Dolomiti
Nightlife in and near Castelrotto
Italy’s dramatic rocky rooftop, the Dolomites, offers some of the best mountain thrills in Europe. Bolzano is the gateway to the Dolomites, and Castelrotto is a good home base for your exploration of Alpe di Siusi, Europe’s largest alpine meadow.
The sunny Dolomites are well-developed, and the region’s famous valleys and towns suffer from après-ski fever. The cost for the comfort of reliably good weather is a drained-reservoir feeling. Lovers of other parts of the Alps may miss the lushness that comes with the unpredictable weather farther north. But the bold, light-gray cliffs and spires flecked with snow, above green meadows and beneath a blue sky, offer a powerful, unique, and memorable mountain experience. Dolomite, a sedimentary rock similar to limestone, gives these mountains their distinctive shape and color.
A hard-fought history has left the region bicultural, with an emphasis on the German. Most locals speak German first, and some wish they were still part of Austria. In the Middle Ages, as part of the Holy Roman Empire, the region faced north. Later, it was firmly in the Austrian Habsburg realm. By losing World War I, Austria’s South Tirol became Italy’s Alto Adige. Mussolini did what he could to Italianize the region, including giving each town an Italian name. But even as recently as the 1990s, secessionist groups agitated violently for more autonomy—with some success (see sidebar).
The government has wooed locals with economic breaks, which have made this one of Italy’s richest areas (as local prices attest), and today all signs and literature in the province of Alto Adige/Südtirol are in both languages. Some include a third language, Ladin—an ancient Romance language still spoken in a few traditional areas. (I have listed both the Italian and German, so the confusion caused by this guidebook will match that experienced in your travels.)
In spite of all the glamorous ski resorts and busy construction cranes, the regional color survives in a warm, blue-aproned, ruddy-faced, felt-hat-with-feathers way. There’s yogurt and yodeling for breakfast. Culturally, as much as geographically, the area is reminiscent of Austria. In fact, the Austrian region of Tirol is named for a village that is now part of Italy.
Train travelers can side-trip into the mountains from Bolzano (1.5 hours north of Verona). To get a feel for the alpine culture, spend at least one night in Castelrotto. But with two nights there, you can actually get out and hike. Tenderfeet ride the bus, catch a cable car, and stroll. For serious mountain thrills, do a six-hour hike. And for a memory that won’t soon fade away, spend a night in a mountain hut. Always remember to check the latest transportation timetables before you embark on an outing.
With the exception of Bolzano, where Italian has become the primary language, you’ll hear mostly German in Dolomite villages. Overall, seven in ten Italians living in the South Tirol speak German as their mother tongue. Many are fair-skinned and blue-eyed, prefer dumplings and strudel to pasta and gelato, and feel a closer bond with their ancestors in Austria than with their swarthy countrymen to the south. Most have a working knowledge of Italian, but they watch German-language TV, read newspapers auf Deutsch, and live in Tirolean-looking villages.
At the end of World War I, the region was ceded by Austria (loser) to Italy (winner). Mussolini suppressed the Germanic cultural elements as part of his propaganda campaign to praise all things Italian. Many German speakers hoped that Hitler would “liberate” them from Italy, but Hitler’s close alliance with Mussolini prevented that from happening. Instead, in June of 1939, residents were given six months to make a hard choice—move north to the Fatherland and become German citizens, or stay in their homeland (Heimat) under Italian rule. The vast majority (212,000, or 85 percent) made the decision to leave, but because of the outbreak of World War II, only 75,000 actually moved.
At the war’s end, German speakers were again disappointed when the Allied powers refused to grant them autonomy or the chance to become Austrian citizens. Instead, the victors decided to stick with the prewar arrangement.
The region rebuilt and the two linguistic groups patched things up, but for the remainder of the 20th century, there was always an underlying problem: German speakers were continually outvoted by the Italian-speaking majority in the regional government (comprising two provinces, Italian-speaking Trentino and German-speaking Alto Adige/Südtirol). German speakers lobbied the national government for more control on the provincial (not regional) level, even turning to demonstrations and violence. Over the years, Rome has slowly and grudgingly granted increased local control.
Today, Alto Adige/Südtirol has a large measure of autonomy written into the country’s 2001 constitution, though it’s still officially tied to Trentino. Roads, water, electricity, communications, and schools are all under local control, including the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, founded in 1998.
If you have a car, you can drive the three-hour loop from Bolzano or Castelrotto (Val Gardena-Sella Pass-Val di Fassa) and ride one of the lifts to the top for a ridge walk. Connecting Bolzano and Venice by the Great Dolomite Road takes two hours longer than by the autostrada, but is far more scenic (see “More Sights in the Dolomites” at the end of this chapter).
Hiking season is mid-June through mid-October. The region is particularly crowded, booming, and blooming from mid-July through mid-September (but once you’re out on the trails, you’ll leave the crowds behind). It’s packed with Italian vacationers in August. Spring is usually dead, with lifts shut down, huts closed, and the most exciting trails still under snow. Many hotels and restaurants close in April and November. Ski season (Dec-Easter) is busiest of all. For more information, visit www.visitdolomites.com.
Willkommen to the Italian Tirol! If Bolzano (“Bozen” in German) weren’t so sunny, you could be in Innsbruck. This enjoyable old town of 100,000 is the most convenient gateway to the Dolomites, especially if you’re relying on public transportation. It’s just the place to take a Tirolean stroll.
Bolzano’s TI is helpful (Mon-Fri 9:00-19:00, Sat 9:30-18:00, Nov-March closes 13:00-14:00, closed Sun year-round, Piazza Walther/Waltherplatz 8, tel. 0471-307-000, www.bolzano-bozen.it). Pick up the city map and the Historic and Cultural Route brochure (also downloadable from website).
Consider buying the Museummobil Card, which covers most museums in the South Tirol (including the archaeology museum, with its famous Iceman), plus trains, buses, the Funivia del Renon/Rittner Seilbahn cable car, and more (€28/3 days, available at local TIs and some hotels, www.mobilcard.info). This card saves you €4 if you visit the Iceman, ride the cable car, take the train round-trip from Oberbozen to Klobenstein, and take the bus round-trip from Bolzano to Castelrotto. The Mobilcard is a transit-only version that covers trains, buses, and lifts (€15/1 day, €23/3 days, sold at TIs and transit offices, www.mobilcard.info).
If you’re headed up into the mountains, the Alpenverein Südtirol, a local hiking club, provides good, free trail maps for the whole region on its website (www.trekking.suedtirol.info).
There are two train stations for Bolzano—you want just Bolzano, not Bolzano Süd. To get to the TI and downtown from the train station, veer left up the tree-lined Viale della Stazione/Bahnhofsallee, and walk past the bus station (on your left) two blocks to Piazza Walther/Waltherplatz. You’ll see the TI on the right side of the square. The medieval heart of town is on the far side of the square. The arcaded Via dei Portici/Laubengasse is Bolzano’s old main street. It leads to Piazza Erbe/Obstplatz, which has an open-air produce market (see “Markets,” below); the Iceman is a couple of blocks farther beyond.
Sleepy Sundays: This small, culturally conservative city is really dead on Sunday (young locals add, “and during the rest of the week, too”).
Markets: Piazza Erbe/Obstplatz hosts an ancient and still-thriving open-air produce market (Mon-Fri all day, Sat morning only, closed Sun). Wash your produce in the handy drinking fountain in the middle of the market. Another market (offering more variety, not just food) is held Saturday mornings on Piazza della Vittoria.
Internet Access: Multi Kulti Internet Point is a short walk from Piazza Walther/Waltherplatz at Via Dr. Streiter/Dr.-Streiter-Gasse 9 (€3/hour, Mon-Sat 10:00-22:00, closed Sun, tel. 0471-056-056).
Baggage Storage: While there’s no baggage-storage service at the train station, there is a tiny deposito bagagli at the bus station just a block away (€3/24 hours, €10 refundable deposit, out back from where the buses leave, at entrance to bathrooms, daily 7:00-13:00 & 14:00-19:30).
Laundry: Lava e Asciuga launderette is at Via Rosmini/Rosmini Strasse 81, about two blocks west of the South Tirol Museum of Archaeology (€3.50 wash, €4 dry, English instructions, daily 7:30-22:30, last wash 21:00, mobile 340-220-2323).
Bike Rental: The city has a well-developed bike-trail system and curiously cheap rental bikes. Plenty of bikes are available for rent just off Piazza Walther/Waltherplatz on Viale della Stazione/Bahnhofsallee, on the right side (€1/6 hours, €2/6-24 hours, €5/24 hours, €10 refundable deposit, ID required, Easter-Sept Mon-Sat 7:30-19:50, Oct until 18:50, closed Sun and Nov-Easter, tel. 0471-997-578). The TI also has 10 bikes to rent for €5 per day (€20 refundable deposit, ID required, ask for a map).
Local Bus: A tourist shuttle called BoBus loops through the town’s suburbs, but you don’t need it to get to the major sights, which are all within walking distance (€2, pay on bus, leaves from Piazza Walther/Waltherplatz, April-Oct hourly 9:30-12:30 & 14:30-16:30 and at 17:45; doesn’t run Nov-March).
(See “Bolzano” map, here.)
