Day 1 - Sat 2 July 2022 (Lunch, overnight in BOLZANO)
The tour begins in Bolzano with lunch, followed by a tour of the city with our guide. Please check in to the hotel before 12:30pm. With sun setting as late as 9pm, you will have ample free time to enjoy the city on your own after the tour with the Bolzano Card provided to you.
Day 2 - Sun 3 July 2022 (Lunch, overnight in BOLZANO)
We visit the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology this morning to learn about the amazing 5300 year old mummy which was discovered near the top of a nearby mountain some 30 years ago. Affectionately nicknamed Ötzi after the Ötztal Alps where the body was discovered, this is to date the oldest and best preserved human body ever found in Europe, and has been the source of some of the most valuable information about life in copper-age Europe.
Day 3 - Mon 4 July 2022 (overnight in BOLZANO)
Today we take the local train over to the nearby town of Merano, where a guide shall take us around the lovely historic centre which combines the best of both Mediterranean and Alpine traditions. Those of you who wish to hike in the mountains instead can spend the day doing this for an additional charge of S$100 per person, accompanied by an alpine guide.
Day 4 - Tue 5 July 2022 (Lunch, dinner, overnight near CINQUE TORRI)
The group will make their way today to an authentic mountain lodge (see note below), passing first by the village of Ortisei and the dramatic mountain formation of Seceda. Dinner is included amid a most spectacular panorama.
Day 5 - Wed 6 July 2022 (Dinner, overnight in SESTO)
This morning our alpine guide will lead the entire group to visit one of the open-air war museums and tell us about the historical significance of the Dolomites in the battles between Italy and Austria during the First World War. We shall then make our way after lunch up the predominantly Ladin-speaking Val Badia corridor to Brunico in the Puster Valley, where a guide shall take us around this very Tyrolean town, before we make our way to Sesto spend the next three nights.
Day 6 - Thu 7 July 2022 (Lunch, overnight in SESTO)
We make our way to San Candido today, where you have a choice of two different programmes - a more leisurely day spent wandering around the city and going up to the Baranci refuge by chairlift to enjoy the various fun activities there, or else a cycling adventure all the way to the town of Lienz in Austria. There is no additional charge for either option.
Day 7 - Fri 8 July 2022 (Lunch, dinner, overnight in SESTO)
We spend the day making our way up to the Fondovalle Refuge, where an array of activities await us, from chairlifts to panoramic points with spectacular views to optional rides on horseback and horse-drawn buggies.
Day 8 - Sat 9 July 2022 (Picnic lunch, dinner overnight in SAPPADA)
We leave Sesto this morning to make our way to the town of Sappada, but not before spending some time in the Val Visdende, an absolute delight of uncontaminated nature, where we can enjoy a picnic lunch and immerse ourselves in some very serious forest therapy.
Day 9 - Sun 10 July 2022 (Lunch, overnight in SAPPADA)
Our guide shall be taking us around Sappada this morning, followed by a visit to a dairy farm to see how the local cheese is made. The afternoon is left at your leisure for you to explore the town and surrounding area as you prefer.
Day 10 - Mon 11 July 2022 (Lunch, overnight in SAPPADA)
Today we make our way to a very special place - the source of the River Piave, one of the most important waterways of the northeast. An optional hike is proposed after lunch for an additional charge of S$50 per person over to the nearby Sesis Pass , continuing all the way to the Austrian border for a spectacular view of the valley beyond. Those who prefer a more leisurely afternoon can enjoy the surroundings while waiting for the hikers at the refuge after lunch, or choose to be driven back to our hotel in Sappada.
Day 11 - Tue 12 July 2022 (Overnight in CORTINA D'AMPEZZO)
While on our way to Cortina this morning we shall stop over at the village of Auronzo, one of the many centres of spectacle production in the area, where you shall have a chance to marvel at the immense range of frames available and even buy a few pairs at incredibly low prices.
Day 12 - Wed 13 July 2022 (Lunch, overnight in CORTINA D'AMPEZZO)
The plan today is visit the village of Misurina and its lovely lake, and then onward to the Auronzo refuge where you can finally see the spectacular icon of the Dolomites, the world-famous Three Peaks of Lavaredo. Just like we did at the source of the River Piave, a hike around the peaks will be proposed for an additional charge of S$50 per person, with two possible options - a relatively easy walk to the Locatelli Refuge with a return along the same route back to the Auronzo Refuge, or the more challenging one which takes you first to the Locatelli Refuge and then back to the Auronzo Refuge going completely around the Three Peaks. Depending on the weather, the hikes may be carried out the next day should meteorological conditions be unsuitable on this day.
Day 13 - Thu 14 July 2022 (Lunch, overnight in CORTINA D'AMPEZZO)
The entire day shall be at your leisure for you to go shopping or visit the museums in Cortina, unless the weather day before dictates that we should visit Misurina and the Three Peaks of Lavaredo instead. Nevertheless, if the weather is equally good on both days, you can always request to go hiking elsewhere today as well, always for an additional charge of S$50 per person.
Day 14 - Fri 15 July 2022
Tour ends after breakfast this morning. Transfers are provided to Venice Marco Polo Airport and Venice-Mestre railway station. For those who wish to extend their trip in Venice or elsewhere, please contact Ergo: Travel.
