A friend & I plan to go trekking in the Dolomites for 2 weeks beginning at the end of May 2005. We realize this may be a little early but are hoping to find some green valleys & beautiful views. We do not want to take the Vie Ferrate routes, however. Can you recommend villages and/or valleys that we can use as starting points? And also inexpensive pensions etc? I am studying Italian & hope to practice my Italian, but my friend is fluent in German, so language is no problem. Also: we plan to use public transportation from Bolzano. Grazie Mille!

The Alpi Suisi area is some of the best hiking in the Dolomites. I would stay in Ortisei or Castelrotto--both are great. Find the Val Gardena web site for more details.

Ditto on the Alpe di Suisi area. I was there in very late May a couple years ago and while some of the higher elevation hiking trails were still either muddy or snowy, this green and gorgeous huge meadow had great views and nice trails (and some fabulous apple strudel). In Castelrotto at this time of year we found a zimmer (room) in a house when we pulled into town. The owners spoke to us in German only, so your friend's linguistic skills will come in handy.

Other areas, notably around Cortina, are VERY dead at this time of year.

Didn't take public transportation, so can't help with that. If you can find a possibly out of print book by the Goldsmiths, I think just called "the Dolomites," it is the most detailed guide in English that I've seen on the area.

Have fun!

Bobthenavigator & annabelle2:
Thanks so much for your responses. I am relieved to hear that someone else has hiked there in late May. I have hiked in Merano in late May & it was a wonderful experience (lower elevation & they even have palm trees in the valley!) I was worried, however, that we were going to find everything still snowy or muddy. Best regards

We had very nice weather in late May. The trails in the Alpe di Suisi area were completely clear and some wildflowers were blooming, but do keep in mind that when were were there, many of the high trails were not hikable. And if I had know how completely shut down Cortina is in late May/early June I would have skipped it and just stayed around the Val Gardena.

Another thing to think about is that this winter has been snowy in many parts of Europe (including Italy) so I wonder how the conditions in the Dolomites are this season? I did find several good websites for the Dolomites, with information and weather forecasts -- sorry I don't have them saved anymore, but a search should turn up something useful.

Have you been to Bolzano? The archeology museum with the 'iceman' is very nice.

I loved the Dolomites!
Have fun.

Thanks Annabelle2 for your added comments. Yes, we plan to stay overnite in Bolzano so we can go to the information office & perhaps look around while we are there. We are taking the train from Verona up to Bolzano & then a bus to whatever valley seems best(Val Gardena, Alpi Suisi will probably be our choices).

Because I am studying Italian, I would really prefer to spend part of our trip hiking in an Alpine area where Italian is the primary language. Are there any alpine areas you know of that we could access as part of our trip? Or is all of Northern Italian Alps primarily Germanic language?

Linnye - Only the Alto Adige/ South Tyrol area is predominantly German speaking. The Trentino and Veneto Dolomites are Italian speaking.

Hope this helps ...

Steve

To Steve James,
Yes it does help! We have agreed to spend the first part of the trip (end of May) hiking in the Trentino region which also might be less likely to have left over snow. I am now researching for some good hiking areas & village(s) in which to stay. Any suggestions?
Thanks, L