Holiday

Why you want to go to South Tyrol in the summer

By Wieke Veenboer | #!31Sat, 20 May 2023 09:30:24 +0200+02:002431#31Sat, 20 May 2023 09:30:24 +0200+02:00-9Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam202331 20am31am-31Sat, 20 May 2023 09:30:24 +0200+02:009Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam2023312023Sat, 20 May 2023 09:30:24 +0200309305amSaturday=9#!31Sat, 20 May 2023 09:30:24 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam5#05-20-2023#!31Sat, 20 May 2023 09:30:24 +0200+02:002431#/31Sat, 20 May 2023 09:30:24 +0200+02:00-9Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam202331#!31Sat, 20 May 2023 09:30:24 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam5#

There is nothing that makes me as happy as the sun. And especially in combination with doing absolutely nothing, ultimate peace, and being in a beautiful environment. No, you won't make me happy with a gigantic all-inclusive resort in, for example, Turkey (but that's perfectly fine if that's your dream vacation, I completely understand that). What made me very happy recently was something I didn't expect at all. That was in South Tyrol, an area I had never been to before, but it surprised me so positively.

And yes, you might think it was a ski vacation. I understand that, given this area. No, I didn't go skiing, but I did have a few days of extremely nice vacation here. South Tyrol is an amazing area to visit, even outside the ski seasons. It's been a long time since I've seen such beautiful mountains, eaten so well, and found such peace.

Especially if you love hiking and/or walking, you're in the right place here. Choose one of the countless routes (there's really a lot of choice for beginners, but also for more enthusiastic walkers), take a ski lift up, and the journey can begin. I often spontaneously started singing the soundtrack of The Sound of Music here because the surroundings really reminded me of it. I find mountain areas to have something magical; it's so breathtaking and calming at the same time. I suddenly feel so small as a person among all those gigantic mountains and views around me. Sounds dreamy, but that's how it feels — I can really enjoy that.

To give you an idea of how large this area is: there are more than 16,000 kilometers of marked hiking trails. Yes, that will make your step counter very happy. And since to catch that bus. Your colleague with size 36 may naturally be much more active without spending hours in the gym. the new socializing is, you won't run out of things to do in South Tyrol for a long time.

After such a day of hiking, I also really love to enjoy and have a bit of luxury, and you have that here in abundance. I stayed at Hotel Badia Hill, and I can really recommend it wholeheartedly, if only for the infinity pool. The chef of the restaurant gained experience at De Librije, so you know the culinary aspect is well taken care of. Especially if you're a wine lover, you want to book here; I've rarely seen such an extensive wine list.

Culinarily, it's really a delight here. There are many good restaurants, both on the slopes (which are also open in spring and summer) and in the villages themselves. I was surprised by how many restaurants in the mountains are simply open all year round. I stayed in the village of Badia, but the whole area (Bolzano) is incredibly beautiful. Convenient: there are taxis, so if you want to eat somewhere else in the evening and have a drink, that's perfectly fine.

If all this isn't exciting enough for you, you can also go (mountain) climbing or (which is my preference, of course) follow the South Tyrolean Wine Route. For every wine lover, this is really a must: you pass by the most beautiful places, wine cellars, castles, and fortresses while tasting the most special wines. This can be done on foot, but also by bike, whatever you prefer. Here you can read all the info about these wine routes.

You understand: you'll definitely see me back in South Tyrol. But not on skis, mind you. No, I won't be seen, I'm going there for a few days in the spring and summer.