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Massachusetts, USA
Exercise
Daily exercise is a vital part of living a Mediterranean lifestyle. Whether you choose to play competitive sports, hike a mountain, or simply go for a walk around your neighborhood, daily exercise is crucial for your health. One type of exercise that we really enjoy is hiking. We have been doing this for most of our lives and continue to explore different areas whenever we can. We’re going to be sharing one of our favorite hikes, which we did fairly recently.
Getting There
The Alpe di Suisi is the highest alpine meadow in Europe. It’s located in the Italian Dolomites, the northern most region of Italy bordering Austria. We flew in to Venice, Italy and then made our way up to Selva Gardena where we were staying. There are many ways to get up to the Alpe di Suisi, we chose to go up via the town of Ortisei. This town was a short drive from our hotel, this is where we took the funicular up to the meadow.
Exploring the Meadow
Once we got off the funicular, we were looking out at some beautiful views across the meadow. We found a map and chose our path for the hike. We located a rifugio that our hotel had recommended for food, and we proceeded to make our way. This was mostly downhill in the beginning, which allowed us to take in the amazing scenery. The people living and working in this area were extremely friendly, which made for some great conversation. The temperature was mild, a little bit on the cooler side which was nice (mid-September 50-60F). As far as our gear, we did wear our hiking boots, some warmer base layers, and some light jackets. We brought our own hiking boots from the states, but happened upon a small shop that carried these. They were so comfortable that we ended up tossing the pairs that we brought.
Animals
There were plenty of animals hanging around when we were there. We were there in the fall, so even though there was plenty of people, the crowds were smaller. There were horses, cows, goats, and plenty of other farm animals running around the meadow. The animals were all very friendly and made for a very eventful visit.
Food
We ended up eating at Gostner Schwaige, the mountain hut that we had picked at the beginning of the hike. They had some delicious options to choose from and we got a small snack to hold us over until we got back to the funicular. Once we got back, which was mostly up hill, we were starving. We chose to eat at the restaurant right next to the funicular. The canederli in brodo (dumplings in broth) were fantastic, and the service was good too.
If We Go Back
As far as the hike goes, we got plenty of exercise and enjoyed some wonderful sites. However, the town of Ortisei had plenty of shops and restaurants to offer. We were able to spend a little bit of time walking through the main streets, but wished we had more time to explore the town in its entirety.
Staying Active
For us, hiking is a great way to get exercise while exploring a different area, experiencing nature, and enjoying beautiful scenery. You don’t have to be in top shape to enjoy a hike. Choose your trails carefully, take your time, and go prepared. You can make a hike as long or as short as you need to. Hiking in the Dolomites ruined us quite a bit, being able to hop from rifugio to rifugio, enjoying a spritz or a strudel was quite the luxury! However, this isn’t the only way we stay active. Whether you hop on a treadmill before work, take a walk around your city, or go for a run, the important part is that you make it a consistent part of your routine.
