Is there a particularly scenic Alpen town within striking distance of Venice? Chalets, meadows, cowbells, and all that Heidi stuff?

You can find such villages in the Dolomites (Sud-Tirol), although I've not seen many cows there---just goats and, on one hike, Haflinger horses turned out to graze.

In Sudtirol Region/Dolomites:
St. Magdalena (cows!)
St. Peter
Tisens
Livine
Selva di Cadore
Kastelruth

Hi vivi, did you want to take a car trip for just a long day or did you want to stay for a few nights?

Lake Lugano.

Hi vivi,
Within striking distance of Venice...will you have a car and a night or two? I highly recommend Alta Badia (we recently stayed in La Villa) or Val Gardena (we stayed in St. Christina).
Here you'll find chalets, meadows and magnificent mountain scenery. Cowbells...how about a hike or walk through the Seiser Alm/Alpe di Suisi.
Here are a few websites that may be helpful:

www.altabadia.org/summer
www.montanara.it
www.val-gardena.com/eng

Hope this helps.
Paul

Nice list, Paul. Which is your favorite? We're thinking of a trip 2008. I've been 3 time to the Dolomites, but haven't found a favorite place yet!

Como looks quite Swiss.

We went last May to the festive reunion of the Italian Alpen Corps in Bassano del Grappa. Beautiful alpine town with lots of guys running around with knee socks and the little hats with a feather. The reunion is held every year in the area.

I thought that Aosta looked quite Swiss.

Hi Enzian,
We have also taken 3 trips to the Dolomites and so far I don't have a favorite, although my wife says the scenery in La Villa (Alta Badia) was the best so far. Our favorite "old town" is Brixen/Bressanone, hands down. We spent a day here based in La Villa andwe look forward to returning.
www.brixen.org
www.hofburg.it

Another interesting valley we stayed in is Val Venosta/Vinschgau. The small walled town of Glurns, Castle Churburg and the Convent of St. John in Muestair in Switzerland (just over the border) were the highlights for us. Tirolo/Tirol, by Meran/Merano was beautiful also.
www.vinschgau.is.it
www.churburg.com/willkommen_engl/index.html
www.gemeinde.glurns.bz.it
www.muestair.ch
www.schlosstirol.it

Sorry, I could go on and on about the Sud Tirol area. We haven't been dissapointed yet.

Paul

Great ideas, thank you so much! I have 1-2 days unscheduled days between Rome/Florence/Venice and am trying to decide where to go that is scenic and charming in an Alpine Swiss kind of way!

You might like to check out Merano, in the South Tirol.

Hi Paul---I do like La Villa too; we've stayed above there in Colfosco, which is smaller and has great views.

Rather than hijack this thread, I'll start my own on great places in the Dolomites. I hope you'll provide input! Probably won't be right away, though; I'm busy with Switzerland just now.

Enzian-
It's OK to hijack this thread, LOL.

What about a town called Bolzano?

For Swiss-like towns, go to Sud Tirol and the Dolomites.

Como is Italian and looks Italian. Even Lugano, Ascona and Locarno look more "Italian", which is why the Swiss love Tessin.

Hi vivi, Falcade in the Dolomites might be of interest to you. Here is a website. Alpine town, quite lovely but I don't remember any cows. Here is a website which even has a map as to its location. Beautiful area.
http://www.lasiestahotel.com/pano_envia.php

Hi,
Bolzano/Bozen is nice, but it is a fairly large city.

Paul

vivi,

If you are traveling between points by train, it is very easy to get to Bolzano. But for a "Swiss" looking town like you describe, still easy to reach, I suggest you take the very nice bus service (next to the Bolzano train station) 30 minutes up to Castelrotto:

http://www.castelrotto.org/

Also known as Kastelruth.