Everything mentioned in Bolzano is a 10-minute walk from the train station and the main square, Piazza Walther/Waltherplatz.
• Start this self-guided walk in...
Piazza Walther/Waltherplatz: The statue in the center honors the square’s namesake, Walther von der Vogelweide, a 12th-century politically incorrect German poet who courageously stood up to the pope in favor of the Holy Roman (German) Emperor. Walther’s spunk against a far bigger power represents the Germanic pride of this region. The statue is made of marble quarried in the village of Laas, north of Bolzano. The US chose this same marble for the 86,000 crosses and Stars of David needed to mark the WWII dead buried at Normandy and other battlefields across Europe.
When not hosting Bolzano’s Christmas market, flower market (May Day), or Speck Fest (a spring ham festival), Piazza Walther/Waltherplatz is simply the town’s living room. And locals care about it. It was the site of Italy’s first McDonald’s, which, in the early 1990s, became the first McDonald’s to be shut down by locals protesting American fast food. Today the square is home to trendy cafés such as Café Walther, where (outside of meal times) you’re welcome to nurse a “Venetian” spritz or a pricier cocktail as long as you like.
• Cross the street to the big church.
The Cathedral: The cathedral’s glazed-tile roof is typical of the Germanic world, a reminder that from the sixth century until 1919, when Italy said Buon giorno, German was the region’s official language. Walk around to the right, to the Romanesque Lion’s Gate. The church was flattened in World War II (a distinct downside of being located near a train station in 20th-century Europe). As you step inside, the place feels Teutonic, not Italian. The mostly Gothic interior is broken by an impressive Baroque tabernacle. Most of the art here is by Bavarian artists. There’s a stiff, pre-Michelangelo, 15th-century pietà to the left of the altar. The sandstone pulpit (c. 1500), with its reliefs of the four Church fathers (whose presence gave credibility to sermons preached here), is reminiscent of Vienna’s St. Stephen’s Cathedral.
• Leaving the church, walk diagonally across Piazza Walther/Waltherplatz and find the street to the right of the big Sparkasse bank building. Go down it for one block, to...
Piazza del Grano/Kornplatz: Nine hundred years ago, this was Bolzano’s main square. The building to your right was the bishop’s castle. The traditional food stand selling Vollkornbrot (dense, whole-grain bread) and pretzels is another reminder of German heritage. Find the flower beds at the top of the square; a bronze relief on a large stone shows Bolzano’s street plan in the 12th century—a one-street arcaded town huddled within a fortified wall.
• Continue uphill into the original medieval town, passing the “Wurstel Boutique” on your left (yet another reminder of this region’s Germanic orientation).
Via dei Portici/Laubengasse: This was the only street in 12th-century Bolzano. Step into the center (dodging bikes). Looking east and west, you see the width of the original town. Thirty yards to the left is the old City Hall—the street’s only Gothic building (with frescoed pointed arches). The other buildings are all basically the same: Each had a storm cellar, cows out back, a ground-level shop, and living quarters upstairs. Bay windows were designed for maximum light—just right for clerks keeping track of accounts and for women doing their weaving. The arcades (Lauben), typical of Tirol, sheltered merchants and their goods from both snow and sun. Narrow side passages lead to neighboring streets. The only balcony marks the one Baroque building—once the mercantile center (with a fine worth-a-look courtyard), now a skippable museum.
• Turn left on Via dei Portici/Laubengasse and continue to the end, where you’ll find a bustling market.
Piazza Erbe/Obstplatz: This square hosts an open-air produce market, liveliest in the morning (Mon-Fri all day, Sat mornings, closed Sun). The historic market fountain gives Bolzano its only hint of the sea—a 17th-century statue of Neptune. Stroll around and see what’s in season. All of the breads, strudel, and hams schmecken sehr gut.
• From the market, Via Museo/Museumstrasse (called Butcher Street until the 19th century, when a museum opened) leads straight to Frozen Fritz.
This excellent museum, which illuminates the prehistory of the region, boasts a unique attraction: the actual corpse of Ötzi the Iceman, who spent more than five millennia stuck in a glacier.
Cost and Hours: €9, €37.50 guided tour for up to 15 people (must reserve ahead), Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon except July-Aug and Dec, last entry 30 minutes before closing, no photos, no café, near the river at Via Museo/Museumstrasse 43, tel. 0471-320-100, www.iceman.it.
Crowd-Beating Tips: During busy times, mainly May-October and December, it’s smart to buy tickets online if you have access to a printer (same price as at site, must purchase at least one day in advance, exchangeable if your schedule changes).
Visiting the Museum: Ötzi’s frozen body was discovered high in the mountains on the Italian/Austrian border by a German couple in 1991. Police initially believed the corpse was a lost hiker, and Ötzi was chopped roughly out of the glacier, damaging his left side. But upon discovering his pre-Bronze Age hatchet, officials realized what they had found: a 5,300-year-old, nearly perfectly preserved man with clothing and gear in excellent condition for his age. Later, researchers pinned down the cause of death—an arrowhead buried in Ötzi’s left shoulder.
You’ll see Ötzi himself—still frozen—as well as an artist’s reconstruction of what he looked like when he was alive. In his mid-40s at the time of his death, Ötzi was 5 feet, 3 inches tall, with brown hair and brown eyes. He weighed about 110 pounds and likely had trouble with his knees.
Glass cases display his incredibly well-preserved and fascinating clothing and gear, including a finely stitched two-color coat, his goathide loincloth, a fancy hat, shoes, a well-crafted hatchet, 14 arrows, a bow, and fire-making gadgets. Everything’s described in English.
With Ötzi as the centerpiece, the museum takes you on an intriguing journey through time, recounting the evolution of humanity—from the Paleolithic era to the Roman period and finally to the Middle Ages—in vivid detail. The exhibit offers informative displays and models, video demonstrations of Ötzi’s extraction and his personal effects, and interactive computers.
As the body was found right on the border, Austria and Italy squabbled briefly over who would get him. Tooth enamel studies have now shown that he did grow up on the Italian side. An Austrian journalist dubbed him Ötzi, after the Ötztal valley, where he was discovered.
Drop by this 13th-century church to see its Chapel of St. John (San Giovanni/St. Johannes; chapel is through the archway and on the right), frescoed in the 14th century by the Giotto School.
Cost and Hours: Free, €0.50 coin lights dim interior, Mon-Sat 7:00-17:00, Sun 12:00-18:00, on Piazza Domenicani, two blocks west of Piazza Walther/Waltherplatz.
The Funivia del Renon/Rittner Seilbahn cable car whisks you over the hills from Bolzano to the touristy resort village of Oberbozen, where Sigmund Freud and his wife once celebrated their wedding anniversary. The reasonably priced, 12-minute ride itself is the main attraction, offering views of the town, surrounding mountains, made-for-yodeling farmsteads, and 18-wheelers downshifting along the expressway from Austria. While the cable car is fun, it is no replacement for a trip to Castelrotto and Alpe di Siusi.
Cost and Hours: €10 round-trip, departures year-round Mon-Sat 6:30-22:38, Sun 7:10-22:38; leaves every 4 minutes, or every 12 minutes after 21:00; closes for maintenance for a week in March and Nov; for info call regional transport hotline at tel. 840-000-471 or visit www.sii.bz.it.
Getting There: The cable car’s valley station is a five-block walk east from the Bolzano train station along Via Renon/Rittner Strasse or from Piazza Municipio/Rathausplatz in the old center.
At the Top: Oberbozen (elevation 4,000 feet) is mostly a collection of resort hotels. From Oberbozen, a narrow-gauge train makes the 16-minute trip to Klobenstein, a larger and slightly less touristy village at 3,800 feet (€3.50 one-way, €6 round-trip, €15 round-trip for both cable car and train, daily departures every 30 minutes—reduced to hourly early and late). The local TI has branches in both villages (www.ritten.com). In Oberbozen, the TI is in the train station building, just steps from the lift station (Mon-Fri 9:00-12:30 & 15:00-18:00, Sat 9:00-12:30, closed Sun in summer, shorter hours off-season, tel. 0471-345-245). The Klobenstein TI is a five-minute walk from the train station (Mon-Fri 8:30-18:00, Sat 8:30-12:00, closed Sun, tel. 0471-356-100).
The lift station and TIs have brochures suggesting short walks. More interesting than Oberbozen itself (though not a must-see) are the nearby “earth pyramids,” which are a 30-minute walk downhill from the cable-car station and can be glimpsed from the cable car itself. The pyramids, created by eroding glacial debris dumped at the end of the last ice age, are Bryce Canyon-like pinnacles that rise out of the ridge. Klobenstein has its own earth pyramids a 30-minute walk from town. Another walk is the Freudpromenade, a fairly level, 1.5-hour stroll between Oberbozen and Klobenstein (you can take the train back).
Just across the river from the Museum of Archaeology, the fascist-style Victory Monument (Monumento alla Vittoria) glistens in white Zandobbio marble. It marks the beginning of the “new” city built by the fascist government in the 1920s, in an effort to Italianize the otherwise Germanic-looking city. Indeed, you won’t hear German spoken here as often as in the old town, and the shops and bars along the colonnaded Corso della Libertà feel a world away from the old town. The BoBus tourist shuttle goes to this area (see “Helpful Hints,” earlier).
