My only nagging doubt about Gayle's and my recent stay in the South Tyrol is whether I should have…read morerented a car and explored more mountain passes and small villages. Maybe next time! Instead, Gayle and I took the train from Venice to Bolzano/Bozen and then let our SAD bus do the driving as we traveled to Casterotto/Kastelruth, back and forth each day to Alpe di Suisi/Seiser Alm, and finally returning to Bolzano/Bozen for our next train journey. The SAD system covers transport in the South Tyrol and includes a complete interconnection using buses and trains. SAD also operates several cable cars and a Mobilcard is available for frequent travelers. Gayle and I paid at either the Bus Station in Bolzano/Bozen or on the Bus itself at a fare of 4 Euros each (one way). Our Alpe di Suisi days were paid for as part of our Combi Card which included our daily rides on the Seiseralm Bergbahn Cable Car. Both Gayle and I were impressed with the comfort or our ride, the friendly local bus drivers, their skill in driving as we curved around in spots, and the fact that the buses ran on time. I'll chalk that up to a German efficiency overlay to the more suggestive nature of Italian time. So even though Gayle and I might be in a car the next time we come to the Dolomites, we will always be aware that SAD will be there as a viable alternative or supplement to our South Tyrol transportation needs.

They PACKED the lift, even with essentially no wait at this time of year (May). It's a quick trip…read moreup, with restrooms, seating, and food options at the top. The best part was watching the paragliders take off over the lake below. Not sure if it was worth the 25 euros, but great views depending upon cloud cooperation.

If you are lucky enough to visit Malcesine, you MUST ride the Funivia!…read more Well, I suppose having great weather with clear skies can also be an important factor... but I couldn't imagine visiting Malcesine without riding this tram ride up to the top of Mount Baldo. We went in February, when the snow-capped Dolomites are spectaculuar!! My only reqret is that we didn't plan better for this - - it would have been amazing to actually go skiing or snowboarding once we got to the top. But the price for two round-trip was 24EUR. The total length in time to get to the top is 20min. You actually take two different trams. One to the first stop - - and then a 2nd. The reason for the stop is because the line pivots a bit; it would be impossible to take a straight line up to the top. At the first stop, you wait approx 3-5 minutes for the next tram. Inside this small waiting area there's a really good "push-button" espresso machine - -super yummy caffe macchiato for only .70! (highly recommend) :) -- although sadly i bet the Italians think it's probably like "push-button cappuccinos" at american gas stations - ha!) I dunno.. i liked it! It was cute! So the next tram ride up, the car is 360 degrees circular - - pretty cool! And it stops at the top where there is a small restaurant, small shop, and restrooms. Clean tram ride - - friendly employees who we were able to speak some Italian and English with. This ride was a highlight of our trip - -amazing, amazing views of Lago di Garda; This is a MUST for all Lago di Garda visitors!

Obereggen is my favorite ski resort in the Dolomites!!! I snowboarded with my friends for 5 days…read morestraight and had a blast!!! The slopes have lots of variety and there are plenty of piste rosse (red slopes = medium hard. Equivalent to blue squares in America) for intermediate snowboarders like myself. They have 18 lifts, and the altitude goes as high as 2,500 meters. The snow condition is amazing, all fresh natural snow perfectly groomed! The best of all is the view..... mamma mia, the panoramic view of the Dolomites is priceless!!! The ski pass for the whole day (giornaliero) is €40 and half day afternoon pass (pomeridiano) is €27, which is good from12pm till 5pm. The first day I bought pomeridiano because we got there around 11am, but on the following day I decided to buy 4 day pass ( €148) not only to save money but also to skip the hassle of waiting in line to buy the pass every morning. The snowboard rental for 5 days was €81 including boots (Again, you save money and time by doing a long-term equipment rental instead of renting it daily) . I recommend to rent a locker together with the snowboard rental because you get a big discount ( €18for 5 days ) when combined with the equipment rental. Having a locker by the ski resort made our lives so much easier!! The locker was big enough to put 1 set of ski and 1 snowboard and 2 sets of boots, but at one point we even managed to squeeze in 2 sets of ski, & 1 set of snowboard, and 3 sets of boots (!!) which we called it " lo stile Italiano", haha. There is a special piste only for "Slittini" (sledges) and I highly recommend trying it if you've never done it! It's only €4 to rent a sledge and it's super fun!!! There are plenty of "refugio" (mountain hut) to take a break and sip some delicious bombardino (warm egg nog + brandy served with whipped cream) or calimero (bombardino with a shot of espresso) to warm up your body. At the refugio you can enjoy local cuisines like goulash, strudel, polenta with sausage, etc.... This part of Italy is heavily populated with German-speaking italians so the food also reflect the German heritage. I don't think there is twilight skiing but by 4pm I was already tired anyways. I hope to go back again one day!!!

