The hour-and-a-bit taxi ride from Bolzano up to Santa Cristina was fine – once I found the taxi stand.With time marching on, I wondered whether the hotel shut its doors at a certain time. When we pulled in around 9:20 after a silent journey courtesy of the language barrier, Matteo was waiting to meet and greet me. How delightful to be welcomed by a smiling face on what, in the scheme of things, had been quite a difficult day.
It was way too late for dinner and I was probably a bit past it anyway, so off to bed with a large Negroni under my belt and ready to do whatever one did in this part of the world. My room was delightful, the bathroom (with a bath) super – a traditional hotel – tiny, up the top of St Christina near the Col Raiser cable car station. I obviously had no idea what was to amaze me given my late arrival. Opening the curtains in the morning was a definite wow moment. The photos on the booking platform did not do it justice.
Matteo is a third-generation hotelier , telling me the Villa Martha Vintage Hotel has been in his family since its establishment by his grandfather . Many of his beautiful carvings are featured in the foyer and the totally charming living and dining areas.
Hospitality is his middle name making all the guests feel so special – he does everything – all the cooking -all the serving. His daughter is part of the team, and he is hopeful that she will carry on the family tradition when he decides he’s had enough.
My first morning in the spectacular Dolomites and the arthritic inflammation in my right hand was becoming more than just an inconvenience. It had been bad pretty since I left home – somewhat weird given my concerns had been my left knee and neck – both of which have not given me a moment of trouble.
All the usual remedies – nurofen, heat, cold, liniment have had marginal impact.
With increasing discomfort forcing my hand (no pun intended), and being of the belief that that there was a reciprocal Medicare arrangement between Australia and Italy – I called on my AI travel buddy to recommend a medical practice. Matteo told me I would need to take a bus to the Tourist Medical Centre suggesting instead I walk down to the St Cristina ‘medical ‘ centre where there was a doctor and a dentist.
Good to know.
‘Just down the main street’ was probably the best part of 1.5 km straight down. This is Italy, where, like France, everything shuts at midday for 2.5 hours while they go home, have lunch, and sleep. Anyway, I rolled in with not long to spare and the sweet English speaking receptionist told me I could see him shortly. Haleluya ! A lovely man – I think his name was Giovanni – there are a lot of Giovannis. He looked at my hand, and listened as I explained that I’d been having this problem for quite a while, and it was swollen ridiculously. Anyway, €140 and a prescription later, I tracked back to the pharmacy, (he was waiting for me because the doctor had said he was a workaholic and he would not close until I’d been to see him ) €88 lighter, cortisone, more ibuprofen, and cooling pads.
That really cut into my first day. The weather was divine, the town was divine, and the scenery was divine. I was in that new visitor phase of finding my way and getting to know where to go. I contemplated catching the Col Raiser. By this time it was 3.30 – way too late. Still walked to the terminus-it’s all uphill. My lungs have had somewhat of a a reality check since the start of the week. I’ve never been to an alpine resort in summer. I haven’t been to many alpine resorts anywhere, but I have been to Aspen, and I’ve also been to the French Alps, I think, once, and the Swiss Alps, perhaps. The impact of high altitude on your blood oxygen levels is very much a thing.
I’m reasonably fit. I can’t run a marathon, but for my age, I’m not too bad. Here as soon as the incline is up – (it’s either up or down) my oxygen levels would drop so lots of deep breathing required. The message on the blood oxygen levels smartwatch app inform me the reading is ‘impacted by high altitude’.I know why elite sporting teams make a point of training in high-altitude situations. Not sure how much exercise in this type of environment improves your oxygen availability, but it’s over 2,000 meres high here, more than that, and it does impact. Back to 97% now helped I am sure by the the wine.
Anyway, I didn’t really get very far that first afternoon, still a lovely high hike up near the Col Raiser terminus. I wandered up a trail and came across Vila and Adriana headed down for milking. I followed them down – a nice walk. I had made a reservation at the pizzeria around the corner – starting that evening in a much more relaxed frame of mind than the night before – helped by a couple of Matteo’s sumptuous cocktails and a nice chat with one of the guests , a youngish gentleman from Portugal .
Day 2 and my hand was certainly less swollen. Still painful, but not nearly as bad. The weather perfect, it was time to head for the hills . Col Raiser Cable Car statione is about 500 m from the Villa Martha Vintage Hotel. I bought my return ticket to the top of the mountain and arrived in paradise.
