Dolomiti Lucane, Potenza, Italy (Fanelli Photography)
Located just south of the main section of the Alps, the Italian Dolomites are somewhat of a tourist mecca, offering breathtaking views, peaceful pastures, and a step back in history to a simpler time. Outdoors enthusiasts will relish hiking, biking, or climbing the region's beautiful terrain. But the Dolomites are not just about trails and sightseeing. The area is rich with culture and is home to a people who are as welcoming as the territory in which they reside.
The area itself is located in Italy, but it's so close to Austria that each village and town have both an Italian and Austrian name. San Candido is also Innichen, and Sesto is Sexten. However, the Dolomites is actually a trilingual region. Ladin speakers are the minority, with some 30,000 people still using the ancient dialect that was spoken by the area's first inhabitants. The remaining residents typically speak either Italian or German. Because there are three different cultures here, steps have been taken to accomodate everyone. Traffic signs are typically bi or trilingual. Schools are separated by ethnic group, but every citizen of the Dolomites has the right to speak in their mother tongue. In many provinces and municipalities, like Bolzano-Bozen, both German and Italian are considered the official language, and others also recognize Ladin as the third official language.
One of the most noteworthy activities of the Dolomite people is the creative handicrafts they produce. This trade used to be passed from generation to generation, but nowadays it is taught primarily in specialized schools, such as the Art High School in Cortina. Students are educated in the art of working with timber and iron, as well as glass, brass, and other materials.
Woodcraft is the most prominent skill in the region. Val Gardena is known as the valley of woodcarvers, and travelers to this and other villages, such as Cortina d'Ampezzo and Ortisei, can visit the artists' workshops to purchase a one-of-a-kind work of art to remember their trip.
Other popular skills practiced by the Dolomite natives involve wrought-iron crafts, needlecraft, leather embroidering, basket-making, and pipe-making. The town of Cortina D'Ampezzo boasts highly skilled artisans in all of these techniques and is known for the quality items produced there. Skills such as these are traditions that have been kept alive for centuries, some dating back as far as the Middle Ages. Visit these craft workshops to glimpse what life was like in this area so many years ago.
Aside from the heavily artistic nature of the region, the Dolomites also offers a wide array of culinary treats to please even the most discerning palate. The cuisine of the Dolomites provides a tasty overview of the cultural influences of the area, from Italian pastas to Austrian strudels to Ladin cakes (called "fortaes"). This rich variety lets you experience the best dishes that the region has to offer and arguably some of the most delectable food in the world. Those craving Italian food can't miss specialties such as Tris di Canederli, a soup that contains small balls of bread and sometimes meat, Tris di pasta (trio of pastas), or one of the several game meats like Camoscio (chamois), capriolo (roe buck), cervo (deer), daino (fallow deer), or stambecco (mountain goat). Austrian treats include apple strudel and Strauben, fried squirts of sweetened butter with bilberry sauce. And don't forget the traditional Ladin cakes: "fortaes," fried with sugar and marmalade, and "sones," fried with apple.
Wine and spirits are also specialties in the Dolomites, with many of the valleys and villages boasting their own wineries and distilleries. Reds of the area include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc, along with a few local varieties, most notably Schiaval. The whites are Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Traminer, and Chardonnay. Grappa is a distilled spirit unique to Italy. The Dolomites' Trentino-Alto Adige region accounts for about 10 percent of all grappa production. Also refreshing on a hot summer's day is holundersaft, a juice made from ripe elderberries. And don't forget the delectable coffee concoctions you can partake in when visiting the Dolomites. From cappuccino to lattes, the area serves dozens of different coffee treats, including "Café Corretto," a popular after-dinner drink. Between 80 and 90 US proof, it is a fiery but tasty beverage!
Dolomite Mountains is a locally owned and operated adventure travel company based in the Dolomites that specializes in via ferrata, hiking, biking, and ski touring. To learn more visit www. dolomitemountains.com.
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