Lots of them! The bucolic meadows keep rolling and rolling in the Italian Dolomites. The meadows are called "Alms" in this part of the world, and the Alms that you see in this photo are part of one grandaddy Alm called Seiser Alm. Seiser Alm, (the Alpe di Siusi in Italian), is the largest high elevation meadow in Europe—and we get to hike across it every year.
If you join our Italian Dolomites Trek, then you'll enjoy this view on your first hiking day. The first day's hike is a loop that begins in the medieval hill village of Völs am Schlern (Fié in Italian). The hike climbs through forest and meadow, passes a pretty lake and tops out at a Tyrolean farmhouse/restaurant at Tuff Alm, just in time for an Apfelstrudel, coffee, or beer depending on your mood.
Following a bit of relaxation, with eye-popping views of the Schlern mountain from the restaurant deck, the hike turns back into the woods and descends to a Tyrolean forest house for a sampling of schnapps, sweets, and/or a home-cooked meal. Another sun-drenched deck slows the hands of time before the trail descends again and leads to the view in this photo. Continuing downward, we pass castles, orchards and innumerable Tyrolean chalets before checking back into our hotel beneath the ramparts of a 14th century tower.
If you like this day, then you'll love hiking day #2 on our Italian Dolomites Trek. We spend the morning hiking through grassy meadows, then we leave the pastures behind and climb above tree line for some serious mountain hiking.
Click here if you'd like to read more about the Italian Dolomites region.
Image by Chris Pranskatis
