Cavalese, Italy

Today's drive from Lake Como to South Tyrol took nearly five hours.

Traffic was smooth, mostly along highways, but our GPS threw us off course just north of Milan, only to correct itself when we were almost halfway to Venice—quite the hassle, though luckily we weren't in a rush.

Heading east, the landscape was rather dull, with not much to catch the eye. But once we veered north into the valley toward Bolzano, things got more interesting. The valley, with its fertile soil, stretched out with vineyards as far as the eye could see. Apples and pears also thrive in this region.

We decided to leave the highway at one point, taking local roads to explore the countryside and pass through small villages. Naturally, we had to stop for a break and enjoy a glass of local Chardonnay.

In Ora Auer, we took a right onto Route SS48, which led us to the mountain town of Cavalese. We're staying at the Park Hotel Azalea here, surrounded by high mountains perfect for hiking and skiing.Read more