South Tyrol is the most northerly part of Italy and was part of Austro-Hungary until 1918. It borders Switzerland and it is relatively close to Munich, two hours by car from where we stayed. The main language is German, with road signs in German first and Italian second. We came across a localised third language, Ladin which is a Romance language.
The Dolomites are a major part of the South Tyrol and with peaks in excess of 3,000 m a winter favourite for skiers. In 1956 Cortina hosted the first televised winter olympics, which return in 2026. In summer the skiing infrastructure provides excellent facilities for hikers to experience the scenery and food at over 2,000 m. For a number of years the authorities have been working successfully to restore and preserve the landscape from the impact of ski infrastructure. This has enabled a year-round tourist season. We visited in September when the weather was perfect for hiking.
Shilli-Fully Travels 