Bolzano
 

Planning on spending 1.5 days and one night in Bolzano in late May. Interested in hiking and exploring small villages. Thoughts?

You are getting there how?

Exellent idea. Don't forget to visit the Oetzi museum. There are hiking trails for more than a week. You will have to choose between Ritten, Seiseralm, Vinschgauer Walwege (water channel trails), Lake Caldaro.....
http://www.suedtirol.info/en/Destina...-Environs.html

Don't stay in Bolzano. Travel a short distance further and stay in one of the three villages of Val Gardena - Ortisei, St Christina, or Selva. This way you will be actually staying in the Dolomites with wonderful views of the surrounding mountains. Although in late May many of the lifts will not yet be operating and the higher trails will likely be snow covered, you should still be able to find plenty of hiking opportunities.

Some great old castles in the area.

Where are you going to be before and after Bolzano?

Will you have a car?

Are you interested in spending time in Bolzano itself (both the town and the Oetzi museum are worthwhile) or just thinking it would make a convenient base?

We spent 5 nights there last summer and loved it and did lots of day trips into the mountains and small villages but we had a car.

If no car, and only the one night, then staying in Bolzano you could take the cable car (from right in the town itself) and do some hiking around there. But you won't be getting into the heart of the Dolomites.

Bolzano is the transport hub of the area. You can reach a lot of interesting places (included those I mentioned above) in 1 hr or less by public tramsport.
Ir you go into a rmote Valley, where most things are still closed you will have much less oportunities.

And you wondered why I asked my question and I am wondering where the OP disappeared to. Maybe fell off one of those hiking trails. Not responding is just plain RUDE.

Dukey1, that's mean and disproportionately rude.

Fodorites don't ask for recognition. We are here to share our travel knowledge and in my case, a bit of wisdom.