Italy (Dolomites 2008, 2010, 2015, 2019, and 2021) and Slovenia

Published by

Sonya

on

January 10, 2024

If there’s one place on earth we can’t get enough of, it’s the Dolomite mountain range of Northern Italy! Our obsession with this region started 15 years ago, and we still have sooooo much to explore! As hikers and climbers, the Dolomites are a dreamland – with beautiful and easily accessible hikes (there are many chairlifts to minimize the need for uphill slog on a trail – yay!), fun via ferrata routes, and picturesque little mountain huts where we can stop to fill ourselves with cappuccino, wine, and fantastic Italian food.

Our kiddos’ first trip to the Dolomites was in 2019, and despite the massive and intense thunderstorm we got caught in while descending Monte Paterno (which I’m sure is now etched as a somewhat terrifying core memory for the kiddos!), they had a wonderful time.

As a family, we love navigating the numerous via ferrata routes that cover the mountainsides in the region. “Via Ferrata” in Italian translates to “the iron way.” Each ferrata route is composed of metal cables, anchors, ladders, and tunnels that allow you to access terrain (using a climbing harness and lanyard system) which would otherwise be too exposed for traditional hiking paths. The original Dolomite ferrata routes were placed during World War 1, when many battles were fought along the Austria/Italy border; the soldiers needed to safely gain access and defend territory in very challenging terrain.

For those interested in specific routes – our favorite ferrata routes in the Tre Cime area of the Dolomites include the summit of Monte Paterno, Torre di Toblin, and Ferrata Merlone. The final in this list (Merlone), is a route with 88 sequential ladders (each with 15-20 rusty rungs) precariously attached to the mountainside – in other words, it can be absolutely terrifying and requires a head for heights. The 1st time we summitted this route we met an Italian couple from Milan at the top – in their mid 70’s, celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary that day on the summit – crazy-inspiring, and a new life goal for us!

The Cinque Torri area, just south of Cortina d’Ampezzo, is special for its WW1 history, open-air museum, and distinctive Dr. Seuss-like rock formations, which are popular among climbers. During our 2019 trip with the kiddos, we enjoyed an amazing day climbing among the spires of this rock playground – it was a joy to see them scamper up the walls like the local scoiattoli (squirrels)! The rustic Rifugio Nuvolau, perched on a cliff above Passo Giau (where we spent our 10th wedding anniversary) is our favorite mountain hut in the Cinque Torri region.

Other Dolomite areas we’ve explored include the Pale di San Martino, Val Gardena, and the Rosengarten region. According to Howie’s Italian cousin, we’ve only scratched the surface, and so a visit to the Brenta region of the Dolomites is next on our list!

Another of our favorite spots in this corner of the world is the Julian Alps of Slovenia, specifically the small mountain town of Bled – with it’s 11th-century medieval castle overlooking a beautiful lake.

Since we are a family of swimmers, we often find ourselves engaging in the semi-legal activity of open-water swimming to the island in the middle of the lake, which has been home to a church since the 9th century.

Mount Triglav, Slovenia’s highest peak, is also located in the Julian Alps, and is said to be a pilgrimage for every Slovenian citizen. Howie and I climbed Mount Triglav in the summer of 2010, not realizing I was pregnant with our daughter at the time. When she arrived, we gave her the middle name Julian, in honor of her first summit – we also considered the middle name Triglav, but were worried it would give her even more reason to disown us during her teenage years.