Sport and Tradition Griesser is located just down the street from Piazza Kraus and was a handy…read moreplace for Gayle to buy a nice fleece jacket (on sale) for the chilly hikes ahead and above within the nearby Seiser Alm. The store offers a nice selection of both sports-related and traditional attire found within the South Tyrol.

Despite it's name, Sport Tony in La Villa also offers books, newspapers and a good little…read moresupermarket. The supermarket is reasonably priced although not huge and has pretty much everything you'd need for a weeks stay in the area. The book section is also good and comprehensive but the main section is taken up with fashion and sport clothing and equipment. The fashion clothing is clearly an Italian ting as the choice is terrible but the sports section is better and they have a good range of technical jackets and under layers. The sports hardware (bags, poles, skis etc) is also good and the staff in there speak good English and seem to know their stuff.

My wife and I reserved e-mountain bikes to ride around Cortina and we were blown away by the ease…read moreand efficiency of this shop. The employees were kind and professional getting us set up on bikes that were right sized for us and fitted with a gear kit and padded seat covers. They gave us a lock in case we needed it and shared some recommended routes around town. We wound up biking north about 20 miles on a mixture of paved and gravel paths through forests and tunnels. The area has a rich history and is super accessible. The bikes have multiple levels of assistance from eco to tour to turbo. I was worried that we wouldn't have enough juice in the battery to assist us all day but after returning our bikes to the shop after 50 miles and nearly six hours of biking, we both still had more than half our battery left. Amazing!

I've rent via ferrata gear from one other store and asked about it at two more-the service at this…read moreshop was fantastic. Sadly I didn't catch the guys name but he rented us what we needed for via ferrata quickly and efficiently, and gave us recommendations where to go. Based on his info we changed our plans and were happy with the option! They also have QR codes to various via ferratas on a key chain and he flipped through it to find the suggestions option. Then he googled the images of it so we know what to look for AND told us about the gravel road that may be best to park and walk. Great guy, great service-oh and all this was in English! So helpful, I'd would come here before any other rental in town. They also have maps for hiking and biking (road and mountain) and they seem to help people find what they're interested in rather than other places where they rent you the gear but advice is hard to come by.

This Atlas was just a short walk from the Cavallino d'Oro/Goldenes Rössl, where Gayle and I were…read morestaying. This is a newsstand, book stop, stationary supply, tobacconist and more, all rolled into one. I ended up buying a few office supplies and wishing I would have paid more attention to the calendars, maps, and what the locals might be talking about.

Gayle and I passed by this little Foto Rier building between the Hotel Cavallino d'Oro and the Bus…read moreStation. The shop is closed and seems be used as a ski and bike room for the Hotel. Helmet Rier's Studio is one floor below. Helmut Rier is a very well known photographer internationally and an example of a local lad done good. He was born and raised in Kastelruth and has had many photographic experiences including the Biennale in Venezia. Go on his web site and take a look for yourself. Good Stuff!

The Stock Shop is a technical sports clothing store akin to TkMaxx in the UK. It has good summer…read moreand winter clothing, both outer layers and fashion wear which are one or two seasons old and are generally being sold at 40 50% off their original price. The store is quite large and has a good range of men's and women's clothing and they have a good selection of sizes. If possible it is good to go there early on in the summer or winter season though as obviously once the stock is gone there isn't any more so it's first come, first served on most items. It isn't that easy to find the shop either as it's tucked under a building over the road from Sport Kostner but there is a sign from the main road directing you to it so keep your eyes open.

There are a variety of ways that you can save money when it come to transportation (bus, train,…read morecable cars, etc.) in the South Tyrol, which as a brief visitor I found to be confusing and non well marketed. There's at least a Mobil or a Combi Card, for various lengths of time, and for different services. Rick Steves' book mentions that all this can be explained at the Bozen Train or Bus Station, but I didn't find that to be true at all. Gayle and I ended up buying a 3-Day Combi Card at this Alpine Sports store in Castelrotto proper. Even staff working here couldn't explain the options, although there were some neat sporting goods on sale. Our Card covered the bus to the Seiser Alm cable car station and then up. Any of the chair lifts at Compatsch were extra or at least the extended card to cover this was not a good value. My advice? Figure out what works the best you can, and get your butt up there for some great hikes!

Little market right down the street from our hotel, Crep Sella. Kind of a mix between a market,…read moreconvenience store and gift shop, but they also sell wine and beer and waters, which is convenient.