Rasciesa on a sunny evening & a walk through Ortisei – The Delightful Dolomites, Part 10

This post is part of a series (now long drawn out owing to a busy professional month!) documenting our travels in the Val Gardena region of the Dolomites in Northern Italy. We were now on the last day of our time in this beautiful region and had hiked across the highest Alpine meadow in Europe – the Alpe di Siusi in the morning ( Alpe di Siusi, walking across the highest Alpine meadow – The Delightful Dolomites, Part 9 ). The long walk on a beautiful day had the effect of rejuvenating us rather than wearing us down. So when we reached Ortisei from Santa Cristina after the mornings exertions, instead of meekly returning back to our hotel we decided to use the long days of summer and go up to Rasciesa again.

We had been to Rasciesa (Resciesa / Rascholz – all the same, places in this region have multiple names!) by the funicular on our first day in the region of what had been a cloudy, rainy day. ( An unplanned hike on a misty day up in Resciesa – The Delightful Dolomites, Part 6 ) So when we saw the opportunity to return (using our Cable car pass yet again !) on a bright sunny day we jumped at the opportunity. We walked up to the funicular station and took the funicular up.

The funicular goes up leaving Ortisei behind

The view from the funicular of the Sassolungo and the Alpe di Siusi

The town of Ortisei looks tiny down in the valley

We got off the funicular and had a decision to make. Just walk down to the viewing platform near the station and click pictures and go back down or finally take the right path to Rasciesa hut (read the last Rasciesa post for details! – An unplanned hike on a misty day up in Resciesa – The Delightful Dolomites, Part 6). The better half being the trooper that she is voted for the short hike to the hut. We had about 3 hours till the last funicular descent down to Ortisei. So we decided to make it a fast walk to the hut lest we get stranded.

The view of the Sassolungo group from Rasciesa

We came to the turn where we had taken the wrong path the last time and this time got on the right trail. A brisk 20 -25 minute walk along a relatively level dirt track with some stops for photos later we saw the Rasciesa hut come into sight.

The dirt track that leads to Rasciesa hut

The better half walks on the path to Rascholz hut

The customary jump at the end of the track as we reached the hut

The breathtaking panorama from Rasciesa hut

We had done the walk much faster than we would have done otherwise and this gave us time to stop at the restaurant there for our last high altitude drinks of the trip. It had been a highlight of this trip having our refreshments with one spectacular view or other on display & we added to the list.

Enjoying our drinks with the view at Rasciesa hut

A high altitude beer is all the more refreshing

Drinks with a view – The highlight of our hikes in the Dolomites

We enjoyed the drinks at a leisurely pace and sat there for a good half an hour just taking in the views. We decided not to go up to the cross for views of the valley on the other side cause that might be cutting it close and we wanted to enjoy these views for a bit longer. We had enjoyed a beautiful 6 days in the Dolomites where the weather Gods had been relatively kind to us. The hike back to the funicular station would be our last in the region (for this time!) and we had been so impressed by the region that we hope to be back hiking in another region soon. We did the return hike at a much slower pace since there was almost no chance of us missing the last funicular down.

I never got tired of taking more photos of this group of mountains

Horses grazing on the meadows

Sitting and enjoying the views outside the hut

The path winds down the beadow with the Seceda peaks poking out from behind

Beautiful skies make for beautiful photos

Both of us wanted our photos with this beautiful view

Happy us after a great 6 days in the Dolomites

We reached the funicular station well in time and said goodbye to Rasciesa and descended back down to Ortisei. We had always zoomed through the town of Ortisei to the cable car / funicular station & not seen the town itself. We decided to change that on this last evening.

Reaching the funicular station for our ride down

Using the convenient travelators one last time to get to Ortisei town

As we got to town we first decided to see the statue of Luis Trenker, man who wore many caps – film director, actor, alpinist and bobsledder! He had his statue at a perfect spot in town in alpinist gear looking at the Langkofel / Sassolungo, the mountain he liked to climb the most. A perfectly placed statue if there was one!

