Castelrotto

Kastelruth

Climbing to great heights

The Italian Alps in the South Tyrol region are some of the most stunning natural areas of the country. South Tyrol (Alto Adige in Italian) is the northernmost region of Italy, bordered by Austria and Switzerland. Originally part of Austria until after WWI, many of the residents still speak German as their primary language.

The Dolomites were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009 and are considered some of the most beautiful mountains in the world. We were lucky enough to be able to stay here for two days and enjoy a small sampling of what this area has to offer (definitely on our list to visit again, perhaps in the winter for skiing).

We enjoyed a beautiful hike around the Seiser Alm/Alpe di Suisi area, stopping often to marvel over the vistas surrounding us. We joined other hikers for lunch at a mountain hut, then continued our hike around the area known as Puflatsch/Bullaccia. As with all mountain regions, the weather can be unpredictable. We were lucky - rain had been predicted but never materialized.

Back in Castelrotto (Kastelruth in German), we joined the locals at a Knödelfest in the church square, complete with a Tyrolean oompah band. Knödel are large bread dumplings that can be a main meal or a dessert, depending on what types of ingredients are put into them. Yum!

Highlights

Everything! This area has an abundance of year-round outdoor activities, so it's impossible to narrow them down! This whole area is a must-see!

Go hiking or mountain climbing
Visit some woodworking shops (carving is a specialty of the area)
Take a mountain bike tour
In winter, ski!

Next Stop - Bolzano

Lesson #3:

Tipping is for Americans

Hard to get used to when we’re so programmed to tip the wait staff at restaurants, but the custom is very different in much of Europe. They don’t expect a tip, and if you don’t give one, no big deal. You can tip if you wish to reward exceptional service, but a few coins is fine.