Dolomites, Italy

We said our goodbyes to Venice and despite wanting to stay longer, we were excited about the drive ahead of us and the mighty Dolomite's that await.

With so much to explore, and limited time we picked a few places to visit and were blown away by the whole region as we drove north. We stopped for lunch at Longarone and various towns along the way until we arrived at Cortina d'Ampezzo where we'd booked for 2 nights in an Airbnb. The property was great - a chalet, set on a hillside and not far from town.

We planned on hiking the 'Three Peaks' circuit, however as it was still coming out of winter, there was too much snow to do the full hike. Instead we drove to Lake Antorno and hiked up to a Refugio called Refugio Auronzo. It was slow going in the snow, however still offered an incredible view. It would have been even better if there was an option to stay overnight!

After a couple of nights we set off, stopping at Giau Pass for a tasty coffee and a brief walk to admire the spectacular view. It seemed to only get better as we went on to reach Passo Pordoi, a mountain pass that stands at an altitude of 2,239m. This is situated between the Province of Trento and the Province of Belluno. To reach it there are as many as 28 hairpin bends! We jumped on a the cable car that took us up higher to 2,950m where we enjoyed 360 degree views, right across the region.

We stopped in to bunker down at San Pietro in another Airbnb. This town is home to one of the Dolomite's most famous views - the Church of Saint John in Ranui, with the stunning mountain backdrop.

A huge day, followed by a well deserved meal at Hotel Kabis. Wow.