Mountain Adventure: The Dolomites
By Andrea Sertoli

Photo: Sciliar Region Tourist Association

When I read about the recent decision to make the Dolomites a UNESCO World Heritage Site, I felt a mixture of gratitude, satisfaction, and also little bit of pride. I was happy because of the recognition given to an exceptional mountain area that, for centuries, has attracted and inspired mountain lovers, families, and emperors alike. The pride comes from having been fortunate enough to spend the best part of my vacation time there, from my childhood until my late teens.

My parents used to take the family in both summer and winter. The extraordinary versatility of these mountains was something we took advantage of: we could hike in the summer and ski in the winter, and enjoy any combination of outdoor activities, such as sports and picnics along with mushroom and berry hunting. Cultural excursions were a good alternative on rainy days as we visited cities and villages, ancient and exciting (for us kids) castles, or contemporary art museums. Stops at fantastic bakeries or local restaurants helped to make our days truly enjoyable.

Photo: Michael Kompatscher

The Dolomites are located in northeastern Italy, spread over the Veneto, Trentino Alto-Adige, and Friuli Venezia-Giulia regions and, unless one intends to stay put, are best visited by car. Their special character starts with their geological nature: the dolomite, the dominant rock that gives the mountains their name, is a sedimentary rock and not a crystalline one. In essence, the Dolomites are composed of shells, corals, and algae originating from what, 250 million years ago, was the sea. Add in a series of earthquakes, volcanic explosions, tectonic pressures, and erosion, and you end up with a chain of mountains where spikes and peaks alternate with valley floors and plateaus in a unique display of spectacular beauty, very dramatic and found nowhere else on the planet.

This area is a mix of cultures, combining the Italian mountain tradition of the southern and eastern sections of the range with the northern influences of the Austrian Tyrol. Binding them together is that transnational “mountain spirit” that is reflected in great hospitality, strong identity, and firmly rooted local traditions.

Over the years, certain places in the Dolomites have gained an international reputation. Cortina d'Ampezzo hosted the 1956 Winter Olympics and several World Skiing Championships, including the 1970 World Skiing Championships held in Val Gardena's beautiful Sella Ronda. The Dolomite's fame further increased when Cortina became an exclusive resort for upper-class Italians, as well as the location for a number of movies. Mountain climbing scenes from Roger Moore’s 007 film For Your Eyes Only were shot here, along with Sylvester Stallone’s Cliffhanger, and parts of Peter Seller’s The Pink Panther.

Photo: Paolo Napo

The place where I spent my childhood vacations, however, was further west, near the Tyrol; particularly the region of the Seiseralm plateau. At an altitude of 2,000 meters (6,500 feet), it is the highest plateau in Europe and a place of unequaled and unspoiled beauty. I can't think of any more suitable place for family travel and family bonding. Blessed by a 360 degree bird's eye view of the surrounding mountains, this plateau is a sort of natural playground for children and adults alike. Here, one can regenerate both body and spirit, getting back in touch with nature and with oneself. Remote but accessible, protected but comfortable and service driven, this is one of those places where the rhythms of nature and of natural living can still be felt. It's a land of legends and ancient stories where one can experience some of the same magic that Emperor Franz Josef of Austria claimed to have felt on his regular visits to the plateau.

The surrounding villages such as Siusi, Castelrotto, or Fie’ are at a lower altitude (1,000 meters or about 3,300 feet), but offer the same exquisite hospitality based on comfortable lodgings with attentive, discreet service and superb cuisine -- hearty cooking to suit the formidable appetite that one develops after a day outside in the mountain air. The village of Fie’ also has a solid reputation for spa treatments including unusual "hay baths," a centuries-old local tradition that regenerates, revitalizes, and alleviates rheumatic pains.

Photo: Sciliar Region Tourist Association

For those who prefer a more urban setting, towns like Merano or Bressanone/Brixen have drawn elite travelers to these valleys for more than a century. One can still breathe an air of 19th century Middle European charm while enjoying celebrated spa treatments. Shopping for winter clothing, local ceramics, and items in wood and wool to take home is another favorite activity.

The region's culinary traditions are superbly represented by top-notch and simple restaurants alike, serving a healthy, natural cuisine based on local ingredients and solid traditions: meat dishes, spetzl (small gnocchi), chocolate and wild berry pies. In recent years, the wines of this region have gained international stature, and several "wine roads" can be followed for a perfect day of touring and sipping.

The most famous citizen of the Dolomites is mountain climber Reinhold Messner. He forever changed the sport of mountain climbing by undertaking the first solo ascent of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen; he was also the first to climb all fourteen "eight-thousanders" (peaks over 8,000 meters). He has now retired to his beloved mountains and is fully dedicated to the Messner Mountain Museum, a unique, five-site museum dedicated to the world's mountains as a place of encounter with humanity and, ultimately, with oneself. When he heard about the UNESCO nomination, which he strongly supported, he commented that the "Dolomites are something unique .... they are the most beautiful mountains in the world." And coming from him, one may be inclined to agree!