The grand plans for this part of the city were never completed. Even so, there are several blocks of buildings constructed in a repetitive Modernist design, following the idea of imperial monumentalism that was meant to impress and announce the dawn of a new era in Italy. Most of the structures were intended to house state institutions and highly desirable apartments for state employees. A few blocks down on Piazza Tribunale, you can still find the somewhat faded image of Mussolini waving from one of the buildings.
While visiting this neighborhood, consider a stop at Officina del Gelo Avalon, a gourmet, organic gelato shop tucked away in an unassuming corner of Corso della Libertà. Try the pistachio or one of half a dozen kinds of chocolate (€1.50/scoop, daily 13:00-22:30, Corso della Libertà 44, tel. 0471-260-434).
This 13th-century “illustrated manor” perches above the river just north of downtown. Inside is an impressively large collection of secular medieval frescoes, with scenes from the everyday lives of knights and ladies. To get here, walk the promenade along the Talvera River (30 minutes from downtown; see “Bolzano Walks,” next).
Cost and Hours: €8, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, last entry 30 minutes before closing, 1.5 miles north of Ponte Talvera on Kaiser-Franz-Josef Weg, tel. 0471-329-808, www.runkelstein.info.
Pick up the clearly marked map at the TI for scenic, accessible strolls that provide a different perspective on the region. One popular option is to stroll the easy, shaded Talvera promenade just west of the Museum of Archaeology, following the river embankment north. This route has great people-watching in the summer, with views of vineyards and Maretsch Castle (Castello Mareccio/Burg Maretsch) to the right. In about 20 minutes, you’ll reach the Bridge of St. Antonio, where you can cross and follow the river for another 20 minutes to the impressive Runkelstein Castle (described previously).
To extend your hike, walk away from the river (staying on the same side) and head up the hill about 45 minutes for the St. Oswald walk. This route takes you to the church of Santa Magdalena (with its 14th-century frescoes), offering great views back to the city.
More ambitious hikers can continue about 20 minutes farther downhill, past the station for the Renon cable car, to the Isarco/Eisack River. Cross the river at the Campiglio Bridge to see the Colle cable car, the first in the world to carry passengers, in 1908. At Virgil Hill, take the Passeggiata Virgolo path about 1.5 miles to see the 12th-century Haselburg Castle (Castel Flavon), now home to one of Bolzano’s most scenic restaurants.
All of the places listed here are in the city center, within walking distance of the train and bus stations. Bolzano has no real high or low season. Most hotels have the same rates all year, but they’re most likely to make deals in March and November.
$$$ Parkhotel Laurin is an Old World luxury hotel located very close to the train station, with 100 tastefully decorated rooms, marble bathrooms, a chic dining room and terrace, a swimming pool, an extensive garden, attentive staff, and frescoes throughout the grand lobby depicting the legend of King Laurin (small Sb-€113, standard Sb-€128, standard Db-€164, comfort Db-€203, Tb-€309, usually 10 percent less Sat-Sun, air-con, non-smoking rooms, guest computer, Wi-Fi, fitness room, parking-€16/day, Via Laurin/Laurinstrasse 4, tel. 0471-311-000, www.laurin.it, info@laurin.it).
$$$ Hotel Greif, a luxury boutique hotel, is right on Piazza Walther/Waltherplatz. Each of the 33 individually designed rooms makes you feel like you’re in a modern-art installation (its fine website gives a room-by-room tour). It’s not cozy, but it is striking, and a stay here comes with one of the best breakfasts in Italy (Sb-€117-139, Db-€185, comfort Db-€215, superior Db-€261, Tb-€321, usually 10 percent less Sat-Sun, non-smoking, air-con, guest computer, Wi-Fi, Via della Rena/Raingasse 28, tel. 0471-318-000, www.greif.it, info@greif.it). Drivers follow signs to P3-Parking Walther (€19/day) and enter the hotel from level 1 of the garage.
$$ Hotel Figl, warmly run by Anton and Helga Mayr, has 23 comfy, bright, modern rooms and an attached café on a pedestrian square located a block from Piazza Walther/Waltherplatz. With rooms better than its humble public spaces and exterior, it’s a fine value (Sb-€90-95, Db-€125-135, junior suite-€135-145, discount with this book for longer stays—ask when you reserve, breakfast-€4-14, air-con, elevator, non-smoking, guest computer, Wi-Fi, parking-€15/day, Piazza del Grano/Kornplatz 9, tel. 0471-978-412, www.figl.net, info@figl.net, include a backup phone number if you email).
$$ Stadt Hotel Città, a venerable old hotel with 99 modern if basic rooms, is ideally situated on Piazza Walther/Waltherplatz. The hotel’s café spills out onto the piazza, offering a prime spot for people-watching (Sb-€105, Db-€152, bigger Db with view-€194, Tb-€194, air-con, elevator, guest computer, Wi-Fi, parking-€17/day, Piazza Walther/Waltherplatz 21, tel. 0471-975-221, www.hotelcitta.info, info@hotelcitta.info, Fabio and Sandra). This place is an especially good value if you plan to spend an afternoon in their free-for-guests Wellness Center (mid-Sept-May Mon-Sat 16:00-21:30, Sun 11:00-16:00; closed June-mid-Sept; Turkish bath, whirlpool, Finnish sauna, biosauna, massage by appointment)—a fine way to unwind after a day of hiking in the Dolomites.
$$ Hotel Feichter is an inexpensive, well-kept, family-run place with simple but sufficient amenities in a great location. Some of the 30 rooms share a communal terrace overlooking the rooftops of Bolzano. Papà Walter, Mamma Hedwig, Hannes, Irene, and Wolfi Feichter have run this homey hotel since 1969 (Sb-€65, Db-€100, Tb-€120, Qb-€135, parking-€5/day, fans, ground-floor café serves lunches Mon-Fri; from station, walk up Via Laurin/Laurinstrasse, which becomes Via Grappoli/Weintraubengasse—hotel is on the right at #15; tel. 0471-978-768, www.hotelfeichter.it, info@hotelfeichter.it).
$$ Kolpinghaus Bozen, modern, clean, and church-run, has 34 rooms with two twin beds (placed head to toe) and 71 air-conditioned single rooms with all the comforts. Though institutional, it’s a great deal...and makes me feel thankful (Sb-€65, Db-€99, Tb-€140, elevator, guest computer, laundry-€6/big load, parking-€13, 4 blocks from Piazza Walther/Waltherplatz near Piazza Domenicani at Largo A. Kolping/Adolph-Kolping-Strasse 3, tel. 0471-308-400, www.kolpingbozen.it, info@kolpingbozen.it). The line of people in front of the building at lunchtime consists mainly of office workers waiting for the cafeteria to open (€11 three-course lunch, Mon-Fri 11:45-14:00, Sat 12:00-13:30, closed Sun).
$ Youth Hostel Bolzano is the most comfortable and inviting hostel that I’ve seen in Italy. It has 18 four-bed rooms (each with two bunk beds and a full bathroom; fifth bed possible) and 10 delightful singles with bath. The bright, clean, modern rooms make it feel like a dorm in a fancy university. With no age limit, easy reservations online, great lockers, kids’ discounts, and a cheap guest computer, it is the utopian hostel (bed in quad-€22, Sb-€29, €2 extra for 1-night stays, includes linens and buffet breakfast, towels-€2, laundry-€4/load, kitchen, free luggage storage, 9:00 checkout; limited free parking, otherwise €20/day at nearby garage or free with 10-minute walk; 100 yards to the right as you leave the train station at Via Renon/Rittner Strasse 23; tel. 0471-300-865, www.ostello.bz, bolzano@ostello.bz).
All of these recommendations are in the center of the old town. Prices are consistent (you can generally get a good plate of meat and veggies for €10). While nearly every local-style place serves a mix of Germanic/Tirolean and Italian fare, I favor eating Tirolean here in Bozen. Many of these restaurants have no cover charge but put a basket of bread on the table, as in Austria; if you eat the bread, you’ll be charged a small amount. Bolzano’s restaurants tend to stay open all day, but at a few places the kitchen closes in the afternoon with only snacks available.
Weisses Rössl (“White Horse”) offers affordable, mostly Tirolean food with meat, fish, and fine vegetarian options. Located in a traditional woody setting, it’s good for dining indoors among savvy locals (€10-14 main courses, €11 weekday lunch specials, Mon-Fri 11:00-15:00 & 17:30-23:00, Sat 11:00-15:00, closed Sun, 2 blocks north of Piazza Municipio at Via Bottai/Bindergasse 6, tel. 0471-973-267).
Ca’ de Bezzi/Gasthaus Batzenhäusl is historic. It’s Bolzano’s oldest inn, with two Teutonic-feeling upper floors; by contrast, the patio and back room are refreshingly modern and untouristy. They make their own breads and pastas and serve traditional Tirolean fare (€13-14 main courses, €7-12 wurst plates, €11 weekday lunch specials, daily 12:00-15:00 & 18:00-24:00, one of the rare places open on Sun, Via Andreas Hofer/Andreas-Hofer-Strasse 30, tel. 0471-050-950).