Great ski resort! Whether you are skiing, snowboarding, sliding or simply are an Apreski fan. The…read moreresort is accessible from 3 villages which are connected with cable cars: Obereggen (closest to Bolzano), Pampeago and Predazzo. The slopes in Obereggen tend to be less crowded and more suitable for beginners, whereas Pampeago is the place to be in case there has been little snow fall. Prices for an adult day pass range from 39 to 44 Euros, depending on the season. The best about this ski resort is its proximity to Bolzano. It only takes 40min by public bus (departing from the Bolzano bus terminal, 400m from the train station) to reach Obereggen.

After a long bus ride from hot & muggy Venice, the mountain town of Cortina was like a breath of…read morefresh air (literally). After checking into our hotel, we decided to continue our upward trend and ride a cable car to the top of Cortina's most famous, nearby mountain - the Tofana, at over 3200 m (10,500+ feet). It was pricier than expected (40 Euro to the very top) But Hey - it was a clear summer's day! And when would we be coming back?! The full business name appeared to be: Tofana Cortina - Freccia nel Cielo (or "arrow in the sky"). And it was actually three different legs: one gondola and two cable cars, with transfer points at mid-level peaks. Restaurants with bars were available at each point, but we needed to complete our round trip in under 2 hours due to our late start. And again, the top (Cima Tofana) was our focus. After reaching the final station at 3191m the views from the giant deck were astounding. The town of Cortina was laid out below us like a toy village, and we could see several prominent points in the surrounding Dolomites (some of which we would walk by in the following days on the AV1). We had the opportunity to climb another 50m further up to the peak from there, which a few of us started to do. But when the path became narrow and sketchy, and the dropoffs became potentially fatal, I turned around due to poor shoes. (That, and half the people around us were dressed in climbing gear). It was a sweet but short visit. After spending about 20 more minutes at the top station we rode the last cable car down; no time to grab a snack or cocktail. Despite knowing what we were in for, my primary complaint is still the early closing time: 5 pm (i.e. over three hours before sunset in early August). The lower transfer stations closed down soon after. (Why?) If I ever do return to Cortina, I'd come back, but with an earlier start. Tips and tricks: - Bring an extra layer - The top can be much cooler (and windier) than the base - Wear good hiking shoes if you fancy some extra excursions - Give yourself plenty of time!

Stunning, stunning, stunning. This tramway is easily accessible from all over the Merano area. I…read moreparked at Vellau, took one bus to Merano, waited 3 minutes, then another bus to Tirolo and the lower station of the tramway. The ride up is beautiful and serene. There were many hikers heading to the Meraner Hohenweg, as I was. At the upper station Hochmuth, there is a great restaurant that was packed with people enjoying a sunny day and some hearty food. Then I hiked to Leiteralm, about two hours west and took the standing basket lift down to where my car was. It was all a very easy hike that could be enjoyed by kids and older people too. In fact, in September, most of the tourists are German retirees in their 60s and 70s. This was the highlight of my week in Alto Adige, Italy.

This place was lovely and the food delicious. The service was great despite's the language. If you…read moreare up around definitely recommend to go for lunch here, it will only be a 12 mins walk from the arrival cable car station.