The Need for Speed

Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Bugatti -– these fabled names are as sleek and sexy as the sports cars that they describe, and they’re music to the ears of the motor-heads who flock to Italy to worship at the altar of automotive excellence. And just like Catholics have the Vatican in Rome, the car lover’s Holy Grail is situated in Emilia Romagna, the Italian region with the greatest concentration of high-powered, sports car manufacturers in the country (and quite possibly the world).

A mere 24 miles separates Bologna from Modena, but in this space are located the factories that make the coveted Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Maseratis, and (for fans of two-wheeled travel) classic Ducati motorcycles. This is the heart of ‘Motor Valley,’ the nickname bestowed upon an area steeped in a love of motor-sports and the multitude of activities related to this sector. Found here are not just the factories themselves, but also the restoration of vintage cars and engines, specialized educational courses, sporting events, and events celebrating the diffusion of cutting-edge technologies, test tracks, auto racing circuits, museums, and private collections of cars and motorcycles and much more.

For tourists, this presents a variety of possibilities: something as simple as a do-it-yourself visit to the Galleria Ferrari and test track at Maranello outside Modena, or the Museo Lamborghini near Bologna, where you can also book a tour of the factory’s production line; something as exclusive as a customized luxury road trip that puts you behind the wheel of a flame-red Ferrari - just the thing to celebrate an important birthday or anniversary! If vintage cars are more your style, Select Italy can arrange for you to drive through Italy in a Lancia Flaminia Coupe Pininfarina or maybe an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider convertible, an icon of the 1960’s Dolce Vita.

Motor Valley is also Food Valley, so don’t plan to diet when you come here. Emilia-Romagna boasts an incredible range of restaurants, from homey trattorias to elegant places with Michelin-starred chefs. Or, instead, follow the food right to its source with a visit to a Parmesan cheese factory or to a private home where traditional balsamic vinegar is made upstairs in the attic. You can even learn to wield a mattarello (Italian rolling pin) like a pro while making fresh pasta at one of our hands-on cooking lessons in Parma or Bologna. For a unique 'cars & cows' experience that links the region’s two main obsessions, don’t miss the Museo dell’Auto e Moto d’Epoca Umberto Panini. This remarkable private collection of vintage automobiles is housed in an Art Nouveau structure on the Panini family’s dairy farm outside Modena, alongside 500 contented cows whose milk is used to produce certified organic Parmesan cheese. You'll find it only in Emilia Romagna, the land of motors and fine food!

The Sea of Love

Italy was once the land of explorers, but has the age of exploration made a comeback? Absolutely! All of Italy might have already been discovered, but there are plenty of places uncharted by the hordes of tourists and plenty of shoreline just begging to be explored during a sailing vacation. Each region of Italy has its own style, which means that your sea-bound vacation can be defined by the area of Italy that you choose to explore. And for those adventure seekers who look for a vacation that includes activity both onboard and off, each region's topography and history can play a big part in your selection process.

Charting your course:

• Sicily’s Aeolian Islands: You may have heard about our favorite new location already. The Aeolian Islands, off the island of Sicily, provide plenty of rugged, highly explorable coastlines. The volcanic origins of the island chain have left behind black sandy beaches, volcanic clay thermal baths, and pumice stone quarries. Trek to the top of Stromboli for a peek at one of the world’s longest active volcanoes.
• Elba: Once Napoleon’s home in exile, the windswept geography of Elba provides a playground of jagged cliffs right off the Tuscan coast. While cruising around the island, you can pull into port and jump into mountain sports such as hang gliding, mountain biking, and rock climbing.
• The Gulf of Trieste and the Adriatic Coast: The Adriatic coast is a part of Italy, but it may as well belong in a whole other world. For the more urban explorer, a trip from Venice to Dubrovnik will open the doors to an exotic, Eastern-style adventure unlike any typical 'Italian vacation.' Explore Venice's Byzantine architecture and Trieste's Austro-Hungarian heritage before cruising the Croatian Riviera for a cosmopolitan stay filled with days of wandering the city streets of Split or Dubrovnik and swimming off the sunny island of Hvar.
• Pontine Islands: Believed to have hosted the most famous of all ancient explorers, Ulysses, the Pontine Islands are dotted with Etruscan blue grottos. Ponza, the largest island of the group, is home to the Grotta della Maga Circe and the Grotta di Ulisse o del Sangue, both named for the island’s mythical connection and explorable only by boat.

Controlling Your Own Destiny: Of course the greatest adventure of your vacation could be the means of transportation. Every Select Italy charter includes the cost of a captain and crew, but it is possible for experienced sailors to charter a vessel and participate in it’s skippering. Sea-bound vacations can be designed around your specifications – pick the vessel, chart the course and plot the activities at each port. There’s no more relaxing vacation than being the captain of your own adventure, while all the details are taken care of for you.