Hopfen and Company fills an 800-year-old house with happy eaters, drinkers, and the beer lover’s favorite aroma: hops (Hopfen). A tavern since the 1600s, it’s a stylish, fresh microbrewery today. This high-energy, boisterous place is packed with locals who come for its homemade beer, delicious Tirolean food, and reasonable prices (€8-17 main courses, €8-9 heavy traditional beer dumplings with salad, great €9 salads, daily 9:30-24:00, limited menu outside of mealtimes, Piazza Erbe/Obstplatz 17, tel. 0471-300-788).
Paulaner Stuben is a restaurant-pizzeria-Bierstube serving good food (more Italian than German) and a favorite Bavarian beer. It has good outside seating and a take-me-to-Germany interior (€6-9 pizzas and pastas, €10-15 secondi, Mon-Sat 12:00-22:00, closed Sun, Via Argentieri/Silbergasse 16—or use back entrance at Via dei Portici/Laubengasse 51, tel. 0471-980-407).
During your visit to the Dolomites, take a break from Italian-style pizzas and pastas to sample some of the region’s traditional cuisine...with a distinctly Austrian flavor. For simplicity, I’ve generally listed Italian names here, though local menus are in both Italian and German (and usually also English).
Wurst and sauerkraut are the Tirolean clichés. More adventurous eaters seek out speck, a raw (prosciutto-style) ham smoked for five months then thinly sliced and served as an antipasto or in sandwiches. Canederli—large dumplings with bits of speck, liver, spinach, or cheese—are often served in broth, or with butter and cheese. (Never cut a dumpling with a knife—it’ll destroy the chef.)
The stars of Tirolean cuisine are the hearty meat dishes—which, unlike traditional Italian main courses, are nearly always served with side dishes of doughy dumplings or vegetables and potatoes. Try stinco di maiale (roasted pork shank, usually garnished with potatoes) and crauti rossi (a sweetish sauerkraut made from red cabbage). Carrè affumicato is pork shank that is first smoked, then boiled. Selvaggine, or wild game, comes in the form of capriolo (fawn), cervo (venison), or camoscio (chamois/antelope). Game is eaten smoked and thinly sliced in antipasti; in meat sauce (ragù) with fresh pasta or as ravioli stuffing; or in entrées, as tender chunks grilled or roasted in a rich sauce (spezzatino).
For dessert, strudel is everywhere, filled with the harvest from this region’s renowned apple orchards. Cakes and pies are loaded with other locally grown fruits, raisins, and nuts. Kaiserschmarrn is an interesting alternative: a tall, eggy crêpe prepared with raisins and topped with powdered sugar and red currant jam.
Bier (birra) is king in the Alto Adige (the best-known brand, Forst, is brewed in nearby Merano), but the wines of the area are well-matched to the local fare. Magdalaner is a light, dry red made from Schiava grapes. Lagrein scuro is a full-bodied red, dry and fruity, similar to a cabernet sauvignon or merlot. Gewürztraminer is a dry white wine with a spicy fruit flavor. For something stronger, try grappa made from Williams pears (and served with a wedge of fresh pear), or grappa nocino—a darker, sweeter brew similar to Jägermeister. Guten Appetit und Prost!
Enoteca Il Baccaro, a nondescript hole-in-the-wall wine bar, is an intriguing spot for a glass of wine (€1-4) and bar snacks amid locals. Wines available by the glass are listed on the blackboard (Mon-Fri 8:00-14:00 & 17:00-21:00, Sat 8:00-14:00, closed Sun, located a half-block east of Hopfen and Company on a hidden alley off Via Argentieri/Silbergasse 17, look for vino or wein sign next to fountain on south side of street and enter courtyard, tel. 0471-971-421).
Dai Carretai is a popular cicchetti bar where locals meet after work over a glass of wine—the crowd spills out onto the street (€1 cicchetti, €5.50 bruschetta, also serves hot lunches, Mon-Fri 7:00-14:00 & 16:30-21:00, Sat 7:00-14:00, closed Sun, Via Dr. Streiter/Dr.-Streiter-Gasse 20b, tel. 0471-970-558).
Cheap Eats: Drago D’Oro is an inexpensive Chinese restaurant in the old town (€5-7 dishes, rice-€1.50, Mon 11:30-15:00, Tue-Sun 11:30-15:00 & 18:00-23:00, Via Roggia/Rauschertorgasse 7a, tel. 0471-977-621). Gul has Indian-Pakistani standards (€9-10 main dishes, closed Sun, Via Dr. Streiter/Dr.-Streiter-Gasse 2, tel. 0471-970-518). Both are takeout-friendly, as are several small pizzerias in the same area.
Picnics: Assemble the ingredients at the Piazza Erbe/Obstplatz market and dine in the park along the Talvera River (the green area with benches past the museum). Or visit one of the three Despar supermarkets: The largest, with longest hours, is at the end of the Galleria Greif arcade (enter arcade from Piazza Walther/Waltherplatz by Hotel Greif and walk to far end—the supermarket is downstairs; Mon-Fri 8:30-19:30, Sat 8:30-19:00, closed Sun). Smaller branches are on Piazza Erbe/Obstplatz and at Via Bottai/Bindergasse 29 (both open Mon-Fri 8:30-19:15, Sat 8:30-18:00, closed Sun).
Many long-distance trains on the Innsbruck-Bolzano-Verona line are run by the German (or Austrian) railways, not by Trenitalia. Because the German and Italian systems don’t cooperate very well, northern Italy has separate ticket offices and reservations procedures depending on who is running the train. Bolzano’s station has Trenitalia ticket windows (daily 6:00-21:20) and a Deutsche Bahn (German rail) Reisezentrum (Mon-Fri 9:30-18:30, Sat 9:30-15:00, closed Sun). Though some cross-selling is possible, it’s best to reserve tickets on Italian trains from the Italian office and German tickets from the German one. The ticket machines, run by Trenitalia, usually won’t sell tickets for German-run trains. Reserving online, either at www.trenitalia.it or www.bahn.com, is an option if you have access to a printer; note that you can’t reserve international tickets at www.trenitalia.it.
From Bolzano by Train to: Milan (about hourly, 3.5-4 hours, change in Verona), Verona (about hourly, 1.75-2.25 hours, take the “R” trains—avoid fast trains that take same time for double the cost), Venice (about hourly, 3-3.5 hours, change in Verona), Florence (every 1-2 hours, 3.5-5 hours, change in Verona and/or Bologna), Innsbruck (1-2/hour, 2-2.5 hours, some change in Brennero), Munich (called “Monaco” in Italy, 5/day direct, 3.75 hours).
By Bus to: Castelrotto (2/hour Mon-Fri, 1-2/hour Sat, hourly Sun, 50 minutes, last departure Mon-Fri at 20:10, Sat-Sun at 19:10, pick up free schedule at bus station, €4 each way, buy tickets from driver, toll-free tel. 800-846-047 or toll tel. 840-000-471, www.sii.bz.it). The bus leaves from Bolzano’s bus station (one block west of train station), stops at the train station, and then winds high into the mountains, dropping you in the center of Castelrotto.
If you’re heading directly to Alpe di Siusi, take the same bus, get off just past the Seiseralm Bergbahn cable-car station, and ascend on the cable car. For more on Alpe di Siusi, see here.
The ideal home base for exploring Alpe di Siusi, Castelrotto (Kastelruth in German; town population: 2,000; district population: 6,000; altitude: 3,475 feet) has more village character than any other town I know in the region. With a traffic-free center, a thousand years of history, an oversized and hyperactive bell tower, and traditionally clad locals, it seems lost in another world. Against a backdrop of mountains, Castelrotto conveys the powerful message that simple pleasures are enough. Stay two nights.
The helpful TI is on the main square at Piazza Kraus 2 (Mon-Sat 8:30-12:00 & 14:30-18:00, closed Sun except June-Aug 10:00-12:00, tel. 0471-706-333, www.seiseralm.it). If you plan to do any hiking, pick up the TI’s list of suggested hikes, which includes estimated walking times and trail numbers.
For a longer stay, consider the Combi-Card (€35/any 3 days out of a 7-day validity period, €46/unlimited usage for 7 days, expires 1 week after time stamp). This card covers the Alpe di Siusi Express bus, Seiseralm Bergbahn cable car, Compatsch-Saltria shuttle bus (Almbus #11), and other shuttle buses. The Mobilcard (€15/1 day, €23/3 days) covers all public transport in South Tyrol, including regional orange SAD buses—such as the one to Bolzano from Castelrotto—and all trains in the Südtirol/Alto Adige region.
Annual Events: The Oswald-von-Wolkenstein Riding Tournament, held May 30-31 in 2015, features equestrian medieval-style tournament games, followed by a feast. The town also holds religious processions with locals dressed in traditional costumes, usually on Corpus Christi (June 4 in 2015); the feast day of the village protectors, Sts. Peter and Paul (June 29); and on the local Thanksgiving (first weekend in Oct). Mid-October is packed for Kastleruther Spatzenfest, a concert weekend for local musical heartthrobs, Kastleruther Spatzen.
Closures: The periods between ski season and hiking season (April and Nov) are quiet, with lifts closed for maintenance and most hotels and restaurants shut down so locals can take their own vacations.
