MOUNTAIN WALKS IN... ITALY

WHAT? Trekking in the Dolomites

WHERE? Hotel Rosa Alpina, San Cassiano WHY? The mountain air and landscapes HOW MUCH? Double rooms from £342 per night, including breakfast; rosalpina.it WHO? Jane Shackleton, Head of Marketing

Mountains, you say?

Big ones. Head to this range in the north-east of the country to experience the peak (yes, I went there) of Italian landscapes: deep valleys, rolling green hills, dense forests and gurgling rivers. It’s perhaps best known as a top ski destination, but visit out of season and you’ll find spectacular scenery sans snow. Where do I start? Fly to Venice and hire a car – the drive is breathtaking, if a little hairy as you leave motorways behind for mountain roads. (In hindsight, a Fiat 500 probably wasn’t the best choice of wheels.) The Rosa Alpina team will greet you with warm smiles, and that friendly service remains throughout your stay, including calling on local hiking guide Filippo to show you the sights. The resort’s ski lift provides a shortcut to the ideal vantage point, from where you can choose an out-of-season long or short hike. I chose the latter, much to Filippo’s disappointment, but I’d already spotted the hotel spa and swimming pool and they were calling. The facilities are completely serene – even happening on a naked couple in the sauna (those Europeans…) didn’t cause a spike in my stress levels. And all the Italian food? Less pasta/pizza, more locally grown offerings. Head chef Norbert Niederkofler explains that everything served in his restaurant is native to the mountain range – no olive trees grow on the mountain, so no olive oil is used in his cooking (arguably Italian sacrilege). Breakfast is a highlight, with local honeycomb and berry-based yoghurt bowls, and the evening tasting menu was washed down with Italian Prosecco by the fireside, obviously.