Tis the season of endless long weekends here in Catholic Bavaria, affording plenty of opportunities for short getaways. So away we got, three days enjoying the cognitive dissonance that is the German-speaking part of Italy.
This trip started, as so many do, with a quick stop in Bressanone for lunch followed by a proper Italian espresso. Mmmm.
Next it was time to sit back and enjoy the drive into the Puster Valley (Val Pusteria or Pustertal) to the town of Villabassa.
Here we checked into the lovely Hotel Adler. After deciding who would take the Jesus side of the bed and who would sleep under Mary, we enjoyed a nice dip in the indoor pool and a sit in the Turkish sauna.
We wandered around the small town of Villabassa and took in a bit of the international choir festival that was going on in the main square, admiring how the group of old Spanish men proved to be more animated and entertaining than even the teenagers from South Africa. Dinner was at the Stube at Hotel Adler, where we dined on pappardelle with porcini and blueberries, stinging nettle ravioli with bärlauch pesto, and grilled vegetables with polenta and melted mozzarella.
The next day we drove to Cortina, our only glimpse into Italian-speaking Italy this trip. Cortina is one of the larger towns in the valley, quite well-known as a skiing destination.
We ate pizza, did some grocery shopping, and bought truffles out of the back of a truck in a parking lot.
Next stop: the small resort and farming town of Toblach (Dobbiaco), back in the German-speaking part, for some hiking.
We had dinner at our hotel, Hotel Cristallo, as is the custom in this all-inclusive-resort area. The hotel itself was nice, new, clean. We enjoyed a couple swims in the indoor pool (good for laps). My overall rating of the hotel is in limbo, pending how long it takes them to return our passports (they forgot to hand them over when we checked out, and we didn’t notice we were without them until we were quite far away).
On the third day we had one thing planned: lunch at the marvelous Castel Fragsburg. It went a lot like this.
The weather cooperated perfectly. How can you not love a table with this view?
It looks like your trip was worth going on just for the food alone! I’m seriously loving all the holidays in June too.
Italy is always worth going for the food alone. 🙂
I think I was in Cortina…hiked around Mont Blanc and kept changing currency…I had the best ever flan…we were in some rough hiking huts and did not expect really tasty food, but the Italian food, even in the huts, was superb, and the alpine cows really produce some great milk.
Hey Julie,
Looks like we were around the corner from you and Scott at the same time.
We were in Corvara and Val Gardena.Have you ever hiked the Alpe de Siusi ?
We were very spoiled by the hotel where we were, with amazing food and fires lit every night before dinner. Loved staying in the more Italian part of the dolomites. Looking forward to going back soon.
Wanted to go to that hotel in Meran but couldn’t work it in, hopefully next time ! Good luck with the passports !
Laurie
Looks beautiful. I have always wanted to go there. I am really trying to talk my wife into heading there for one week in August/September.
This should be rated X for food porn. OMG I’m totally salivating.
Dov’e’ la forchetta? E le preoccupazioni……Ubicazione lontana! Che bello, Giu, Scott! Ciao ed a presto! Mi piacciono le nuvole bionde, alla “il treno va,” canzoncina di Paolo Conte! Raccomando, se vuoi e se non ne hai la conoscita’. Forgive my imprecise consonants! As the Russians do say, Isvinite! Ciao, amici miei, che begli edifici! IO MANDO, ciao! Caro Mercurio, Erme, Dei tutti greci, romani, spedisci la mia parola a Giulia ed a Scott! Grazie ….kevino ps wow!
Oh my! This looks and sounds like a fabulous trip! The food makes it all worth it but swimming, hiking….. just perfekt! Ich möchte nach gehen!