Brixen / Bressanone
Dolomites in Sudtirol
The Sudtirol area of northern Italy was once part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, ruled by the Hapsburgs for 300 years. The 1919 Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye ended the Austro-Hungarian empire and ceded Sudtirol to Italy as war booty to compensate Italy for the tremendous losses Italian troops who died during the Great War. One of the bloodiest battlefields outside from the Western front were in Austrian alps and Dolomites where more than 750,000 Italian troops died.
Sudtirol is also known as Alto Adige for the Adige river which runs swiftly north to south through the steep valley toward Verona. The valley is lush from heavy rain and snow fall, and vineyards stretch along the hillsides for miles. The steep granite mountains, the Dolomites, are popular in the summer with hikers and in winters for skiers.
The principal town in Sudtirol is Brixen (German) or Bressanone (Italian). The Eisack and Reinz rivers meet in town where a major flood control project is underway to limit spring flooding which has left the city underwater for centuries.
Dolomites from Val Croce
Gasthaus Majestic
Our lodgings were at a charming gasthaus 2 kilometers up the hillside from Bressanone. We had spent a few days in an apartment in center of Bologna, busy traffic, crowded streets, and a bit shabby with graffiti everywhere. The Gasthaus Majestic Lucy found online turned out to be the opposite of how we lived in Bologna.
We had a spacious and very modern apartment with kitchen, living room, bedroom, full bathroom with a washing machine! And a balcony to sip tea and coffee before going down to breakfast. After a busy day touring Sudtirol, we came back every night to enjoy a glass of wine on our balcony, marvel at the view of snow-capped alps in the distance and the sound of a rushing creek below.
We stayed a week. Enjoyed every minute of it.
Travel buddy, good cook, occasional laundress, hanging wet clothes to dry in the morning sun.
The Majestic provided us with two Brixen cards when we arrived, a nifty and efficient way for tourists to get around the area without paying bus and museum fees. We used our Brixen cards three or four times a day, saving money, hopping on and off buses, getting into museums, traveling where we wanted using Brixen’s efficient public transportation.
If only the US had such efficient and modern public transportation in rural areas.
Plose to Val Croce
Cable car from Plose to Val Croce above Bresannone
Our Brixen cards allowed us to take a bus to Plose along winding hillside roads above Bressanone, then board a cable car to Val Croce, a 6000 foot high plateau with spectacular views of the Dolomites, numerous hiking trails, and lush pastures where dairy cattle were grazing, bells clanging, munching grass, and drinking from streams of fresh mountain water.
Even dairy cattle enjoy alpine views while grazing
Along hiking trail in Val Croce
Happy wife on the trail
Contented cows make the best milk and cheese
Nice to take a break on a handmade wooden bench with a view of the Dolomites.
Who you looking at?
Bressanone
Hiking into Bressanonne looking over Reinz river
We walked through Bressanone daily for sight-seeing, grabbing lunch and a glass of wine, or boarding a bus to travel to nearby villages. One Sunday, when buses weren’t running regularly, we hiked into town, down steep trails, passing terraced vineyards, crossing bridges until we reached Bressanone.
Along the way, we had nice views of town and the Reinz river.
Crossing bridge into Bressanone after Sunday morning hike
Into the historic center of Bressanone
Vipetino
Our travels around Sudtirol including visits to Luson, Vipetino, and Saint Ullrich, all charming alpine villages, scenic, and worth seeing.
Vipetino
Vipetino is a mountain village near Brenner and the Austrian border. It took our bus from Brixen almost an hour driving along a rushing river, crossing bridges, pulling off at villages to pick up and drop off passengers.
When we arrived, we spent a couple of hours strolling along cobblestone streets, having lunch, and stopping in a few shops.
Sausages hanging in macelleria (butcher) selling cheeses, speciality meats, bacon, wine, breads and cookies. We bought cheese and bread to take back on our bus.
Free samples!
Fresh prosciutto ready for slicing
Wanted to buy this sign in a Vipetino shop; too bulky to travel with.
We traveled through Sudtirol last summer on a train from Munchen through Innsbruck to Trentino, about 60 kilometers south of Bressanone. We enjoyed that trip so much, we wanted to return, stay in another town, explore the majestic Dolomites, scenic alpine valleys and villages. I’m sure we’ll be back!
