Ferragosto in Ponte di Legno

This year I don't feel like spending Ferragosto at home; maybe it's the excessive heat, whatever it is, I want to get away for a few days from sweltering Milan.

I put the idea to my daughter and husband, who naturally accept with enthusiasm. The problem is THE DESTINATION... so we start an evening brainstorming. We have many ideas and little clarity, great, so we go from Monte Rosa to Liguria, stopping off in Tuscany too...

I look for nice places, but not too costly, a very tiring operation... in the end I was quite worn out and, as I expected, I find no room... of course, we're in Italy, Ferragosto is sacred!

Idea... why don't we go to Ponte di Legno? We stop at the Trescore thermal baths (which we visit every year) during the morning and then continue to our destination. Yesss we like it! I start searching for a place and find a Garni "La tana dell'orso".

So, trip plan: morning at the spa, then picnic, which my little one loves so much, and arrival at the destination without too much traffic.

We arrive in Ponte di Legno in the early afternoon without particular queues, and that's no small thing given we're talking about Ferragosto.

The Garni is very nice and is located outside the centre. It's near a river and there's a beautiful, peaceful walk, suited to us city dwellers used to walking little. They give us the room and... wow, really nice! There are two bedrooms, one with a sofa that turns into a bunk bed and the other with a double bed. Both have their own wardrobe, desk, TV and minibar. Obviously all in wood. The bathroom with shower is large and comfortable. Ah....I forgot to tell you it costs a bit, 60 euros per person in B&B, kids free, but it's worth it!

We immediately go for a wander in the centre of Ponte di Legno, nice. My daughter has already spotted a couple of playgrounds, so we have to do that here too! UGH.

We go to the APT to ask for some info and organise our evening. We opt to dine at the restaurant LA BRASA, characterful, but the food isn't up to much. The temperature is ideal, even for a chilly person like me... anyway, I've got long sleeves on.

As promised to my daughter, the next morning after a hearty breakfast we set off for the Presena Glacier. First cable car to the Passo del Tonale, what a view and what a scare......but it's only the beginning! We arrive at the Passo del Tonale and they inform us that to take the second cable car, which takes us to our destination, we need to walk a bit... we don't like that... where's the underground... ha ha ha! We take the second cable car that takes us to 2,600 m, it starts to feel a bit cold, there are little lakes that are a marvel. The weather isn't kind... cloudy and it limits the colours of the landscape... a shame! And now...I'll climb, I'll climb until I'm only a distant memory! We venture onto the chairlift, a bit dated! My husband is terrified and my daughter is not much better. I decide to send them up together, so I eliminate 2 in one go... ha ha ha.

I, a true Indiana Jones, go up alone, I arm myself with my camera and pretend nothing's wrong, but I have an overdose of adrenaline.

.....having arrived after 8 looong minutes of terror, we are rewarded by the view... what a spectacle!

It's freezing cold and we're not equipped, we look like 3 idiots, we haven't got pareos and flip-flops but we're not far off. Everyone noticed that we're not of the mountain sort... ha ha ha Anyway, when the sun says bye, bye you can be in a swimsuit, so our clothing wasn't all that inappropriate.....jeans jacket and tennis shoes!

We'd like to have lunch at the mountain hut, but Giorgi is too cold, so after playing a bit in the snow we decide to repeat the adrenalin experience. So chairlift and stop at the little lake to dip our feet, and I can assure you it's an almost painful experience... they're so cold!

Cable car to the Passo del Presena, lunch and then a hike to the cable car for Ponte di Legno....but why don't they build an underground!

In the afternoon we're stuck with the playground... we resign ourselves and, since the sun is smiling, we enjoy it peacefully and above all without humidity.

For dinner we're recommended the Alpino restaurant in Vermiglio, province of Trento. Don't be scared, it's only a few kilometres from the Passo del Tonale, but the temperature changes noticeably, down to 10 degrees! But this time we're equipped, so there!

The restaurant is nice, recently renovated, family-run. We eat really well, obviously typical dishes, like the canederli, and polenta with venison... I don't think there's any cotoletta alla milanese or capponata! All excellent, including the owners' helpfulness, and the price is average.

The next morning we take our last walk in the cool woods thinking of the 30 degrees awaiting us at home. So, as on the way there, we have a picnic, then a stop at the Trescore spa and finally arrival in sweltering Milan!

Conclusion: we liked Ponte di Legno, the hotel really nice, the food good, the last dinner (??) raised the average, the views splendid.....rating 8