Zurich, the Dolomites, and a Very Different Mountain Adventure
Last month, Forrest had a business trip that took him to Zurich, so I packed my bags and met him there. While he worked for the first part of the week, I had the days to myself to wander and explore.
If you have been following along here for a while, you know one of my favorite parts of solo travel is slowing down. It is about waking up before the rest of the world, finding a quiet corner in a local cafe, and watching the city come alive. My few days exploring Zurich was exactly that. I did a lot of walking, eating delicious food, and finding those hidden spots that you just cannot plan for in an itinerary.
Rainy Days in Zurich, Switzerland
Once his meetings wrapped up, we headed to the Italian Dolomites. We did a quick overnight at Villa Soligo in the Prosecco hills, which was a beautiful layover before driving up to Cortina. We spent the morning wandering the small, but beautiful grounds. The sun was out, the light was gorgeous, and the property was stunning.
Hotel Villa Soligo, Prosecco Hills, Italy
Since we were traveling between seasons, Cortina was a sleepy ghost town during our visit, and I kind of loved it. Thanks to the Olympics, the town has grown a lot since our last visit in 2018, but because we were there between the craze of ski season and summer hiking season, it felt smaller than ever. The streets were quiet, the doors of the luxury stores were locked, and the bus lines were empty.
Olympic Rings in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
We managed to beat the rain and climb near Cortina the next day before the weather completely turned on us. After that, it rained. A lot.
This trip ended up being very different from our typical mountain adventures where we do hut-to-hut trekking. Because of the weather and the timing, we focused a lot more on exploring the towns. We ate incredible food and discovered a new wine region in Ora, where we enjoyed our new favorite Lagrein.
Ora Wine Region, Bolzano
We headed to Bolzano next, navigating around the downpours. Bolzano was open. It was not nearly as busy as peak season, but it was still active. We stayed at Castel Hörtenberg for an incredible experience and an early celebration of our 23rd anniversary. Spending that time together in such a beautiful location completely made up for the weather.
Castel Hörtenberg, Bolzano, Italy
We also spent a day at the Salewa headquarters there. We climbed in their gym, ate at their cafe, and replenished our favorite mountain gear, which is so hard to find in the US.
We did manage to escape the storms for another day of climbing near Lake Garda, where it was much warmer and sunnier. It ended up being a major highlight for me. I was really proud of myself on that rock, challenging myself and growing in my new sport as a multipitch climber.
Phone Photos from our climbing adventures
Because of the constant rain and heavy fog during the rest of the trip, the cameras stayed tucked away in my bag most of the time. I didn’t take nearly as many photos as I usually do, which is always an adjustment for me. Still, seeing the mountains dripping in rain was beautiful in its own way.
