand Canal weaves such that you may be closer to a point in the town by NOT following the water’s edge!

Venice, palazzo, palace, Venezia, Italia, Italy, Italie, Grand Canal, St. Mark, gondola, tourism, travel, architecture

Venice, Venezia, Italia, Italy, Italie, Grand Canal, St. Mark, gondola, tourism, travel, architecture

Approaching St. Mark’s Square

And, for the final photo, a photo of St. Mark’s Cathedral’s façade with yours truly trying to grace it!

It may look crowded but it’s the least crowded I’ve ever seen it!

Filed Under: Italia, Italy, Italy Tagged With: architecture, arquitectura, Grand Canal, Italia, Italy, Venecia, Venice

Challenge in the Dolomites: Hiking the Rosengarten

12 October 2021 by Raul Leave a Comment

My first day of hiking presented a neat challenge in the Dolomites taking us from Carezza / Karersee to Rifugio Passo Principe (Grasleitenpasshütte). There we would spend the night after traversing the iconic Rosengarten Massif, near Bolzano, Italy. The massif contains several peaks with its highest elevation being at 9,849 ft (3,002 m).

The trek started with our early AM departure from Trento, where we had spent a few days performing service projects with Trekking for Kids, to Carezza / Karersee where we would catch a ski lift (the Paolina lift) to the start of our trail.

Hiking route in the Rosengarten

The trails we followed were: 539 (from exiting the lift to the Christomannos Monument) to 549 (to Rifugo di Vael) to 541 (to Rifugio Vajolet) and then, finally, to trail 584 on to Rifugio Principe at Passo Principe. I could not show it as well in one single map so here I broke up the day’s hike into two maps.

Started on the lift on the bottom left and made our way upwards…

Starting from the bottom we ended at the top of the blue line

Where to stay: rifugios!

By the way, rifugios are mountain inns or lodges that offer basic accommodations and can provide dinner and breakfast for an additional cost – which I may add, is well worth it.

Some rifugios offer double rooms, some offer group rooms, and some offer both. Also, they may offer shower facilities with some of the places having very basic ones and charging a euro for a few minutes for their use, and some having very nice rooms and bathrooms.

However basic they can be (or not), I have to say all my meals were phenomenal and I will share those along the way in these posts!

Rifugio Principe, Passo Principe, lodging in the Dolomites — Dining area is cozy – and now Covid-ready

speck, german food, rifugio food — My dinner: speck with fried eggs on a bed of potatoes!

At Rifugio Principe (re-built/renovated around 2008), our group of 15 split into two group rooms of eight people each. The setup was not the typical bunk beds but four mattresses laid side-by-side: one set on the floor and one set above those. It was hard to sleep with so many people around but a little harder being so close to each other. Our room was the “outside” room which was supposed to be colder but was actually warm enough (they provide you some serious blankets but I actually did not use them and, instead, just used the sleeping bag liner I had brought with me and warm clothing).

rifugio principe, passo principe, hiking in the dolomites, lodging in the dolomites — Facing the “outside” room from the sun deck

The landscape & views around the Rosengarten Massif

Trekking Dolomites, chair lift in Italy — It starts with a chair lift!

Rosengarten, hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy — The best shot I have of the Rosengarten has me semi-posing…

Christomannos Monument, hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif — The Christomannos Monument

hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif — Beautiful trails; flat for this little stretch…

Uphill and Downhill ‘R Us

This must be after conquering an uphill due to my smile!

Let’s get technical

This day did offer a surprise: needing to cross a small section via steel cable. While it looked scarier than it actually was, I still paid attention to where every one of my 4 extremities was at every moment!

The ladders or cables were pretty new and sturdy. Some of the fighting in World War I took place around the Dolomites and, back then, cruder ladders and cables were used by the soldiers to move around – grateful things have improved since then (and are more peaceful!).

hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif, technical hike — From the top: Going down the rope-assisted path

From the bottom: The drop was not too big – but glad no one had a mis-step!

A mirage or our rifugio?

Well, along the way, it is not uncommon to pass rifugios which are not our destination. Normally OK as it means we are taking a break. But not always… Sometimes you pass them like passing ships at sea… After a long, long climb, the rifugio on the photo below would have been a GREAT stop. However, and thankfully unbeknownst to me, we had a lot longer to go so a leisurely stop would have place our arrival at our rifugio at dark… So on we went with more uphill terrain as you can appreciate from the picture… No matter how tired I got, the view was always magnificent!

End of day 1 hike at Rifugio Principe

Rifugio Principe, Passo Principe, Hiking Dolomites, trekking Dolomites, Rosengarten massif — This one was OUR rifugio for the night!! Happy to arrive! (Photo credit: K. Sundin)

We covered around 7.5 miles after a mid-morning start and around 6 hours of hiking. The group took a little longer than expected, likely the change in altitude from where we had woken up (Trento, at slightly more than 600 ft elevation) to where we ended (at around 8,600 ft). But, I for one was ecstatic about finishing what was a hard last 2 hours of that day’s hike!

Read about day 2, its tricky start and getting to the Sassolungo!