Alpe di Siusi & Adolf Munkel trail
We don't often go back to the same places, but with the Dolomites it was almost inevitable to return after the first visit, see the articles My Top Places in the Dolomites or How to get to Seceda easily. Come to think of it, I don't know anyone who leaves these impressive peaks disappointed, not really. This year, for the first time, our 2.5 year old Kobliha is tasting the Dolomites and thanks to the local readiness for little adventurers - read playgrounds at every mountain hut - we already know for sure that we have not been here for the last time. Plus, the places I'd like to visit here just keep adding up. So in short, watch out, it's just addictive here :)
I was a bit worried about the date including the July public holidays, but in the end there was no brutal overcrowding and we registered a bare minimum of Czech license plates... probably all in Croatia :) We directed our trip back to Nina's evening sleep with an overnight stay in Austria, so we could wake up fresh in the morning and get straight to some hiking. The choice fell on the KUF Hotel located near the German-Austrian border, just off the motorway exit. New, comfortable rooms with fridge and kitchenette, self-service check-in, parking => €68/night, perfect for us to break up the trip.
Route Charges (as of 2023):
- Austrian 10-day vignette - €9.90
- Brenner Pass - €11 (one way)
- + any Italian motorway sections depending on where you are going - we paid an additional €2.30 to our destination Lazfons, for example
Accommodation Dolomites
As the number of tourists heading to the Dolomites increases every year, it is necessary to take into account the higher prices for accommodation and especially the fact that hotels and guesthouses are often booked X months in advance. It's not easy to choose last minute hotels here, as most of the time you'll be left with overpriced hotels or something with a rather dubious rating. I chose one of the cheaper places for 4 nights this year, namely the 3* hotel Gasthaus zum Weissen Kreuz in the village of Lazfons, located between Brixen and Bolzano. As well as their own parking garage (free) they have their own restaurant, which is quite handy if you don't want to go anywhere for the evening. In total we paid about €440 including breakfast. Other tips as follows:
- cheaper: Residence Merk or Apartments Waldquelle - both with good ratings and prices up to €108/night
- medium: classic hotel rooms at the Monte Pana Dolomites Hotel or the slightly more expensive Hotel Andechserhof & Mountain Sky
- luxury: Hotel Montchalet with a pampering spa, or if you want a sauna in your room, check out Hotel Ansitz Steinbock
Alpe di Siusi
- If you have accommodation up there, you can arrive by car at any time. But if you want to visit Alpe di Siusi only as part of a trip, you must arrive by 9am or after 5pm. There is a free car park here, the P1 car park Spitzbühel, or the even higher Compatch for €24/day.
- If you can't make it at the above times, you'll have to leave your car down at the cable car station and take the Seiser Alm Aerial Cableway - €16 one way or €24 return
2) from Ortisei
- you have to leave your car at the bottom of the cable car, in the covered garage you pay 0,50 €/h, maximum 6 €/day
- cable car from Ortisei to Mont Seuc - 19€ one way or 28€ return
- + the option to buy a chairlift to Sporthotel Sonne = saving about 20 minutes on foot, when bought together it was slightly cheaper
Of course you have a whole host of other options, combinations, circuits or transfers to choose from, it's up to you how much time and energy you plan to devote to exploring Alpe di Siusi. We chose Ortisei as our starting point, where we left the car parked and bought return tickets at the ticket office. I planned a circuit across the plateau, which we even managed with a Thule stroller (can be transported for free). Our route, just under 13 km, was as follows:
The queue for the cable car disappears quite quickly even in summer and in a few minutes we are already getting off at Mont Seuc, where there is a restaurant, souvenirs and a playground... and also the first woow panoramic view. From here, you can run downhill to the Sporthotel Sonne, 1.5 km away, or you can take the aforementioned chairlift. From the hotel, follow sign number 9 leading to the village of Saltria (2.7 km). There are beautiful views of endless green meadows, wooden cottages, horses and cows grazing here and there, and above all the surrounding Dolomite peaks (Seceda, Sassolungo, Monte Pic...).
|
|
|
|
At the Saltria Hotel we have lunch and with the vision of Kobliha sleep we continue on, this time along the route No. 30. The route leads along an asphalt cycle path for a few tens of meters, then it is possible to turn onto a meadow path (just note: there we had to carry the carriage over the fence). Whichever option you choose, you will arrive at the bus stop Wiedner Egg, where you can again decide which way to go. We still stick to no. 30, where you'll even have two mountain huts in sight (Baita Tuene and Gostner Schwaige) + Hotel Stegar Dellai as refreshment and rest options.
|
|
Below the hotel you will come across a signpost, and if you turn left you will reach Compatch. But we don't really care about the trail anymore, so we continue along the road for about a kilometer (don't worry, walkers have their own space here) and then change to hiking marker 6b, which takes us through fantastic views to the Sanon cabin. Coffee, cake, popsicles, playground... ideal... From here there is nothing to do but walk to Sporthotel Sonne + back up to the cable car station, you already know this section :) Overall this trip was very, very good for us!
 |
|
|
|
TIP for parents: if your kids are still full of energy after Alpe di Siusi, take them to the super playground in Ortisei. It's on the Promenade Luis Trenker, and if you go from the centre you'll also pass the statue of this famous climber, then a few metres further on you'll find what you're looking for.