Internet Access: You’ll find a free Wi-Fi hotspot in the main square. If you need an Internet terminal, stop by the recommended Alla Torre hotel, which has an Internet café (Thu-Tue 8:00-23:00, closed Wed, closed April-May and Nov, behind TI at Kofelgasse 8, tel. 0471-706-349), or the recommended Residence Garni Trocker (Mon-Sat 8:00-20:00, closed Sun, on Fostlweg 3). Or visit the public library (Mon 14:00-18:00, Tue 9:00-12:00, Thu 15:00-19:00, Fri 9:00-12:00, tel. 0471-708-023).
Recreation: A heated outdoor swimming pool with alpine views and nearby tennis courts is near town (€6.50 mid-May-mid-Sept 9:00-21:00, tel. 0471-705-090, ask at your hotel for details). You can rent a horse at Unter-Lanzinerhof Telfen (tel. 339-868-6868, Karin speaks some English).
For more excitement, tandem paragliding flights—you and the pilot—depart from Alpe di Siusi and land either where you started or in Castelrotto (tel. 335-603-6400, www.tandem-paragliding.com, Ruben and Kurt). You can rent skis and snowboards at RC Sports and Rent (Via Panider/Paniderstrasse 10, tel. 0471-711-079, Robert—mobile 339-293-9725, Christian—mobile 328-303-8045).
The bus station (Bushof) is a few steps below the town’s main square. The bus parking lot has a shelter with timetables. An ATM, WC, and phones are located in a building to the right. Take the stairs or elevator to get to the main square and TI.
Drivers can park in one of the two underground parking lots: One is near the bus station, and the other is on Wolkensteinstrasse just past the recommended Saalstuben Restaurant (first hour free). Each of the recommended hotels also has free parking (ask for details when you book).
(See “Castelrotto” map, here.)
Castelrotto has little to distract you other than the surrounding mountains and hikes. This quick self-guided walk will trace the town’s history, from the ruling Krauses to yodelers who rule. Note that shops in Castelrotto close for siesta from 12:00 to 15:00—a good time for a long lunch, a hike in the hills...or a siesta of your own.
• Start in the...
Main Square: Piazza Kraus is named for the family who ruled the town from 1550 to 1800. Their palace, now the City Hall and TI, overlooks the square and sports the Kraus family coat of arms.
Castelrotto uses its square well. The farmers’ market takes place here on Friday mornings in the summer (June-Oct), and a clothing market fills the square most Thursday mornings. Before and after Sunday Mass, the square is crowded with villagers and farmers (who fill the church) dressed in traditional clothing. The main Mass (Sat at 20:00—or at 19:30 in winter—and Sun at 10:00) is in German. Another Mass takes place in Italian throughout the tourist season (at 11:00) for visitors.
• A landmark in the square is the...
Bell Tower: At 250 feet, the freestanding bell tower dominates the town. It was once attached to a church, which burned in 1753. While the bell tower was quickly rebuilt, the present-day church was constructed a century later next to the gutted church (which was then torn down to make space for the square). The wire between the church and tower connects the noisy bells. The sacristan can easily ring them using an electric switch.
When you feel the pride that the locals have in their tower—which symbolizes their town—you’ll better understand why Italy is called “the land of a thousand bell towers.” The bells of Castelrotto, which are a big part of the town experience, ring on the hour from 6:00 until 22:00. While sleepy tourists wonder why they clang so very early in the morning, locals who grew up with the chimes find them comforting. The bells mark the hours, summon people to work and to Mass, announce festivals, and warn when storms threaten. In the days when people used to believe that thunder was the devil approaching, the bells called everyone to pray. (Townspeople thought the bells’ sound cleared the clouds.) Bells ring big at 7:00, noon, and 19:00. The biggest of the eight bells (7,500 pounds) peals only on special days. On Fridays, the bells ring at 15:00, commemorating Christ’s sacrifice at the supposed hour of his death. The colorful poles in front of the church (yellow-and-white for the Vatican, red-and-white for Tirol) fly flags on festival days.
Located in northeastern Italy, the Dolomites have been called the most beautiful mountains on earth, and certainly they are among the most dramatic. They differ from the rest of the Alps because of their dominant rock type, dolomite, which forms sheer vertical walls of white, gray, and pink that rise abruptly from green valleys and meadows. There is one national park (Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park) in this region, and many regional parks, such as Alpe di Siusi. Rail lines, roads, and a huge system of lifts make this group of mountains very accessible.
Once dubbed the “Pale Mountains” or the “Venetian Alps,” this mountain range was named after French mineralogist Dolomieu, who in the late 1700s first described the rock type responsible for the region’s light-colored bluffs and peaks. These sedimentary rocks (similar to limestone) were formed in warm tropical seas during the Triassic Period (about 250 million years ago). The marine sediments, along with the fossilized remains of coral reefs and other animals, were buried, hardened, and later scooped upward along with the rest of the Alps by the tectonic-plate action of Africa slowly smashing into Europe. Today, marine fossils are found atop the region’s highest peaks, including the skyscraping, nearly 11,000-feet-high Marmolada (east of Bolzano).
During World War I, the front line between the Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces ran through these mountains, and many paths were cut into the range for military use. Today mountaineers can follow a network of metal rungs, cables, and ladders called a via ferrata. One famous wartime trail is the “Road of Tunnels,” which passes through 52 tunnels. Along with being a paradise for hikers and climbers, the Dolomites are a popular skiing destination. The 1956 Olympics in Cortina di Ampezzo put the region on the map. A popular winter activity for intrepid skiers is the “Sella Ronda”—circling the Sella massif using a system of lifts and 28 miles of ski runs.
Whether you experience the Dolomites with your hand on a walking stick, a ski pole, or an aperitivo while mountain-gazing from a café, it’s easy to enjoy this spectacular region.
• Also on the square is the...
Church: Before entering, notice the plaque on the exterior. This commemorative inscription honors the tiny community’s WWI dead—Dorf means from the village itself, and Fraktion is from an outlying district. Stepping into the church, you’re surrounded by harmonious art from about 1850. The church is dedicated to Sts. Peter and Paul, and the paintings that flank the high altar show how each was martyred (crucifixion and beheading). The pews (and smart matching confessionals) are carved of walnut wood.
• Back outside, belly up to the...
Fountain: Opposite the bell tower, Castelrotto’s fountain dates from 1884. St. Florian, the protector against fires, keeps an eye on it today as he did when villagers (and their horses) first came here for a drink of water.
• With your back to the bell tower, look a half-block down the lane to see the finely frescoed...
Mendel Haus: This house has a traditional facade and a wood-carvers’ shop. Its frescoes (from 1886) include many symbolic figures, as well as an emblem of a carpenter above the door—a relic from the days when images, rather than address numbers, identified the house. Notice St. Florian again; this time, he’s pouring water on a small painting of this very house engulfed in flames. Inside Mendel Haus are fine carvings, a reminder that this region—especially nearby Val Gardena—is famous for its woodwork. You’ll also see many witches, folk figures that date back to when this area was the Salem of this corner of Europe. Women who didn’t fit society’s mold—including midwives, healers, redheads, and so on—were sometimes burned as witches.
• Walk downhill to the left of Mendel Haus, then turn right and climb the stairs. At the top of the stairs, turn left on Dolomitenstrasse. In 20 yards, on the left at the end of the street, is a shop dedicated to Castelrotto’s hometown heroes...
Kastelruther Spatzen-Laden: The ABBA of the Alps, the folk-singing group Kastelruther Spatzen is a gang of local boys who put Castelrotto on the map. They have a huge following here and throughout the German-speaking world. The lead singer, Norbert, is a Germanic heartthrob on par with Tom Jones. At the big Castelrotto festival on the second weekend in October, they put on hometown concerts, filling this place with fans from as far away as the Alsace, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. They also have an open-air concert in June and a Christmas concert.
Inside this shop—where you’ll undoubtedly hear their inimitable music—is a folk musician’s Carnaby Street. Downstairs is a folksy little museum slathered with gifts, awards, and gold records. The group has won 13 Echo Awards...“more than Robbie Williams.” Watch the continuously playing video (€2 museum downstairs, refunded if you spend €5 in the shop, Mon-Fri 9:00-12:00 & 14:00-18:00, Sat 9:00-12:00, closed Sun, Via Dolomitenstrasse 21, tel. 0671-707-639, www.spatzenladen.it).
For a scenic stroll, take a short walk around the town’s hill, originally the site of the ancient Roman fortress and later the fortified home of the medieval lord. One lane circles the hill while another spirals to the top past seven little chapels, each depicting a scene from Christ’s Passion and culminating in the Crucifixion. Facing the TI, take the road under the arch to the right, and then follow signs to Kofel (to go around the hill) or Kalvarienberg (to get directly to the top). This 15-minute stroll is great after dark—romantically lit and under the stars. (The lead singer of Kastelruther Spatzen enjoyed his first kiss right here.) On a warm day, take the Friedensweg (Peace Trail) from the top of the hill to go back to the town square or below the village. This 30-minute forest walk is decorated with peace-themed artwork by local elementary students.
The little Marinzen chairlift zips you up the mountain to the Marinzenhütte café, which has an animal park for kids (open when the cable car runs). You can come back on the lift, or it’s a one-hour hike down.
Cost and Hours: €7.50 one-way up, €6.50 one-way down, €10.50 round-trip, runs daily mid-May-mid-Oct 9:00-17:00, closed off-season and rainy mornings, tel. 0471-704-270, www.seiseralmbahn.it.