Not being sure of where to go or what was the best option for me, I followed the two legged sheep and went on a really lovely hike with plenty of ups and downs.
Four legged creatures today – donkeys . I am a little nonplussed when I see donkey on the menu in some restaurants. I consider walking down to Santa Cristina but after shelling out 34 euro for a return ticket I needed to get my money’s worth.
So time to chill out at Café Col Raiser for a well-earned 5 euro glass of Prosecco and a complimentary glass of potato chips, which seems to accompany every drink in that part of the world.
The weather did unfortunately impact my third and fourth full days in this extraordinary part of the world. Despite intermittent showers forecast for the day, it was time to get to know the buses. The local 358 mini bus runs all day around Santa Cristina. It is hairy in places because the roads are so narrow and steep – something coming the other way usually means one or the other has to back up until there’s room enough to pass. Like the roads in high parts of Norway.I can’t begin to imagine how tricky it would be in the icy winter but the drivers all drive carefully and safely. Visitors to Val Gardena are given a complementary bus pass all bus travel is free for the duration of your stay .It’s actually worth just hopping on the 358 and doing circuits of the town because it is just lovely.
So on a not so nice weather and time to explore the valley a little further, so I caught my 358 down to the main square and then stood in wait for a bus to Otisie . Matteo had mentioned the 350 or 360. but as it turned out, I ended up on the 354, which did take me to Otisie albeit standing room only. It was a very slow traffic- stop start into the town – much bigger and much busier than Santa Cristina. I’d seen the funicular as we crawled in so went off looking for it and ended up going in entirely the wrong direction.
Anyway, I turned around and made it back to the cable car depot just as the storm broke, with thunder and lightning aplenty . Storms in the alps announce themselves differently to those we are accustomed to at home. It seems there’s one large thunder clap , preceded one assumes by barely visible lightning , then down it comes.
Anyway, return ticket secured, it was a long way up to the top, where visibility was zero. A strategic dive into the cafe for a nice bowl of hot soup, a glass of red wine and coffee, and wait the weather out. It was obvious it wasn’t going to change – but abated enough for a short stroll before heading down . It’s actually quite fascinating to experience the mountains bathed in sun and covered in cloud.
A word on food – on night one it was the nearby pizzeria with about 100 different pizzas on the menu. I’m not much of a pizza eater. I should have only ordered a half because I think most of it went back to the kitchen – and it isn’t cheap. €15 at least plus a drink, so that’s $40-50 Australian dollars.
My second night, I didn’t have dinner at all , making do with some grocery store purchases . To me , to go out to ‘dinner ‘ on one’s own , when not especially hungry is a waste of both time and money .
On night three , somewhat weather battered, Matteo and crew were in the foyer . Looking at his pre ordered set course menu, I inquired about the structure . His reply – ‘ Don’t worry, come down around 7.30 and I will do for you a small plate .’
Seriously, how could I refuse.
When I presented myself at the most prominent table , he in turn presented me with a very small plate of reindeer cappuccio, and that was followed by another small plate of the most delectable fresh homemade ravioli. I am not much of a pasta eater but in Italy , it is quite simply superb.
The last day upon me and again it was all about the weather. I sought Matteo’s council . So no expensive gondoliers – rather the free bus to Cristauta and a hike across to Col Raiser . There were places where, it was wet, slippery, and quite steep, but still well defined.
From there, back down the mountain but not without a stop at the Col Raiser Cafe for a bowl of minestrone soup accompanied by the mandatory large basket of bread. So it was either walk or pay the €17 one way down the mountain. The sweet waitress clarified the situation – parts of the descent are steep and slippery. I had clocked up 5 kms and my feet were talking to me . €17 for a one-way trip down the mountain.
So I was able to walk every day, some days further than others. The stunning landscape and Matteo’s 5 star hospitality. Dinner on my last night – his scrumptious homemade spaghetti.
Santa Cristina is smaller and less crowded than Ortesei but there are still throngs of visitors all doing exactly what I had been doing. German, Swiss, French a smattering of old and young Chinese. A melting pot of nationalities, kitted out in designer hiking gear from head to toe.I didn’t hear another Australian accent in the time i was there .
When I was planning this trip and fine tuning the stays , I questioned myself when I was locking in the Dolomites. Would I be keen to move on , was the stay too long. I was wary of the hotel – a booking.com find. I told Matteo the platform doesn’t do his establishment justice. I could have happily stayed on for another 5 nights. Maybe a good thing that he doesn’t generate more business- he says he’s pretty much full all year.
A return definitely. beckons.
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