Adolf Munkel trail
I've had this trek on my bucket list for a while now, and I'm basically going to keep it there for a while. We only finished half of it, and that's because we had the brilliant idea of taking a stroller instead of a stretcher. In short, we had been lulled by the beautifully passable paths the day before, and got the impression from the photos that it would be the same here... big mistake, so please, really NO with the stroller!
This is a 9.2 km long circular walk that takes you past the beautiful peaks of the Geisler Group (Odle Group) and is often described as one of the most beautiful Dolomite treks. It is especially popular because of its relative ease and the possibility of resting in as many as three mountain huts.
Starting point - on google maps you can find it as Parcheggio Malga Zannes, maps.cz takes Zannes and the German Zans. The car park is quite big, but (especially) in high season don't underestimate it and arrive in the morning as early as possible. After all, it's not completely inflatable here. You will pay €8/day for a private car. At the car park you can find the Treffpunkt Zans restaurant (with a children's playground, of course), the Dolomites Unesco info point and you can also check out the nature reserve with deer.
As I mentioned before, the Adolf Munkel trail has the advantage of being circular, so you can choose which direction to take. We follow the red hiking marker 36 in the direction of Dusleralm, 1.8 km in total. For the first few dozen metres, the carriage seems like a great choice of transport, but the path quickly transforms into a narrow, rocky path where we drop Kobliha straight off to pedal on her own. Then comes the climb in the form of natural stairs, where our roles are clearly divided = Pepa fucks with the carriage and I try to motivate Nina with a playground on the Dusleralm. Fortunately, it works.
|
|
Even after resting at the hut, our silent pleas are not heard and the terrain does not miraculously improve. Nevertheless, we are determined to go up... if we can. In the end it costs us a lot of strength (and nerves), but after another 1.7 km we finally come out at the Geisleralm (Malga Geisler). The hut itself is very beautiful and the cooking here is great. A bonus for families with children is definitely the huge playground with lots of different elements. Without children, it will be ideal to relax in the so-called Cinema delle Odle = a slope with benches, deck chairs and wooden sculptures with an exclusive view of the mountain peaks of Odle.
|
|
Roughly 200 meters behind Geisler Alm there is a second hut - Malga Casnago, where we decide that today is not the right day to finish the Adolf Munkel trail :) So we choose a more comfortable route to return in the form of the 34 + 33B + 33 sign, which will lead us back to the Zannes car park. This entire return route is also suitable for a stroller, so if you were just interested in reaching Malga Geisler / Malga Casnago and the views, it is possible to do it this way - there and back by the same route (marked in pink on the map).
Of course, for those of you who normally continue on with the intention of completing the circuit, you will only be following sign #35 the whole time. Just to get back to the Zannes car park, you turn onto 35A, or you can turn off at route 6, which is slightly longer (in green on the map).
.jpg)
|
|
When you drive from the parking lot in Zannes, I recommend taking a few minutes to visit Chiesetta di San Giovanni in Ranui (Church of St. John). The cute little church here contrasts beautifully with the high mountain peaks, which I think is really worth this short stop.
+ 3 more trip tips... even if it rains
You don't always wake up to a sunny day, and rather than trudging up hills and wading through mud with your child, it's often better to slow down a bit. So I'll give you three more hiking spots that don't need such a great weather:
1) Lago di Carezza (Karersee) - a small mountain lake, which is amazingly clear, but has the advantage of being right next to the road, so the view is more or less free... at least in terms of energy. However, due to this easy accessibility, be prepared for more people + paying parking fees (2€/hour). The parking lot is tailored to the number of visitors, so there are several options for refreshments, souvenirs and toilets. Plus there is an interesting suspension bridge next to it - on google maps as Ponte sospeso Lago di Carezza. The lake itself can be circumnavigated by a leisurely walk on flat ground, allow about an hour. In good weather you can also enjoy views of the surrounding mountains, but we weren't so lucky :)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For more information from the Dolomites, you can check out older articles here:
Žádné komentáře: