Donna

In early October my friend and I will be staying in Venice and Lake Garda. We were intrigued by the Dolomites. Any suggestion for a special visit, or a particular place to explore ? <BR> <BR>It's a treat to hear the helpful advice you all share with us newbies. Thanks to you all!

alan

Hi <BR> I don't know how you will be traveling, but a car is a very good idea when traveling in the Dolomites. One of the best places to visit and stay is probably Cortina d'Ampezzo. We also enjoyed a couple of days in Bolzano. <BR>Verona is fairly close also and that also is a great place to visit. <BR>The Dolomites are spectacular and the views are breathtaking. We stayed in a small town called San Vito and enjoyed it very much. <BR>alan <BR>

Mariarosa

Hi Donna! I can't tell from your post if you are planning on doing a day trip from one of those locations, or if you are planning on adding a few days/nights in the Dolomites to your trip. Here are the places I visited this last March. I rally enjoyed the area, it can't be beat for natural beauty: <BR>1) Trento - Not far from Verona. It is a lively town with an old center, a couple of castles, frescoed houses, and great cuisine. I had a multi-course apple menu at Ristorante Chiesa - it was wonderful. <BR>2) Bolzano - about 1 hour North of Trento, on the same train line. Much more Austrian in character than Trento. You can visit the Castelo Roncolo and also the Archeological Museum that houses Oetzi, the 5,300 old mummy that is very well-preserved. <BR>3) Castelrotto - 1 hour by bus from Bolzano. It is a charming and small town where Ladin traditions are still alive. Old guys wearing traditional Ladin clothes can be seen talking to each other and even the supermarket is frescoed! We stayed in the Cavallino d'Oro, which was a very nice hotel. <BR>4) Ortisei in Val Gardena, another cute town in the Dolomites. From here you can take a funiculair to the Seiser Alm - a beautiful mountain where you'll get great views of the Dolomites. <BR> <BR>There's ton of hiking that you can do in this area, as well as wineries. The Trentino-Alto Adige wines are quite famous and you can visit the wineries. Additionally there's like a zillion castles, many of which can be visited. The Tourism Info Office of this area sent me some great brochures with wineries, castles and hikes. I ordered them through www.hallo.com Good luck!

Peg

We stayed in Castelrotto at Cavalino d'Oro also and thought it was fabulous!! Lots of hiking and beautiful vistas nearby. We were there at the end of June so I don't know what the weather is like in October. Val Gardena is a cute village not far from there. Look for hand carved, wooden wine stoppers. Great gifts for friends.

John H

"Rick Steves' Italy" guide book gives a wonderful driving tour of the Dolomites that takes much/most of a day (see the detailed map of the Western Dolomites). We loved it. Just stop in any of the sleepy towns for lunch -- all very charming and nice. By the way, it can be a somewhat scary drive (up to 5000-6000 feet above sea level) -- I trust you do not fear driving at great heights or on narrow two lane roads! <BR> <BR>Enjoy! It was wonderful! <BR> <BR>John H. <BR> <BR>

StCirq

Donna: Check your map and see if you can locate a Lago Valentino, right near where the borders of Italy, Switzerland, and Austria converge. It was at least 6 years ago, but we stumbled upon this lake and its town and thought it was utterly enchanting. Unfortunately, we arrived late afternoon in August and couldn't get a room in Italy, so opted for one across the border in Austria, but it was still an amazingly beautiful area - and the lake, with its castle tower half-submerged was strange and beautiful.

Gabriella

Hi Donna <BR> <BR>Ive spent some time in the Dolomites and the Trento-Adige region. The region is absolutely spectacular and breathtaking, and the Trentini people are warm and welcoming. <BR> <BR>I stayed in a town called Fiera Di Primiero and San Martino di Castrozza for some weeks a few years ago and its truly a magical place. <BR> <BR>There are numerous parks in the region that you can explore, keep in mind though, very few people in the villages around the Dolomites speak English. <BR> <BR>May I suggest you try www.dolomiti.it <BR>http://www.primiero.it/ <BR>for further info on the region and things to do and see. <BR> <BR>

Joe

Donna: No need to add to the above. Dolomites are spectacular. Search on Dolomites on this board. Much has been written about this area (mine included). Also, search on Cortina, Castelrotto, Glurns, etc.; tons of information. Well worth as much time as you have to spare.