Took a drive thru the mountains starting in Dobbiaco, lunching on a hillside in Corvara in Badia,…read moreand finishing with pictures of this stunning church, and square, shopping, and gelato in Cortina d'Ampezzo. Amazing day! Stunning views, we joke about busting into song at our picnic. Browsed in high end shops, both DD and DGDs acquired trendy jackets, people watched in this Uber affluent town, had great gelato .... best day ever!

We walked here from our hotel and went in to take a peak ... a lovely peaceful place to worship. No…read morematter your religious beliefs you can enjoy this peaceful beautiful place as a piece of art. We went late in the day when the lighting was less than ideal and didn't have the time to return.

This Church is also known as the "Cathedral on the Mountains" is dedicated to the apostle princes…read morePeter and Paul. The parish church is an example of Viennese engineering and one of the highlights is a late Classical high altar (1882) with marble tabernacle. The pews (and matching confessionals) are carved in walnut. Before entering, Gayle and I noticed the plaque commemorating the Community's WWI dead, as this area was once a battle line between Germany and Italy. In the rear of the Church was an ornate cemetery and an atmosphere of quiet contemplation as we watched several family members stop by and pay their respects. From the outside, the Church itself appears as a bit square, with little adornment or hint of the impressive religious wonders that lay within. Gayle and I were both impressed and humbled as we walked inside and took it all in. It's perhaps too easy to be acclimatized to the notion of walking inside "yet another Church" when on a European Vacation. In this situation, the Parish Church of St. Peter and Paul respectfully "grabbed" both of us and demanded that we pay some spiritual attention.

At 250 feet, the free-standing Bell Tower sits in the center of Piazza Krauss and dominates the…read moreskyline of the Town for miles in all directions. The Bell Tower was built between 1756 and 1758, after the old Gothic church had been severely damaged by fire in 1753. The Church Bells ring on the hour from 6 AM to 10 PM and provided a certain comfort at our nearby Cavallino d'Oro/Goldenes Rössl Hotel. We also had the chance to walk inside the Tower and admire the ornate Chapel.

This church is so beautiful inside, the ceiling frescoes, gold leaf lectures and alters and…read morespaciousness are fabulous

Currently under massive renovation. According to The guidebook they didn't use to charge for…read moreadmission but now they charge a 10 euro donation for the renovation. Inside is completely filled with scaffolding. The only worthwhile feature is that since the scaffolding is built all the way up to the ceiling this is your chance to see some of the murals on the ceiling really close. But you can't see a lot as you are only allowed to go up the one narrow central staircase and can't walk around on the planks which are only for the workmen. Better wait till the reno is finished by the end of the year, otherwise it's not really worth the 10 euros to just see the scaffolding and a very small part of the frescos. The rating is for the condition it is in right now. No doubt it'll be great when the renovation is finished.

This is undoubtedly the most significant building in Mittenwald, and it is the pride of the locals…read moreand one of the most popular photo opportunities among tourists in the Karwendel Alps. The Mittenwald church is mentioned for the first time in 1315. The current church building was built in 1734-49 by the Wessobrunn master builder Joseph Schmutzer and decorated with numerous, colorful frescoes by the Augsburg artist Matthäus Günther. The landmark of Mittenwald is the church tower, completed in 1746 and painted with the church patrons Petrus and Paulus (Peter and Paul). You can spot the tower from everywhere in town. In the small square at the base of the bell tower is a monument to Matthias Klotz, who brought the art of violin-making to Mittenwald in 1683. The antique organ was restored in 1999. In summer there are many organ concerts with internationally renowned artists on the sonorous Edskes organ. In the churchyard there are two altars. One is in a beautiful grotto with votives and a Madonna back-lit from above. The other commemorates fallen German soldiers from World War II...a rare display of young Nazis discretely, yet reverently remembered.

Chiesa di S. Giovanni Battista is an amazing Gothic Church in the center of Dobbiaco Toblach in the…read moreDolomites Mountains. It is adjacent to the town Square, and a beautiful Fountain. We spent a hour lounging on a park bench soaking up the local color on a Sunday morning, just about the time the service for the Coriander Festival let out. Children we splashing in the fountain, parents and grandparents were chatting, men were reading their papers. A vendor was selling tiny bouquets... sadly we had no cash... sigh. We met a man with a gorgeous Yellow Tabby cat in a leash, who gave me permission to take their picture. I did not snap any pics of this idyllic scene , to preserve the privacy of the residents. Truly my idea of La Dolce Vita.