Discover Italy's Dolomites with mountain adventures and relaxing getaways
Our series Bespoke Behind the Scenes lets you in on some of the incredible trips that B&R Experience Designers create for travellers. Whether it’s a multi-generational family reunion or an exploration of a dream destination, our team works one-on-one with travellers to design original journeys that meet every need and desire. Here, Experience Designer Georgia Yuill shares the story of a mountain adventure in Italy’s Dolomites.
For a winter adventure that was equal parts active and inspiring, there were few places on Earth better suited than Italy’s South Tyrolean Dolomite mountains. “Hiking high alpine trails, tramping across glittering white meadows under bright blue skies with snowshoes strapped to their boots and poles to propel along the paths, filling up lungs with fresh, cool air surrounded by the perfume of pine and larch forest, this is an exceptional destination for multi-generational family trips and groups of couples,” says Georgia Yuill, B&R’s Experience Designer for the region.
Georgia speaks from first-hand experience. “I have been spending time in the Dolomites since 1996, both winter and summer, which led to making it my home,” she says. “I love sharing the experiences I have discovered over the seasons with friends and family.”
Sledding in South Tyrol
Snow-capped Dolomites
During this week of adventure, the days were filled with a collection of winter-based activities. Strapping on snowshoes and trekking across a snow-covered meadow to a nearby mountain was paired with a speedy descent courtesy of a sled ride down a four-kilometer toboggan run. A night hike, lit by headlamps only, offered an incredible session of stargazing. There was an opportunity to strap on skates or nordic skis and enjoy well-groomed valley tracks—with higher altitudes for serious alpine skiers, which is an experience available only on Bespoke trips. Another advantage of opting for a Bespoke trip, says Georgia, “is the ability to customize the level of activity for every traveller in the group.”
The rewards for every adrenaline-pumping activity were plentiful. A rest stop mid-hike in a mountainside hut where steaming cups of apple cider or vino caldo (mulled wine) were waiting for the group also included a musical duo who played during lunch catered by the hut’s owner, who happens to be an emerging chef. It was like a private restaurant above the clouds. And the chance to soak in a sauna ritual at the exceptional spas at the group’s luxury lodges was not missed.
Of course, no trip to Italy is complete without culinary indulgence, and this was no exception. Lunches, featuring hearty regional specialties, were enjoyed in rifugios, traditional mountain huts, with views of the surrounding mountains. And one exceptional dinner took place in the cellar of a 16th-century hunting lodge; the young farmer whose family has cared for the land the lodge sits on for generations was the evening’s host.
“The people we encounter, from super capable certified mountain guides to proud farmers, creative chefs to our always hospitable lodge hosts, are now friends and always ensure our travellers feel welcome,” Georgia says.