Getting There: From the town square, head downhill toward Wolkensteinstrasse, turn left and go another 50 yards down the road toward San Michele, and find the chairlift a few steps off the road on the right, behind the Co-op supermarket.
If you’re here on the weekend, the “Nightliner” shuttle bus connects you with local hot spots (Fri-Sat hourly from 20:40 until late, schedules at TI and hotels; €2.50/ride, €4/all-night pass). Rubin’s, next door to the Hotel Schgaguler in Castelrotto (tel. 0471-712-502), and Sasso’s, on Schlernstrasse in the nearby town of Siusi/Seis (tel. 0471-708-068), are trendy wine bars. A popular hangout for the younger crowd in Siusi/Seis is Santners, at the Seiseralm Bergbahn cable-car station (tel. 0471-727-913).
$$$ Alla Torre (in German, Gasthof zum Turm) is comfortable, clean, and alpine-traditional, with great beds and modern bathrooms (small Db-€102-140, big Db-€112-150, Tb-€183-240, one-night stay-€4 extra, price depends on season—highest in Aug, elevator, Wi-Fi, free parking, closed April and Nov, behind TI at Kofelgasse 8, tel. 0471-706-349, www.zumturm.com, info@zumturm.com, Gabi and Günther).
$$ Hotel Cavallino d’Oro (in German, Goldenes Rössl), on the main square, has plenty of Tirolean character and plush, welcoming public rooms. Run by friendly and helpful Stefan and Susanne, the entire place is dappled with artistic, woodsy touches and historic photos. If you love antiques by candlelight, this 650-year-old hotel is the best in town (Sb-€71-109, Db-€124-190, Db suite-€152-220 depending on season, 2 percent discount with cash, elevator, guest computer, Wi-Fi, laundry, free parking, Piazza Kraus 1, tel. 0471-706-337, www.cavallino.it, info@cavallino.it). Stefan converted his wine cellar into a Roman steam bath and Finnish sauna (free for guests, great after a hike, can book an hour for exclusive use)—complete with heated tile seats, massage rooms, a solarium for tanning, and tropical plants.
$$ Hotel Wolf (in Italian, al Lupo) is pure Tirolean, with all the comforts in 23 neat-as-a-pin rooms, most with balconies (Sb-€46-62, Db-€84-132, prices vary with season and view, elevator, pay Wi-Fi, coin-op laundry, free parking, closed April-mid-May and Nov-mid-Dec, a block below main square at Wolkensteinstrasse 5, tel. 0471-706-332, www.hotelwolf.it, info@hotelwolf.it, Silbernagl family).
$ Residence Garni Trocker is run by the Moser family, who rent 11 great rooms in a place that’s bomb-shelter solid yet warm-wood cozy. Their compound is beautifully laid out with a café-bar, garden, sauna, steam bath, rooftop Jacuzzi, coin-op laundry, and top-notch plumbing (Sb-€33-45, Db-€66-90 depending on season, apartments available, Wi-Fi, Fostlweg 3, tel. 0471-705-200, www.residencetrocker.com, garni@residencetrocker.com, Stefan). Sunday afternoon is the family’s time of rest; if you’re coming on a Sunday, be sure to let them know in advance what time you’ll arrive.
$ Haus Trocker, on the edge of town, is a modern home where the delightful Frau Trocker rents two lovely rooms that share one WC. Frau Trocker doesn’t speak English, but after you meet her you won’t care. Her son Roland can translate for you if he’s around (D-€50; from the bus station, walk away from the church spire, past Hotel Kastel Seiseralm to Fostlweg 6, then look for yellow Zimmer sign at top of steps; mobile 348-921-0335).
$ Tirler Hof, the storybook Jaider family farm, has 40 cows, four Old World-comfy guest rooms, and a great mountain view. The ground-floor double has a private bath. The top-floor rooms share a bathroom and a great balcony. Take a stroll before breakfast (D/Db-€60, discount for stays longer than one night, cash only, open year-round, free kitchen use on request, definitely most practical for drivers; it’s the first farm outside of town on the right on road to San Michele, Via Panider/Paniderstrasse 44; tel. 338-874-1226, info@tirlerhof.it, www.tirlerhof.it).
These two accommodations are in the hamlet of Siusi/Seis, just five minutes from Castelrotto by bus (see “By Bus from Castelrotto” on here). Siusi/Seis has shops, restaurants, a TI, and other services—and the cable car to Alpe di Siusi. Both places listed below will pick you up from the Siusi/Seis bus station.
$ At Villa Pircher, the friendly Pircher family rents out two view apartments just a short walk or bus ride from the cable-car station. Numerous trails begin nearby (Db-€49-75, price varies by season and number of people, no minimum stay, laundry service, parking, one stop past the Siusi/Seis bus station at Laranzweg 13, tel. 0471-707-440, mobile 339-191-3063, www.villapircher.com, info@villapircher.com, Thomas speaks some English).
$ Residence Burghof offers eight fully equipped apartments in a rural setting with beautiful views only 10 minutes from the village. When he’s not teaching skiing, English-speaking Patrick Fill and his family run this Tirolean retreat (Sb-€48-64, Db-€55-96, Tb-€70-131, price depends on season, advance cash or wire transfer payment only, family rates, sauna, Wi-Fi, free parking, rental bikes available, Burgfriedenstrasse 20, tel. 0471-706-243, www.residence-burghof.com, info@residence-burghof.com).
Note that the first two options are also listed earlier under “Sleeping in Castelrotto.”
Cavallino d’Oro Restaurant offers a variety of beautifully presented, homemade Tirolean cuisine—including wild game, canederli dumplings, and strudel—in a dressy but relaxed and woodsy ambience. The waiters, Marco and Monica, are very helpful; quiz them before you order. Reservations are smart (€30 meals, daily 18:00-21:00, tel. 0471-706-337).
Alla Torre Restaurant, homier and with the best terrace in town, is another fine option for traditional and international dishes (Thu-Tue 12:00-14:00 & 18:00-20:45, closed Wed, closed April-May and Nov, tel. 0471-706-349).
Saalstuben Restaurant dishes up a selection of reasonably priced Austrian-Italian dishes indoors or on their terrace. If you believe in dessert first, try the Kaiserschmarrn (€9.30), a favorite of Austrian Emperor Franz Josef. You won’t need anything else (summer daily 11:30-14:00 & 17:30-21:00, closed Thu in winter, Wolkensteinstrasse 12, tel. 0471-707-394).
Zur Alten Schmiede Pizzeria is a great place to enjoy an evening drinking Forst, the local beer, and playing darts (€6-9 pizzas and pastas, Tue-Sun 12:00-14:00 & 17:30-24:00 but kitchen closes at 23:00, closed Mon, outdoor seating, near bus station entrance at Paniderstrasse 7, tel. 0471-707-390).
Dessert: For strudel, locals like the no-nonsense Stern café, with its terrace seating (Tue-Sun 7:30-19:00, closed Mon; on Plattenstrasse—facing TI, go left through arch; tel. 0471-706-382).
Picnics: You can put together a picnic at Euro Spar (Mon-Sat 8:00-19:00, closed Sun, on Wolkensteinstrasse, tel. 0471-706-222), M-Preis (Mon-Sat 8:00-19:00, closed Sun, Paniderstrasse 21, tel. 0471-710-014), or Co-op/Konsum-Market (sells locally produced food, Mon-Sat 7:30-12:30 & 15:00-19:00, closed Sun and off-season Sat afternoons, Paniderstrasse 24, tel. 0471-706-330).
From Castelrotto by Bus to: Bolzano (2/hour Mon-Fri, 1-2/hour Sat, hourly Sun, 50 minutes, runs Mon-Sat 6:15-19:00, Sun 7:00-19:00; in Bolzano, the bus stops at the more central Bahnhofplatz, or train station—get off here to avoid the 200-yard walk from the bus station, where the bus terminates), Canazei (late June-mid-Sept only, 3-4/day, 2-2.25 hours), and Ortisei/St. Ulrich and St. Cristina (8/day, 30 minutes to Ortisei, then another 10 minutes to St. Cristina). Get bus schedules at the TI, call toll-free tel. 800-846-047, toll tel. 840-000-471, or check www.sii.bz.it or www.silbernagl.it. For Alpe di Siusi connections, see “Getting to Alpe di Siusi,” later.
To Munich: On Saturdays only from June to late September and mid-December to late March, a bus departs Alpe di Siusi (Compatsch) at 6:00 and Castelrotto at 6:25, and heads for Munich’s main bus station (arrives 11:00, €42) and airport (arrives 12:00, €50). You can be picked up at your hotel for an extra €5. For information and booking, contact the Castelrotto TI.
Europe’s largest high-alpine meadow, Alpe di Siusi (Seiser Alm in German), separates two of the most famous Dolomite ski-resort valleys. Eight miles wide, 20 miles long, and soaring up to 6,500 feet high, Alpe di Siusi is dotted by farm huts and wildflowers (mid-June-July), surrounded by dramatic—if distant—Dolomite peaks and cliffs, and much appreciated by hordes of walkers.
Compatsch, the modern little tourist town at the entrance of the meadow, has a TI, food, two small shopping strips, and services (described later). Don’t confuse the village of Siusi/Seis at the bottom of the cable car with Alpe di Siusi, the alpine meadow at the top.
