Illustration of the Dolomites mountain range with gray jagged peaks behind the word 'Dolomites' written in large orange letters.

Day 5 - June 11th

From Salzburg to the Dolomites!

This was the first day we met our amazing bus driver, Rob! Sadly, I did not capture any photos of him, but, he is truly a gem. Kind, Funny, and not to mention an excellent driver.

As people that suffer from motion sickness, Andrew and I were both a little nervous about all these bus rides - Our tour guide, Axel, broke up the long rides with stops every 2 hours so we could stretch our legs, walk around, grab some snacks, and just enjoy the ride. This drive in particular was a VERY curvy one, it was a little daunting - but with some dramamine, it was all fine and dandy!

Innsbruck, Austria

People walking on a busy European city street with historic buildings, a tall statue on a column, and mountains in the background under a blue sky.

We stopped in Innsbruck for a few hours. This was the perfect break after being in the bus for a few hours. It was blistering hot outside so we found the only place in town with AC -the mall! I got a delicious Caprese Sandwich at the food court and we walked around the town and ended up on a park bench to people watch.

Andrew’s grandmother was born and raised in Austria, he remembers tales from Innsbruck - looking up at these mountains was a really beautiful experience, knowing these were the same mountains she looked up at too, dreaming of a better tomorrow.

We had extra hazy conditions this day - Axel, our tour guide, mentioned that it was from a Saharan Sand Storm. Crazy!

As we packed back up into the bus, Axel sent us Tyrol Travel Cards in our Apple Wallet to cover ALL public transport within the SudTyrol region.

Winding mountain road with guardrail, surrounded by green trees and grass, with large mountain peaks in the background under a clear blue sky.

We headed back to the bus, ready to conquer the winding roads to Kastelruth.

This region of SudTirol or Alto Adige is uniquely bicultural. After World War I, Tyrol was split, giving South Tyrol to Italy while North Tyrol remained with Austria. This shift redrew borders and left a Germanic community under Italian rule.

Although we were in Italy, everything was in German.

A man and woman taking a selfie outside on a sunny day. The man has short hair, a beard, and is wearing blue sunglasses and a gray hoodie. The woman has long dark hair, sunglasses, and a pink top. In the background, there is a tall clock tower and buildings that resemble a European village.
Sign hanging between buildings with a gold unicorn and decorative elements, indicating a hotel established in 1326.
 

We finally made it to our Hotel in Kastelruth! The Hotel Cavallino D’Oro was built in 1326 and it just felt like home. With a warm welcome, lightning fast wifi (which we found is not so common in the Alps) and a Rick funded happy hour with local beer, we were happy to finally be in Tyrol.

You can visit their website HERE

The Town of Kastelruth, or Castelrotto as the Italian government prefers, is a quaint, quiet town. We walked along the main road with most shops being closed or out of business. The open shops closed at 6 and the restaurants don’t open until 7. So we went to my new favorite place SPAR - the regional supermarket. We bought so many snacks and I was on the hunt for my favorite sweet treat and the only reason I knew of the Dolomites before coming here- Loacker Quadratinis Wafers. Im not even joking when I say that I ate my body weight in Loackers during my time in the Dolomites.

After exploring a pretty sleepy town, we were starving!!!! Little did we know that wandering up a random street would lead us to a place that I will keep talking about when im 87 years old.

WHERE WE STAYED:

HOTEL CAVALLINO D’ORO

IMG_0885.JPG
IMG_0889.JPG
IMG_0903.JPG
IMG_0887.JPG
IMG_0886.JPG
IMG_0906.JPG
IMG_0905.JPG

I have been a vegetarian for about 10 years, so finding something to eat while traveling has always made me nervous. I had no qualms in the Dolomites.

I will dream about these Spinach and Parmesan Knödels for the rest of my life. In my dreams, I am here on a warm summer night eating Knödels, drinking a beer, and living my Dolce Vita.

Restaurant Liftstüberl 

Italian meal outdoors featuring two plates of food on a wooden table, one with gnocchi and another with ravioli, beside bottles of olive oil and seasoning, with a green landscape and small wooden building in the background.
The corner of a wooden building with a sign reading 'Restaurant, Bar, Cafe Lichtigauer' and a painted crest or coat of arms on a yellow wall, under a clear blue sky.
Two people taking a selfie outdoors on a sunny day, with a green field, houses, and mountains in the background.

I know an american girl trying regional cuisine for the first time isn’t exactly revolutionary, but it was to me. If you ever find yourself in Kastelruth, Italy. You must go to Restaurant Liftstuberl, I think about this meal probably once a week.

You can visit their Facebook Page HERE

Our Full Day in the Dolomites >>