Venice to Bolzano through the Dolomites

Early start today, we Skyped the grandchildren (and Harley, Amanda was at work) they don’t seem to have forgotten us and were very busy for the camera.

Our travels today took us from Venice to Bolzano in the Italian Alps.  The quickest route – 3 hours for a 300 kilometres trip(the Autostrade allows for 130 km/h).   

We decided to take the scenic route through Auranzo di Cadore, Misurina, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Arabba, Colfosco and then into Bolzano.  According to the Google man – it is within about metres of being the same distance, lucky for us, and to fill in the day, it took 7 hours.  

The first 100 kilometres was on the Autostrade – easy.  Then for about 180 kilometres we celebrated if we got into 3^rd gear.  Many, many mountain passes, narrow roads with hundreds of hairpin turns.  Pam had a ball and loved the edge of the seat stuff over the mountains.  Because I was driving I had to stop occasionally to look at the view, Pam wasn’t supportive of all my stopping options, she thought rolling the car down a 500 metre mountain side may have had an impact on our insurance status.  No such problems and we arrived home safe and sound, if a little tired.

I now know why the locals build such big and beautiful cathedrals – they are trying to compete with nature – my opinion – they are not in the race.  The natural beauty wins hands down.

The beauty of the mountains were more than compensation for the interesting drive.  The Dolomites in glorious weather really put on a show; I took about 500 photos before Pam put her foot down, so I didn’t take any more!!!!  We got to over 2100 metres above sea level a couple of times and to see the number of chair lifts and ski chalets really makes us want to come back and see the landscape covered in snow.  Cleverly the Italians have developed a huge mountain walking industry for the summer, the chalet car parks are full and a lot of the chair lifts are operating to take walkers higher into the mountains. 

You are fortunate today – I have culled the photos to less than 20.  Every turn in the road (and there were plenty) exposes another beautiful sight and if there were more parks I would have had lots more photos….not to worry…more tomorrow!!!!

Our first glimpse of the Dolomites.

All green grass and mountains.

Clouds in the mountains.

Another road, another mountain pass.

Misurima Lake with the Dolomites in the background.

So many mountains, so many postcards!!!!!

And more.

Another postcard.

Pam looking for a fishing spot.

Village in the Dolomites.

This is the road we took...one of them anyway.  Notice the little tunnel??

Cliffs everywhere.

A small castle in the mountains.

Yet another village.

Pam loving it!!!!!

We survived this drive, you may notice bits of the road all the way down the mountain.

The snow fields with chalets.

Beautiful Dolomites everywhere we looked.

Every hotel along the drive, very house proud in northern Italy.