Nothing like crisp mountain air, hiking alpine trails, and hearing cow bells to put a smile on your face.
Next: Otzi, the 5500 year old man
* * * *
In addition to this travel blog, I write international thrillers, mysteries, and romantic suspense novels.
I’m currently writing the Milan Thriller Series featuring Italy’s anti-terrorism police, DIGOS (Divisione Investigazioni Generali e Operazioni), as they pursue domestic and international terrorists.
I travel to Italy every summer for research, to see Italian and American friends, to work with my researchers, and to meet DIGOS officers at Milan’s Questura (police headquarters) who advise me with DIGOS investigative procedures.
If you’d like to receive a free ebook of the first book in the series, Thirteen Days in Milan, please sign up on the left side bar. I just need your name and email address.
You can find the Milan Thriller Series and all my ebooks at digital book sites and on my publisher’s website, RedBrickPress.net. Book 4 in the series, The Lonely Assassin, was recently published as an ebook.
Paperbacks of Thirteen Days in Milan, No One Sleeps, and Vesuvius Nights are available at RedBrickPress.net, Amazon, and independent bookstores. If they’re not in stock, stores can order from the Ingram distributor. You should have your book in 3 or 4 days.
If you’d like to learn more about Italy, travel, and writing, sign up for my email newsletter at my publisher’s website or my personal web site jackerickson.com.
Travel with us for a Year and a Day 
I an so envious! Looks like you’re both having a great time. Can’t wait to hear the details and see the other pix when you get back!
LikeLike
Lots of photos and stories to share soon, Wendy. You’ll love the alpine mountains around Luzern where I spent a day marveling at the stunning beauty at 7,000 feet. Lucky it was sunny that day.
A presto!
LikeLike
Wow, the Dolomites look more dramatic than Yosemite! What a rich week you had in that guesthouse. And yes the guy on the beer sign looks as enthusiastic as you are, Jack.
LikeLike
The Dolomites did remind me a bit of Yosemite, especially the steep granite peaks barren of trees. But Dolomites are jagged like a row of dragon’s teeth.
LikeLike
Gorgeous views and quaint villages! Wow, what a great week for you and Marilyn. See you in October.
Sent from my iPhone
>
LikeLike
Yes, charming and people friendly; maybe it’s the fresh mountain air or the great lunch you just had. Food seems to taste better when you’re traveling.
LikeLike
I lived in a small town near Bressanone/Brixen on the side of the mountain in 1976. My husband was in the US military stationed at a small NATO base, and Italian Caserma. So long ago, but I loved it there. It was beautiful! I miss it. I believe the name was Fumes.
LikeLike
Very interesting, Laurie. Would love to hear what your husband was doing in the Army at the Italian caserna. NATO had small bases in Italy back then, mostly intelligence operations focused on the USSR and Warsaw Pact. But most of them are closed now.
I’m sure you loved your time there in one of the most beautiful places in Italy.
LikeLike
I so enjoyed your photo/journey of your hiking in the hills and mountains: with the cows! It evoked great memories of our cable car and hut-hiking in the German Alps enroute to Vienna. (Along the Romantic Strassa.) Hoping that you’re getting ready to put pen to paper for your sequel!! Miche
LikeLike
I’m pleased you could relate to our Sudtirol experience and had your own adventures in Bavaria. We want to return and see more of that beautiful part of Europe.
I have more photos of the Swiss alps when I spent a few days in a village out of Luzern after Lucy returned to CA.
Almost finished with my Iceman post, will have it up in a couple days. Incredible story and many scientific discoveries that Otzi provided from his remains and ‘things he carried.’
LikeLike
Hi Jack! I’m glad you enjoyed your stay in Trentino-Sudtitol, it is my second hometown and always love to go back there!
LikeLike
Yes, we had a great time, our second visit to Trentino. Last summer we spent three days in Trentino, taking
cable cars one day and bus / train another to visit villages high above the valley. And will be back again; I spend summers in Milano writing a thriller series with DIGOS at the Questura.
LikeLike