Welcome to Val Gardena

PUSTER VALLEY

LAKE BRAIES

To reach the lake, take the junction for Val di Braies, between the villages of Monguelfo and Villabassa in Alta Pusteria. After driving a few kilometres you come to the only fork, and you take the road towards the lake. After passing the villages of Ferrara and San Vito, you arrive at the car park (paying during the tourist season), where there is a large hotel-restaurant. Starting from the small chapel on the shores of the lake, you take a short walk around the "Pearl of the Dolomites" with the famous Croda del Becco reflected in its waters. The route along the western shore is flat and wide, while on the eastern shore it is steep and narrow, made up of very suggestive wooden stairs and walkways. With a short detour (about 20 min. on foot) you can reach Malga Foresta where you can taste or buy typical products.

For those who don't feel like walking there is the possibility of renting boats.

SAN CANDIDO

San Candido is located in the heart of the Sesto Dolomites Nature Park (Alta Val Pusteria). We visit it on a hot Sunday afternoon in an atmosphere like a western film (obviously by Sergio Leone) with silent streets. The resort is integrated into the route of the Val Pusteria cycle path, which leads as far as Lienz (see Lienz via Loacker), so we take advantage of its proximity to Lake Braies to verify the information about the cycle path that we had previously found on the web.

CHIUSA RIO PUSTERIA

The Chiusa di Rio Pusteria (Mühlbacher Klause), a 15th-century fortress, closed off the Val Pusteria to the west. It is located just above the confluence of the Rienza into the Isarco, near the village of Rio di Pusteria (BZ). It is the symbol of the market town of Rio di Pusteria. Opening hours: From June to September: open every Thursday from 09.00 to 12.00 and from 14.00 to 18.00 Guided tours (45 min): every Thursday from June to October at 10.00, 14.00 and 16.00 we pass by on a Sunday afternoon so we can only see it from the outside. what a shame. we really would have liked to take a look inside.

PUSTER VALLEY CYCLE PATH

see the trip Lienz via Loacker (Austria).

PORDOI

PASSO PORDOI & SASS PORDOI We reach Passo Pordoi not so much for the monument to Fausto Coppi (despite the exploit of san candido > lienz) as for the spectacular Sass Pordoi Cable Car. The cable car reaches 2950 m above sea level in four minutes in a single bound. Just under 900 metres of elevation gain to find yourself in front of a breathtaking panorama. last year thick fog on Sass Pordoi didn't allow us the view we wanted. this year we try again and, as the sweets map says, we have been luckier. we go on a sunny and splendid day to the point that we "venture" as far as Rifugio Forcella Pordoi with the intention of reaching Rifugio Boè (trail 627A). unfortunately the trail is covered in snow which doesn't allow us to walk safely (the trail is rather narrow and the snow anything but packed).

moreover Matteo is in the grip of a tactical "leg tiredness" that suggests we turn back towards an activity certainly more fun for our little rascal: throwing bread crumbs to the hungry birds.

MONTE PANA

ALPE di SIUSI

As the name suggests, the Alpe di Siusi is an area where alpine pasturing is practised, divided into numerous plots from which the farmers get hay for their farms located down in the valley. It is the largest in Europe. Last year we had already been there with uncle Alex, but our stay was limited to the restaurant of the "Mont Sëuc". This year we return there also on the advice of our hotelier, who recommends a short but very panoramic walk (about 30 minutes) towards Malga Contrin where you can obviously eat and which is equipped with games for the children. the choice turns out to be truly spot on. the alpe di siusi presents itself before our eyes just as described on the website: "It enchants with its enveloping panorama and the sumptuousness of its mountains, with the gentleness of its slopes, with its sparkling blossoming, with its scents and smells".

the stay at the malga turns out to be pleasant above all for the "Kaiserschmarren" (DVD) and for the strawberries with homemade yogurt (CAT). good little Matteo skips lunch altogether: he is too busy playing with the giant cement mixer in the sand.

COLFOSCO

COLFOSCO ANIMAL PARK We go there on the recommendation of a family staying at the hotel. In this park, created in the shade of the trees of a beautiful wood at the entrance to the village of Colfosco (Alta Badia), there are "interactive" wooden structures and also several animals. The animals in the park are farm animals (rabbits, little goats, hens, ponies). Among the park's facilities there is a fully working water mill and a bread oven where during the summer period an afternoon on the theme "from wheat to bread" is organised weekly. In the centre there is a small pond with a small wooden bridge crossing it. Much appreciated by Matteo and Alessia was the structure called "Tors". Four small red towers connected to each other by a fun route protected by nets. During the summer season the park is open every day and entry is free.

MOSER & TRAUTTMANSDORFF

MOSER

We set off from Rome with the intention of visiting this factory. And we equip ourselves properly. Cool bags and dry ice for the return journey. In the room we have a small fridge for the intermediate passage of the precious goods. A paradise for gourmets..!

TRAUTTMANSDORFF

Magda and Pino suggest an outing to the Gardens of Castel Trauttmansdorff and we gladly accept. Luxuriant and colourful gardens with a natural amphitheatre shape contain over 80 botanical environments with plants from all over the world. But the Gardens of Castel Trauttmansdorff also host (and above all for beautiful Alessia) the "castle of Princess Sissi". We go on a torrid day (which we will later discover was the hottest since the start of summer) where the search for shade and coolness was the leitmotif of the whole visit. A shame because with a more reasonable temperature we would have enjoyed the Garden itself to the full, which is in any case very beautiful. Castel Trauttmansdorff is remarkable. On our return we read on the website that it was nominated in 2006 for the European Museum Award.

Not by chance had it already entered by right into our very personal ranking of "Best Museum visited". We are also lucky enough to find a 2010 Special Exhibition: "Divine scents and infernal smells!". An unusual and gripping temporary exhibition, partly interactive, it introduces visitors (and above all their noses) to the magical world of perfumes.

To avoid: Restaurant Schlossgarten

Italian is optional. the farmer's apple juice is a vulgar imitation of the real thing. the chocolate ice cream cup has undergone a metamorphosis into coffee ice cream.