The Sasso Lungo Mountains (Langkofel in German, “Long Stone” in English) at the head of the meadow provide a storybook Dolomite backdrop, while the spooky Schlern peak stands boldly staring into the haze of the peninsula. The Schlern, looking like a devilish Winged Victory, gave ancient peoples enough willies to spawn legends of supernatural forces. The Schlern witch, today’s tourist-brochure mascot, was the cause of many a broom-riding medieval townswoman’s fiery death.
Alpe di Siusi is my recommended one-stop look at the Dolomites because of Castelrotto’s charm as a home base; its quintessential Dolomite mountain views; its easy accessibility for those with and without cars; and its variety of walks, hikes, and mountain-bike routes. While most hikers will enjoy the easy meadow strolls, the nearby Schlern tempts and rewards those with more energy and an adventurous spirit.
The meadow is famous for its wildflowers—a fragrant festival (best in June) blooming with flowers that grow only 5,900-7,800 feet above sea level. The cows munching away in this vast meadow produce 2.5 million gallons of milk annually, much of which is sent to Bolzano to make cheese. After tourism, dairy is the leading industry here. While cows winter in Castelrotto, they summer in Alpe di Siusi. The meadow is also dotted with small, idyllic hotels and chalet restaurants. It’s extremely family-friendly, with playgrounds at each stop and plenty of animals to pet. Being here on a sunny summer day comes with the ambience of a day at the beach.
By Car: A nature preserve, Alpe di Siusi is closed to cars during the day (9:00-17:00), unless you’re staying in one of the area hotels. (Show your reservation confirmation as proof.) Parking at Compatsch (€14/day) requires that you arrive before the road closes at 9:00 in the morning, though you can drive back down at any time. Park officials encourage visitors to use the free parking lot located at the Seiseralm Bergbahn cable-car station in Siusi/Seis (see below); park your car and take the cable car (cabinovia) up to Compatsch.
By Cable Car from Siusi up to Alpe di Siusi: A cable car (Seiseralm Bergbahn) runs hikers and skiers from the village of Siusi/Seis to Compatsch, the gateway to the meadow (late May-early Nov daily 8:00-19:00, off-season 8:00-18:00, closed late Nov and mid-April-late May, 15-minute ride to the top, €10 one-way, €14 round-trip, www.seiseralmbahn.it). From Compatsch, you can take a shuttle bus farther into Alpe di Siusi to Saltria (€1.50/ride, €3/day).
By Bus from Castelrotto: Shuttle bus #3 links Castelrotto with Siusi/Seis and stops at the front door of the Seiseralm Bergbahn cable-car station (4/hour mid-June-mid-Oct during morning and afternoon peak times, otherwise 2/hour, 5 minutes). Less-frequent bus #4 connects the cable-car station with Siusi/Seis, Castelrotto, and Ortisei/St. Ulrich (2/hour, June-Oct only). Buses cost €1-4 per ride (buy tickets at the vending machines, not from the driver).
Regional buses (such as the orange SAD bus to and from Bolzano) stop at Siusi/Seis and just below the cable-car station (frequent in summer, 4/day in each direction off-season, €2 one-way).
The Alpe di Siusi Express is a shuttle bus that runs from Castelrotto all the way to Compatsch—denying you the fun experience of approaching the high meadow by cable car (6/day, 20 minutes, €10 one-way, €14 round-trip, see www.silbernagl.it for schedules).
Shuttle Buses: Because the meadow is essentially car-free, the park’s buses shuttle visitors to and from key points along the tiny road all the way from Compatsch—at the entry to the meadow—to the end of the line at Saltria, at the foot of the postcard-dramatic Sasso peaks (every 20 minutes 9:00-18:30, 15 minutes from Compatsch to Saltria, €1.50, buy at vending machines at the station or directly from the driver). At the end of the day, buses can be jam-packed.
Cable Cars and Chair Lifts: The entire meadow is served by various lifts (marked on maps). These are worth the roughly €5-8 per ride to get you into the higher and more scenic hiking areas (or back to the shuttle buses quickly). Keep in mind that lifts stop running fairly early (typically at about 17:00), which can be a major disappointment if you’re running out of steam and time and are still high up after a long day’s hike. Check schedules and plan your day accordingly.
This tourist village (6,048 feet) at the entrance to the meadow is served by the Seiseralm Bergbahn cable car from the town of Siusi/Seis. You can drive to Compatsch only if you are staying at a hotel in Alpe di Siusi (or if you arrive very early or leave very late, outside of park opening hours). Parking costs €14 per day.
Compatsch has a TI (Mon-Fri 8:15-12:30, Sat 8:15-12:00, closed Sun, tel. 0471-727-904, www.seiseralm.it/en). The cable-car station has WCs, sporting-goods stores, and restaurants. In the center of Compatsch, you’ll also find a tiny grocery store (open early-June-mid-Oct), ATMs, hotels, restaurants, and shops.
Bike Rental: You can rent mountain bikes at Sporthaus Fill (€10/1 hour, €29/day, mid-May-mid-Oct, at the bottom of the stairs of the cable-car station, tel. 0471-729-063, www.sporthausfill.com). There’s a world of tiny paved and gravel lanes to pedal on. Pick up their suggested routes and consider the ones I describe later. Rentable baby buggies are popular for those hiking with toddlers.
Horse Rides: Trocker rents horses and provides guides (about €28/1 hour, €38/2 hours, €54/3 hours, mid-June-Sept, near cable-car station, follow gravel road between Pensione Animone and station to end, tel. 0471-727-807, no English spoken).
Horse-drawn carriage rides are available to the left of the TI (May-Oct 9:00-16:00). Prices vary widely; check the sign near the road for details.
Local Guide: American transplant Kat Reno loves sharing her knowledge of South Tirol history and folklore. She offers private walks, hikes, and other alpine adventures (half-day walking tour-€140-150, mobile 346-663-8340, dolomitefun@live.com).
Easy meadow walks abound in Alpe di Siusi, giving novice hikers classic Dolomite views from baby-stroller trails. Experienced hikers should consider the tougher, more exciting treks. Before attempting a hike, call or stop by the TI to confirm your understanding of the time and skills required. As always, when hiking in the mountains, assume weather can change quickly, and pack accordingly. Many lifts operate only mid-June through mid-October, so check with the TI for specifics on open lifts. Meadow walks, for flower lovers and strollers, are pretty—for advanced hikers, they’re pretty boring. Chairlifts are springboards for more dramatic and demanding hikes. Trails are very well-marked, and the brightly painted numbers are keyed into local maps. Signs also display the next mountain hut along the trail, which serve as helpful navigational landmarks. (When asked for directions, most locals will know the trail by the huts it connects rather than its number.) For simple hikes, you can basically string together three or four hut names. For anything more serious, invest in a good map, about €6 at the TI. The Kompass Bolzano map #54 covers everything in this chapter (scale 1:50,000). The Wanderkarte map of Alpe di Siusi (produced by Tabacco) offers more detail and focuses on just Alpe di Siusi (scale 1:25,000).
This is a basic four-hour walk that is moderately strenuous. It promises fine vistas from both ends of the meadow, fun stops along the way, and lifts up and down on each end. Start by riding the €5 lift to Panorama (6,600 feet), then hike 1.25 hours to Mahlknechthütte/Molignonhütte (6,725 feet)—from the chairlift, follow trail #2 across the meadow to the paved road and then join trail #7. Continue hiking two hours to Zallingerhütte (6,725 feet). From here it’s a 10-minute walk to Williamshütte (6,888 feet), where you catch the €8 Florian lift back to Saltria and the shuttle-bus stop (for Compatsch). Both Mahlknechthütte and Zallingerhütte have great restaurants for a drink or meal. For shorter or cheaper versions, you can ride the lift up and stroll back down.
For a more thrilling two-hour extension of the previous hike, climb from Mahlknechthütte (6,725 feet) up to Plattkofelhütte (7,544 feet), follow the high trail #4 along the ridge for an hour, with commanding views both left and right, and then take a steep hike back down to Williamshütte (6,888 feet).
For a challenging 12-mile (six-hour) hike—with a possible overnight in a traditional mountain refuge (generally open mid-June-Sept)—consider hiking to the summit of Schlern and spending a night in Rifugio Bolzano/Schlernhaus. This route is popular with serious hikers as the best hike in the region.
Start at the Spitzbühl chairlift (€5 one-way, €7 round-trip, 5,659 feet, free parking lot, first bus stop in park, www.seiseralm.it), which drops you at Spitzbühl (6,348 feet). Trail #5 takes you through a high meadow, down to the Saltner dairy farm (6,004 feet—you want the Saltner dairy farm at Tschapit, not the one near Zallingerhütte), across a stream, and steeply up the Schlern mountain. About three hours into your hike, you’ll meet trail #1 and walk across the rocky tabletop plateau of Schlern to the mountain hotel Rifugio Bolzano/Schlernhaus (7,544 feet, €20-25 bunks, some double rooms available, breakfast-€8, cash only, open early June-mid-Oct, no hot water, summer-only tel. 0471-612-024, off-season tel. 0471-724-094, can reserve by email before hut opens in June, www.schlernhaus.it, info@schlernhaus.it). From this dramatic setting, you can enjoy a meal and get a great view of the Rosengarten range. Hike 20 more minutes up the nearby peak (Monte Pez, 8,400 feet), where you’ll find a lofty meadow, cows in the summer, and the region’s ultimate 360-degree alpine panorama. From Rifugio Bolzano/Schlernhaus, you can hike back the way you came or walk farther along the Schlern (7 miles, 2 hours; past Rifugio Alpe di Tires/Tierser Alpl, 8,006 feet, €24-35 bunks, half-board available for €43-54, open June-mid-Oct, showers-€3, tel. 0471-727-958 or 0471-707-460, mobile 333-654-6865, www.tierseralpl.com, info@tierseralpl.com) and descend back into Alpe di Siusi, to the road where the bus or cable car will return you to your starting point or hotel.
