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The High DolomitesThrough meadows into the Dolomites
Few would argue that the Dolomites are the most beautiful of the Alpine range, their jagged summits pointing like fingers into the sky. The colours are spectacular in the sunshine, particularly at sunset when their rosy glow intensifies into a vivid red. This flexible route through the most westerly, German-speaking Dolomites combines the finest features of this mountain area – an exceptional standard of hotels, excellent Tyrolean and Italian cuisine, and splendid walking. Each day you have a choice of walks, from magnificent trails into the high mountains to gentler walks through the meadows and forests of the Seiseralm Plateau, home to a unique range of Alpine plants as well as chamois and eagles. An aura of magic pervades the area, with stories of witches and giants inspired by the fantastical shapes of the ever-present Dolomite peaks. Nights: 7
Starting point: Posthotel Lamm (4*), Kastelruth. This highly praised, 200-year-old hotel combines traditional and modern and is stylish yet atmospheric. Horst Trocker is a welcoming host and his attractive restaurant is justly popular among locals. The hotel boasts an indoor pool and a well-appointed spa that includes a sauna, solarium and whirlpool. Days 1 & 2: we suggest four walking routes for your two days in Kastelruth. The two low-level routes take you through meadows and forest, the first (10km, 3hrs) leading to the pretty village of Tagusens and the second (17-20km, 5-6hrs) passing several beautiful churches with exquisite bell towers and frescoes en route to the Südtirolean castle of Schloss Prösels. The two other routes take you much higher – on the first day contour high above the valley on a panoramic path to a small shrine (17km, 5.5hrs) and on the second day enjoy a challenging walk (19km, 8hrs) which ascends to the Fillne Kreuz (2,130 metres) – where you are rewarded with a 360-degree panorama – and follows the escarpment to Mount Bulacia (2,174 metres). Accommodation: Posthotel Lamm, as above. Day 3: to reach Plaza, you must ascend to the Seiseralm Plateau and into the Regional Park. The most direct route is steep in parts (though you can take the chair lift for part of the way – pay locally) and leads through meadows and pine woods. The longer route is even more strenuous, but leads via an escarpment on a high plain, and walking along this surrounded by magnificent peaks is to feel truly immersed in the mountains. Whichever route you choose, you are rewarded with sweeping views once you reach the vivid green meadows of the plateau. (10km, 4.5hrs or 12.5km, 4.5hrs or 18km, 7hrs) Accommodation: Hotel Plaza (4*), Plaza. This is a modern hotel which is well placed for exploration of the plateau. Facilities include a sauna and solarium, while the views stretch across the meadows to the mountains beyond. Day 4: for a challenging but thoroughly rewarding day, ascend to Petzberg (2,562 metres), the higher of the Sciliar’s two summits, which affords a breathtaking 360-degree panorama. An easier walk leads up to Spitzbühel, a popular launching site for paragliders. (22km, 8hrs or 7km, 3hrs) Accommodation: Hotel Plaza, as above. Day 5: the direct route leads through meadows and woodland and past the Großes Moos marsh. Alternatively, a higher, longer option is to ascend to the Roßzahne ridge through pastureland in which marmots are commonly spotted. As you descend towards your hotel, you enjoy good views of the Plattkofel which, like the Sciliar, is one of the region’s great landmarks. (7km, 3hrs or 15km, 4.5hrs) Accommodation: Floralpina Hotel (4*), Floralpina. Surrounded by green meadows and wooded slopes, the secluded Floralpina is a very welcoming hotel. We include bedrooms with a balcony from which to appreciate the views. The excellent facilities include two swimming pools (one indoors, one outdoors) and a spa complex comprising saunas, steam rooms and a whirlpool. Day 6: for a final challenge, you should ascend to the rocky, wedge-shaped summit of Mount Plattkofel (2,958 metres). A shorter, slightly less demanding route leads part-way up its slopes then crosses a delightful hanging valley before returning through forest to the Floralpina. A third option, which would enable you to complete the circuit, is to descend from the plateau to Kastelruth and catch the bus back (pay locally), though you could, of course, simply relax in the hotel spa (pay locally for treatments). (14km, 7hrs or 12.5km, 4hrs or 16km, 4hrs) Accommodation: Floralpina Hotel, as above. Walking chart: the chart gives the distance and an approximation of the ascents and descents involved (we have chosen to show our recommended option each day). If comparing holidays, please note the scale of each chart as this can differ.
Recommendations for extra nights: all three hotels make excellent bases for extra walking, with numerous waymarked paths to explore. For a day of relaxation (and some pampering in the spa), choose the Floralpina Hotel. Extensions: if you are flying via Verona, why not extend your holiday? You can either choose three nights at the 3-star Zirmerhof in the Südtirol for further scenic walking, or two nights at the 4-star Grand in Verona for a spot of culture. Alternatively, you could combine this walk with our Valleys & Villages of the Dolomites walk to make a superb 14-night holiday. Other information: if you would like to see the brochure page, you can download this (and the pages for any other holidays you are interested in) by using our brochure creation system. You can also read our website travel diary for a personal account of the holiday. Similar holidays: Valleys & Villages of the Dolomites (grade 2-3), The Bernese Oberland (grades 2 & 3), Villages of the Engadine (grades 2 & 3), Towards the Matterhorn (grades 2 & 3), The High Route (grade 3), Lake Lucerne (grade 2), Lake Geneva to Lake Neuchâtel (grade 2), Austria's Alpine Heartland (grade 2-3) Prices & travel 2008:
Recommended destination airports: Brescia (take airport bus to Verona,
0h45 - pay locally),
Venice & Verona Extra night prices 2008 (extra nights can be booked at any hotel):
> Notes on prices > Any queries? Let us call you back  |
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Admire the magnificent scenery 
