Diane Mullahy

My latest adventure was hiking in the Dolomite Mountains in northern Italy in September 2021. Hiking, history, and culture weave together in a magical journey and gorgeous landscape of towering pinnacles, gentle foothills, and green valleys dotted with picturesque villages. For thousands of years, the Dolomite Mountain region has been home to the Ladin people, who trace their lineage back to the Middle Ages and whose culture is rich in timeless traditions and customs. The people, food and the wine made for an amazing trip. We ended our hiking days enjoying the spas at the hotels, whether a swim, steam or a massage it was all available and needed! The hikes traverse Ladin valleys and soaring mountain terrain, never far from next idyllic village and intimate family-owned lodging. If you’ve never hiked in Europe, you might be surprised and delighted by the “civilized” nature of it all: cable cars and chair lifts gobble up elevation to deliver you to trailheads, and rifugios (mountain inns) are nestled here and there in the rugged landscape to offer lunch and a glass of wine to walk-in travelers. The adventure wraps up in Follina in the beautiful Prosecco region, with a sampling of the namesake sparkling wine. It was quite the adventure and whenever I can have a great vacation in Italy I feel complete! For sure I’ll be back for another Dolomite Mountain experience.