Take the cable car from Compatsch to Puflatsch (€5 one-way, €7 round-trip) for the two-hour loop north to Arnikahütte (with a café) and back (elevation gain about 660 feet). An engraved map at the Engelrast (Angel’s Rest) observation point near the top of the lift gives the names of the surrounding mountains. Walking among the legendary stone seats of witches, you’ll enjoy fine views of the valley all the way down to Castelrotto. With an hour more to spare, you can continue past Arnikahütte to Puflatschhütte and downhill all the way back to Compatsch, giving you even more amazing views to the valley below.
Another dramatic but medium-difficulty hike is the eight-hour walk around the Sasso Lungo (Langkofel) mountains, called the Federico Augusto/Friederich August trail. The trail has sections of loose rocks; good shoes are essential. Ride the bus to Saltria (end of the line), take the chairlift to Williamshütte, walk past the Zallingerhütte (overnight possible, €50-67/person in dorm room, Db-€130-164, includes breakfast and dinner, winter rates are higher, tel. 0471-727-947, www.zallinger.com, info@zallinger.com), and circle the Sasso Lungo group (get details and advice from the TI). On the opposite side, at Sella Pass, you ride a lift up Sasso Lungo to the Leo Demetz hut (8,790 feet), cross the saddle between Sasso Lungo and Sasso Piatto, and zigzag back into Alpe di Siusi with breathtaking views of rock climbers.
The Running Park Seiser Alm includes 46 miles of signed running trails in the meadow. Year after year, the clean air and high mountain altitude attract many international runners, including the Kenyan marathon team (during a one-day event usually held in July, they invite the public to run with them...or at least try). Contact the Compatsch TI for trail info and maps.
Mountain bikes are easy to rent, welcome on many lifts, and permitted on Alpe di Siusi lanes. The Compatsch TI has a good information flier that lists the best routes (I’ve listed three here). Get local advice to confirm difficulty levels and your plan before starting any ride.
This ride stays in Alpe di Siusi and gives you the best basic look at this high meadow, with little altitude gain and easy lanes throughout.
Start from Compatsch (6,048 feet), bike or ride the lift to Panorama (6,600 feet), and take road #7, which runs generally uphill to Punta d’Oro/Goldknopf, and then follows a series of hills and dips to Mahlknechthütte/Molignonhütte (6,725 feet). Then take road #8 downhill to Saltria (5,575 feet) and back to Compatsch (6,048 feet).
This route covers the great views of the Alpe di Siusi meadow, gets you into Val Gardena (a classic Südtirol valley) to see two resort towns, and then a lift gets you easily back to your starting point.
Start at Compatsch (6,048 feet), and take the road to Saltria (5,575 feet); from the bus stop, ride the unpaved road down to Monte Pana (5,366 feet). From here, an asphalt road zigzags steeply to St. Cristina (4,592 feet on valley floor far below), then heads down the valley to Ortisei/St. Ulrich (4,264 feet), where you take the cable car to Mezdi (6,560 feet, runs late May-Oct, €10.50 one-way, €15.20 round-trip). Complete your loop by rolling back down on a good road to Compatsch (6,048 feet).
this ride takes you into the dramatic rocks so characteristic of the Dolomites, with grand views and only the sound of your hardworking body and the rocks under your tires. If you get an early start, you can leave the bike at the Alpe di Tires/ Tierser Alpl hut (8,006 feet) while you hike to Rifugio Bolzano/Schlernhausern near the summit of the mighty Schlern—Monte Pez (2 hours, 8,400 feet).
Start at Compatsch (6,048 feet), ride the paved road downhill for 3.5 miles to Saltria (5,575 feet), then take road #8 for a huge uphill slog to the Tierser Alpl hut (8,006 feet; or you can ride the lift to Williamshütte to avoid half the altitude gain). From the Tierser Alpl hut, return the way you came until just below Hotel Floralpina/Seiser Alm Haus, where you’ll take the left fork and follow road #7 to Mahlknechthütte/Molignonhütte (6,725 feet) and on through Punta d’Oro/Goldknopt (6,560 feet), and back down to Compatsch (6,048 feet).
There are many chalets and huts with rooms for rent in Alpe di Siusi, which generally cost as much as a normal hotel. A few high-altitude options are mentioned under “Hiking in Alpe di Siusi,” earlier; for additional choices, ask at the TI. For a bigger hotel near the park entrance, consider this option:
$$$ Hotel Seelaus, a 10-minute walk downhill from Compatsch, is a cozy, friendly, family-run place with an Austrian feel and down comforters (Sb-€68-92, Db-€124-184, Tb-€186-276, suite-€148-212; prices vary with season and type of room; family rates and week-stay discounts; includes buffet breakfast and hearty dinner, free and easy parking, and use of Wellness Center with sauna, hydro-massage, and mini-pool; free Wi-Fi at bar, Via Compatsch 8, tel. 0471-727-954, www.hotelseelaus.it, info@hotelseelaus.it, Roberto). If you arrive in Siusi/Seis by bus, Roberto can pick you up—arrange in advance.
This is the definitive Dolomite drive: Belluno-Cortina-Pordoi Pass-Val di Fassa-Bolzano (about 125 miles). Connecting Venice with Bolzano this way (the Venice-Belluno autostrada is slick) takes two hours longer than the direct Venice-Verona-Bolzano autostrada. No public transit does this trip. In spring and early summer, passes labeled “closed” are often bare, dry, and, as far as local drivers are concerned, wide open. Call 0471-200-198 for road conditions (in Italian or German only).
See the biggies in half the miles (allow four hours, Bolzano-Castelrotto-Val Gardena-Sella Pass-Val di Fassa-Bolzano). Val Gardena (Grodner Tal) is famous for its skiing and hiking resorts, traditional Ladin culture, and wood-carvers (the wood-carving company ANRI is from the Val Gardena town of St. Cristina). It’s a bit overrated, but even if its culture has been suffocated by the big bucks of hedonistic European fun-seekers, it remains a good jumping-off point for trips into the mountains. Within an hour, you’ll reach Sella Pass (7,349 feet). After a series of tight hairpin turns a half-mile or so over the pass, you’ll see some benches and cars. Pull over and watch the rock climbers.
The town of Canazei, at the head of the valley and the end of the bus line, has the most ambience and altitude (4,642 feet). From there, a lift (€7 one-way, €10.50 round-trip) and a gondola (€6 one-way, €8.50 round-trip; both for €11 one-way, €17 round-trip; late April-late Oct daily 8:30-12:30 & 14:00-17:15, both closed late Oct-late April) take you to Col dei Rossi Belvedere, where you can hike the Bindelweg trail past Rifugio Belvedere along an easy but breathtaking ridge to Rifugio Viel del Pan (Canazei TI for lift info: Tel. 0462-609-500, www.fassa.com). This three-hour round-trip hike has views of the highest mountain in the Dolomites—the Marmolada—and the Dolo-mighty Sella range.
For one of Europe’s most intimate looks at medieval castle life, let the friendly lady of Reifenstein (Frau Steiner) show you around her wonderfully preserved castle. She leads a one-hour tour in German and Italian, squeezing in whatever English she can.
Cost and Hours: €7, open mid-April-Oct; tours Sun-Fri at 10:30, 14:00, and 15:00; mid-July-mid-Sept also at 16:00, closed most Sat, best to call ahead to reserve tour, minimum of 4 people needed for tour to run, picnic spot at drawbridge, mobile 339-264-3752, or TI tel. 0472-765-325, www.sterzing.com.
Getting There: To drive to the castle, follow the A-22 autostrada toward Brenner Pass, exit at Vipiteno (Sterzing), and follow signs toward Bolzano, taking three rights. The castle is just west of the freeway; park at the base of the castle’s rock. Of the two castles here, Reifenstein is the one to the west. While this is easy by car, it’s probably not worth the trouble by train (6/day from Bolzano, one-hour train ride followed by a one-hour hike).
Drivers connecting the Dolomites and Lake Como by the high road via Meran and Bormio can spend the night in the amazing little town of Glurns (45 minutes west of touristy Meran, between Schluderns and Taufers). Glurns still lives within its square wall on the Adige River, with a church bell tower that has a thing about ringing, and real farms rather than boutiques. The town’s short archways seem to cause the locals, whose families go back eons, to take on a Quasimodo-like posture. There are several small hotels in the town, but I’d stay in a private home (such as Family Hofer, 4 rooms, €29/person with breakfast, less for 3 nights or longer, cash only, 100 yards from town square, near church, just outside wall on river, Via Adige 1, tel. 0473-831-597, www.hofer.bz.it, privatzimmer.hofer@rolmail.net).