Bolzano
Close–up of a picture on a candy box in a window.
Bolzano
Dolomites
Today, we left Venice to travel north through the Dolomites, a spectacular mountain chain in northern Italy. We traveled through the Trentino–Alto Adige Region of Italy.
Dolomites
Dolomites
This region, also called the Tirol, was originally part of the Austro–Hungarian Empire, but the 1919 Treaty of Versailles gave this territory to Italy. Many of its residents have retained their German–Austrian culture and German as well as Italian are spoken here. Much of the architecture is Alpine.
Dolomites
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Cortina is Italy’s top ski resort and it hosted the 1956 Olympic games. Photo of the Olympic ski jump.
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Cortina d’Ampezzo
We stopped for lunch here and also for a couple of hours break. Not much was open as not only was it Sunday it was also May 1 (May Day) which is a National Holiday. However, I found a small restaurant open and had pizza, a fruit tart, and a coke––5.10 Euros. I also walked around the town.
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Cortina d’Ampezzo
A hotel in Cortina.
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Cortina d’Ampezzo
View of the bell tower.
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Church in the center of Cortina.
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Cortina d’Ampezzo
I don’t have any information on this church. It was very interesting inside.
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Another photo of inside the church.
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Ceiling of the church.
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Close–up of the frescoes on the ceiling.
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Inside the church.
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Also, inside the church.
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Cortina d’Ampezzo
The bell/clock tower and the back of the church.
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Dolomites
We left Cortina d’Ampezzo to go to Bolzano, our overnight stop. This is some countryside that we passed on our way.
Dolomites
Dolomites
We traveled through the Tre Croi Pass on our way to Bolzano.
Dolomites
Dolomites
We stopped for a few minutes at the Lake of Misurina. The lake was still semi–frozen.
Dolomites
Dolomites
There was a great souvenir store across from the lake, selling very non–Italian items. I had a great time shopping there and bought a small cuckoo clock, a tiny gnome, a very pretty cow bell, and a minature beer stein and thought they were splendid souvenirs of Italy to take home with me.
Dolomites
Dolomites
We saw many different church steeples in this area. This photo (taken from the bus) has twin steeples in it––one at the top of the photo and one in the middle.
Dolomites
Dolomites
Two different types of church steeples side by side. (Photo also taken from the bus.)
Dolomites
Dolomites
Another photo of a church taken from the bus.
Dolomites
Dolomites
Some of the countryside with terraced farms that we passed. Near here, there was a fatal car/cycle accident. I assume it was the cyclist who was killed. There was a large cycle gathering here today. We were held up for about an hour until the authorities could be summoned on this May Day Sunday. This, of course, was a very sad occurrence. We only saw one other accident while we were driving in Italy.
Dolomites
Bolzano
We arrived in Bolzano (Bozen in German), the capital of the Alto Adige. Here, both German and Italian are spoken and signs are in both languages. We did notice that most of the people of Bolzano looked more German than they did Italian.
Bolzano
Bolzano
The Piazza Walther, the main square of Bolzano. Today, there was a flower festival in the Piazza Walther. I thought it was great that we could be a part of a local festival. The statue is of Walther von der Vogelweide, a 13th–century troubadour, who is believed to have been born in this area.
Bolzano
Bolzano
Locals dressed up for the festival.
Bolzano
Bolzano
A group of Italian singers were performing at one side of the piazza. I took a movie clip of them and it is on this site: Go to Movies, Western Europe, Italy, “Bolzano Flower Festival Music–1.”
Bolzano
Bolzano
This very German–looking accordian player was performing on the other side of the square. The woman just joined in singing with him. I also took a movie clip of them: Go to Movies, Western Europe, Italy, “Bolzano Flower Festival Music–2.” There was also an Italian fashion show in the piazza, accompanied by American rock music, but I couldn’t get close enough to it to take a movie of it.
Bolzano
Bolzano
Gelati lady in the piazza.
Bolzano
Bolzano
Menu on the sidewalk.
Bolzano
Bolzano
Bakery sign in two languages.
Bolzano
Bolzano
The 15th–century Gothic Duomo with a multicolored mosaic–patterned roof across from the Piazza Walther.
Bolzano
Bolzano
Close–up of the roof.
Bolzano
Bolzano
Bolzano was an interesting town to walk around. Photo of one of its buildings.
Bolzano
Bolzano
Another view of the Duomo.
Bolzano
Bolzano
More buildings.
Bolzano
Bolzano
Interesting road opening.
Bolzano
Bolzano
Alleyway.
Bolzano
Bolzano
Another building.
Bolzano
Bolzano
Street scene.
Bolzano
Bolzano
A peacock on a building.
Bolzano
Bolzano
Government building.
Bolzano
Bolzano
Elvis Lives! Poster next to a beauty shop seen on the way back to our hotel, a very nice Best Western.