The statue of Luis Trenker in Ortisei

Luis Trenker points to his favourite Sassolungo peak

We like the Sassolungo too !

The path led to the Ortisei Parish church which was our next stop. I like churches for their symmetric architecture and beautiful painted ceilings. They are always a pleasure to photograph and it gives my ultrawide lens a chance to flex it’s muscles and give me some beautiful photos.

The path leads to the Ortisei Parish church

The better half tries to get me to pose in front of the church

The beautiful baroque architecture inside the Ortisei church

Painted ceilings and gilded arches and columns are a photographers delight

The church organ on the wall above the entrance is surrounded by art

The painted and gilded pulpit at the Ortisei Parish Church

We then did our church routine of sitting in the pews for a few minutes before walking out into the crowded streets. I’m always amazed at the lack of people visiting church interiors but I get better photos, so I’m not really complaining.

The peaceful interiors of the Ortisei Parish Church

We then walked to the main square next to the bus station and both ourselves a well deserved Gelato cone. We must have walked more than 20 km that day and it wasn’t tiring at all. We finished our Gelato cone watching the crowds walk by at the Piazza Sant Antonio, happy that we had ended up choosing the much more laid back Laion as a base to stay. ( Riding the chairlifts to Mont Seura & an evening walk around Laion – The Delightful Dolomites, Part 8 ).

Modern art in an Old town just doesnt gel for me

A gelato to enjoy at the Ortisei main square – Piazza Sant Antonio

Refilling our water at the fountain – another thing I like about Italy

After finishing our Gelato we decided to pay our respects to St Anthony whose small Chapel we had passed every day when we rushed through town. The small chapel was austere by the Parish church standards, the only thing in common was the lack of people inside.

The interiors of the small St Anthony Chapel at Ortisei

The pretty main square of Ortisei – Piazza St Antonio

The view of St Anthony Chapel we had seen every day in Ortisei

We then walked to a square where we had seen a temporary art installation with various white statues in different poses in a square behind the main square. So we walked to it and took photos of this contrast between modern art in a classical old town square.

The temporary art installation on a square in Ortisei

We then walked to the nearby bus station where the better half reminded me that we hadn’t bought our regular souvenir – a fridge magnet from the region. So we quickly corrected that at a souvenir stop near the bus station before boarding the bus back to Laion.

Saying goodbye to Ortisei bus station

It had been a great three days staying in Laion and the included 3 course dinner was something we had looked forward to every day after a full day of hiking. The hotel Andechserhof didnt disappoint us that day too and we enjoyed our last dinner there filling ourselves to the brim.

Enjoying our last delicious gourmet dinner at the Hotel Andechserhof, Laion

The better half happy to get vegetarian options for dinner every day!

That night we slept soundly as the days walking caught up with us. We woke up refreshed the next day and finished our last breakfast at the hotel. It had turned out to be an unexpected surprise and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there.

At the breakfast restaurant at the Hotel Andechserhof, Laion

Plentiful breakfast on offer at the Hotel Andechserhof

Enjoying our last breakfast with a view at Laion

Saying goodbye to the pretty village of Laion

We then gathered our luggage and had now become used to the public transportation of the region. A quick bus and train change later we were on the train to our next destination – Kufstein in Austria.

On the train to Kufstein ready to get our tickets checked

The Dolomites had been even more spectacular than I expected and it left me wanting more. The great hiking infrastructure, improved public transport and ever reliable delicious Italian food had made it a trip to remember.

We still had a night each at Kufstein and Munich left before returning to Mumbai. Kufstein had been a choice we had made looking at the stops on the way back to Munich, since we didnt want to spend another night in Munich. Kufstein had a great looking citadel and a pretty old town – at least on cursory internet research. Whether it would live up to the great expectations set by the Dolomites is the topic for another post.

Some other time, some other day. Till then,

Ciao!