debwhite

My husband and I are able to grab 10-12 days for an active European vacation. We like to hike and be in nature, to see beautiful scenery and enjoy nice dinners. Don't need fancy accommodations and we're willing to drive, but don't want most of our time to be in the car.
Can anyone help us decide? Would weather be a problem in either place? ARe we better off going to one of them at a different time of year? We always avoid summers and crowds,

RSS

I would look carefully at when the hotels in the Dolomites close. Been to both the Dolomites and Ireland, we are big outdoor/hikers also. Found in multiple places in the Dolomites, that September 30th, things were closed. This won't be the case in a Hotel like Rosa Alpina, 5 star resort, but in the smaller towns, we were struck by limited availability including ski lifts to take you to higher level hikes.

If you can do it in mid September, then Dolomites will be fine but otherwise, I would cast my vote for Ireland, lots of interesting sites and great hiking.

RSS

debwhite

thanks very much. We wondered if we were on the border timewise, and this may seal the deal. Will think about the Dolomites for a May-June trip perhaps.

Gerd

Well,I too, just like RSS, would recommend you to come and visit the Dolomites. To give you a little idea of what the Dolomites are like, take a look at the following websites:
-the gallery at the UNESCO-website http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1237
-a short video on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKuYDJ5wL0k
-an informative website about a famous grge in the Dolomites that takes you back 350 million years into the development of this earth http://www.bletterbach.info/en/
-my website with photos of some hikes https://picasaweb.google.com/111064870418881641859
-some websites with live webcams (http://www.umbriameteo.com/webcam/trecime/ shows you the famous Tre Cime di Lavaredo) http://www.south-tirol.com/webcam , http://www.altabadiaski.info/pages/m...ge=webcam&se=D ,
-my own website with lots of information about hiking, history, etc. http://www.hiking-in-the-dolomites.it/

In order to advise you properly I however need to know your exact travel-times. Yes, the Dolomites close down between Oct. and May. However, I personally hike there every weekend all year round. It’s always a matter of equipment and gear as well as the knowledge of WHERE you can hike. And yeas, there are possibilities to find accommodation.

You’ve mentioned you’d like to try the Dolomites in May/June instead. Well, in May the Dolomites are normally still covered with snow, and that easily lasts into mid June – for most areas. Nevertheless, there always are areas where you can hike, even in Winter. A good time is between the end of June and end of Sept.

If you want to you may also send me a mail to [email protected]/ with all your questions.

See you in the Dolomites.

Gerd

GreenDragon

Remember that Ireland has very changeable weather, and the days are getting quite short in October, so there will be less daylight for hiking around. Make sure to call ahead to make sure things are open, as things also start shutting down after September. You should have some lovely hikes, though, as it is beautiful any time of year!