The grass is greener in South Tyrol
Warm valleys, rows of wines, charming towns, farm produce coupled with wellbeing and grounding in the freshest of mountain air from the dramatic Dolomites.
Alto Adige
By Caroline Feiffer
About 1hr and 40 min north of Verona airport you’ll find the often overlooked Italian region Alto Adige with its incredible nature, adjacent to the lovely and popular Veneto region. After visiting this blossoming and breathtaking region in the Italian part of South Tyrol, I completely fell in love, and wanted to share a few special places that will hopefully inspire you to pack-up your bags and go — or at least plan a few days stop here if driving south trough The Alps this summer. I promise you’ll be in for a treat, feeling grateful by nature itself if not rejuvenated.
Lana
Wanting to explore the diversity of the nature and landscapes in the region we had planned a few days in different cities which didn’t even feel like enough time. I had long been admiring a hospitality project by two brothers originally from the region who had made it their mission to open a small collection of uniquely curated properties in the region with great attention to detail. Our first stop was Hotel Schwarzschmied nestled in the valley of the Dolomites in the adorable little town of Lana in South Tyrol. We arrived by car driving through The Alps, the most perfect suspense scene leading up to what awaited us in the idyllic valley landscape, a modern building rose with a backdrop of mountains still with snow peaks melting as spring turned into early summer.
The rather futuristic architectural building somehow melted in as an extension of the incredible nature with old pine trees, mountains and rows of wines all reflecting in the sleek pool. First thing first, as guest are often arriving by car, the hotel offers convenient underground parking, naturally with chargers available and in direct connection with the hotel elevator. The rooms are simple and contemporary with loads of genuine and natural materials, spacious and with views of the surrounding nature, ours had a lovely wide balcony complete with a hanging hammock chair — a real thrill for our young daughter, who enjoyed lullaby sways here.
The weather allowed for sunny outdoor swims in the heated pool, although we enjoyed the indoor spa and sauna, as well as the workout and yoga facilities on the ground floor, all fulfilled elegantly and chic with soothing-for-the-eye naturel training equipment as well as fitness machines in walnut — that level of attention to detail. We had a few relaxing days at Hotel Schwarzschmied unwinding by the pools and taking in the nature and its wellbeing effect, which the abundance of local and mountain fresh produce at breakfast complimented in harmony, with goat milks yogurt, cheese and butter, homemade jams, freshly baked breads, plenty of greens from the nearby garden of sister hotel Villa Arnica plus a bountiful juicing station offering just about any juice our hearts could possibly desire.
Dinners and lunch were enjoyed on the terrace, if not down at 1477 Reichhalter in Lana, which besides delicious food have the most charming interior and service.
Take your time to wander to the neighboring sister property Villa Arnica for a yoga class in the greenhouse with views of the vegetable garden to complete the nourishment. While spring summer is the most glorious time to visit I could equally imagine fall and the cooler months being just as magical, with the shift in the flourishing mountain landscape, a swim followed by a warm hug of the outdoor sauna and yoga facilities or just sitting by the fire with a book after a fresh-mountain-air hike.
Bolzano
Moving on, just a short drive and still in South Tyrol, we arrived at our second stop in the region to the bigger city, Bolzano. Still fascinated by the brother duo and their hospitality projects, the hotel that awaited in Bolzano, Parkhotel Mondschein, served as a great reason for mapping out the region and Bolzano as a must visit. Arriving at Parkhotel Mondschein by car was equally convenient as the hotel also offers parking facility adjacent to the building.
The only downside by arriving by car is the miss out of walking through the hotel’s garden which would be the first impression arriving curbside from the city, although the parking facility led straight to a wonderful small hotel lobby with great smiles. After settling in to our room the view from our small balcony lured us downstairs, where the gorgeous green garden lawn reminiscent of a park was everything we needed, with aperitivo time arriving we settled in the garden enjoying the views of the fine historical monument building, complete with its Art Nouveau details on the terracotta colored exterior, shutters and small balconies.
On our first evening we dined at the hotel’s Luna Bar as the garden and its vibe invited us to stay, it felt like we could have been sitting in a secret hotel garden in alluring Paris, tucked away with that same vibrant feel accompanied by elegant cocktails snacks and light fares. We enjoyed everything we ordered from the caprese salad to the spicy hummus with crudités, simple pastas, sandwiches, gelato and a tiramisu to remember. It was one of those nights where the atmosphere, setting and meal all excelled in perfect harmony.
On the inside awaited a modern bohemian yet classic interior with soothing warm colors throughout. The rooms are equally similar to those of Paris, not grand in size, but grand in tasteful elegant interiors, some rooms are bigger, some rooms have tubs and some a small balcony facing the garden. We stayed in a room with the latter and enjoyed open doors, letting in light and subtle chatters from the garden. No matter which room you’ll decide on it will surely provide all the comfort you would need throughout a stay, while contributing to that feeling of being in a bigger city.
Every morning during our stay would start with a class of yoga for me, with the same hip Arise concept, as the sister hotel we had just left, followed by an ala carte menu with delicate, and more interesting menu features than the average hotel breakfasts, such as; an Arise Yogi Porridge with millet, cardamom, curcuma, black pepper, ginger, hip rose, linen seeds and fruits, enjoyed in the couch by the lovely bar or on the terrace in the soft morning rays.
The surrounding nature
We only had a couple of days in Bolzano, which we spent hiking, exploring the vivid green hills and valleys, the unreal turquoise color of the many lakes, the energetic flushing rivers and dramatic mountains and the many fields of flowers. After daily explorations Parkhotel Mondschein served as the perfect base to return to after excursions in nature, as the setting ensured balance between nature and the feel of city life, while still granting space to unwind in the garden and the cozy common areas.
If the above haven’t gotten you to pack-up the car and leave or search flights to Verona, how about a sun lounger and pool in the gardens of Parkhotel Mondschein? New for this season; the hotel have added a pool to its idyllic garden, which I can’t wait to dive into myself. South Tyrol and Alto Adige won my heart, and it surely feels like the grass is greener here.