Food, wine and Dolomite peaks guided walking tour

• Walking difficulty level: easy-medium – gravel roads, mountain footpaths and tarmac roads with relatively accessible ups and downs for the most part. 4-5 hour day walks on most days with vehicles and/or ski lifts occasionally available to shorten hikes.
• Two centre hiking holiday dividing its time between the German speaking South Tyrol area of Italy and Italian speaking Cortina d’Ampezzo.
• Two comfortable hotels with character.
• Dinners at a range of interesting local restaurants, two of which are Michelin starred.

AVAILABLE ON REQUEST IN 2024

DAY 1: Pick up at Venice Marco Polo airport, then a 3 hour drive to the pretty German speaking Tyrolean town of Innichen/San Candido stopping off en route in the renowned Prosecco wine area for a wine tasting and lunch. 3 night stay at Hotel Orso Grigio or similar, and dinner at the hotel's restaurant. (LD)

DAY 2: After a short drive, we wind through the bucolic pastures of the Pusteria valley with panoramic views of the Sesto Dolomites past characteristic masi mountain farms with home-made Tyrolean specialities for lunch, directly to our hotel (12kms/8 miles, 150 metres up and 250 down, 5 hrs). Free time to explore San Candido and dinner at a local restaurant. (BLD)

DAY 3: We take a ski lift up to 2000 metres/6560 ft to the spectacular border ridge with views of both Austria and Italy for an ultra-panoramic circuit with dramatic views of the varied mountain shapes of the Austrian Alps and the Dolomites (11 km/6.8 miles, 400 metres up and down, 5.5 hrs) and lunch at a refuge just over the border in Austria! Dinner in a local restaurant. (BLD)

DAY 4: An hour and a half’s drive takes us to the pretty Tyrolean town of Bressanone in one of the Tyrol’s interesting wine regions for a short vineyard walk, a wine tasting at Novacella Abbey and a visit to the abbey itself before continuing to our next hotel, Hotel Cortina or similar, in Italian speaking Cortina d’Ampezzo (4 nights) and a meal in the hotel's restaurant. (BLD)

DAY 5: A 45-minute drive each way takes us to Misurina and one of the most famous walks in the Dolomites, the Tre Cime circuit at over 2000 metres/6560 ft throughout, with breath-taking and varied Dolomite views (8 km/5 miles, 400 metres up and down, 4/4.5 hrs) and lunch en route at a high mountain refuge. Dinner in a local restaurant. (BLD)

DAY 6: After a half day walk with magnificent views down to Cortina d’Ampezzo (6 km/4 miles, 300 metres up and donw, 3 hrs), the afternoon takes us to a cooking demonstration with a local chef where we learn to make some of the area’s interesting cross-border specialities before dining at the restaurant. (BLD)                   

DAY 7: A half-an-hour drive takes us to 2100 metres/6890 ft at Passo Giau for a spectacular up and down walk through high pastures, open mountain views and the pristine Croda da Lago lake with lunch at a mountain refuge on the lake (12 km/8 miles, 300 metres up and 500 down, 4/4.5 hrs) before driving back to the hotel by jeep for free time to explore Cortina and dinner at renowned, Michelin starred Tivoli restaurant. (BLD)

DAY 8: A two and a half hour drive back to Venice airport. (B)

Hotels

Hotel Orso Grigio, San Candido (3 nights) or similar – a stylish, modern Tyrolean 4-star hotel in the centre of San Candido with a panoramic terrace www.orsohotel.it

Hotel Cortina – Cortina d’Ampezzo (4 nights) or similar – a pretty 4-star hotel with character perfectly located in the town centre, www.hotelcortina.com

What is included:

• comfortable, characterful hotel accommodation;
• all meals – breakfast, lunch at mountain refuges and multi-course dinners with wine in interesting local restaurants or hotels (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner);
• all transport – to/from Venice airport and to/from walks in mini buses (or cars depending on group size);
• baggage transfers as appropriate;
• 1 or 2 experienced tour consultants/mountain guides (depending on group size) to guide and support you;
• all specified trips or visits.

For bookings and enquiries contact us at the email address or telephone numbers above.