Travel story South Tyrol for families

Off to Lake Resia!

Upon our arrival for our hiking holiday in South Tyrol, our parents made sure we had plenty of time to go around Lake Resia and get a good look at the church tower sticking out of the water. The weather was really dry, so we got to walk all around it! It was pretty crazy to learn that a whole village had to move just so they could build the reservoir. Now, only the top of the church tower peeks out above the water, and you can't see it from the village anymore!

We can't wait to tell everyone at school about our adventure here! After grabbing some yummy ice cream and letting our parents have a coffee break, we headed to our first hotel near Naturns. We're super excited for what's next on our tour!

When we checked out our hotel for the first time, guess what we found? A massive outdoor pool right in the giant garden! While the grown-ups were busy unpacking and settling into their rooms, we wasted no time jumping into the cool water. And since it was super-hot outside, we got to have dinner under the open sky surrounded by fruit trees and flowers - how cool is that? But the best part for us kids? Making friends with the super friendly house cat! After dinner, we went on a little adventure exploring the garden together. Meanwhile, our parents and grandparents got to taste some fancy wines with the chef. It was a day full of fun for everyone!

Family takes a break from hiking on the shores of Lake Resia

"It goes up high!"

That's what we shouted as we boarded the train to Latsch for the first leg of our adventure. Then, we hopped on a cable car up to St. Martin im Kofel. On the Vinschgau High Trail, we had the most amazing walk! There were so many different things to see along the way. We thought it was funny how the irrigation systems crossed over the hiking trail, giving us chances to cool off with a splash of water every now and then. After our walk, we wanted to grab some snacks at the mountain station, but the hut was closed. So, we kept walking for a bit longer. Turns out, it was a good thing because what we found next was totally worth it! We stopped at the Oberkaserer Hofkäserei cheese dairy for a yummy snack and some sweet dessert. And guess what? We even got to go for a walk with two adorable little calves! It was definitely a day to remember.

Hikers stop for a drink at a watering place

"Hanging bridge wobble challenge"

After spending another awesome night at Hotel Sand, we hit the road the next day from Naturns toward Partschins on the Merano High Mountain Trail. We were super excited to see what surprises lay ahead on our journey, and of course, we couldn't wait to check out the pool at the next hotel 😉. The weather was all over the place that day - one moment it was super sunny like midsummer, then suddenly it started pouring rain! But just as quickly as it came, the sun popped out again.

Our cousin Tobias totally nailed the "hanging bridge wobble challenge" today, right before we reached Partschins. He totally deserved that extra helping of dessert when we stopped for a snack! We spent the night at Hotel Botango, and let me tell you, it was a floral paradise! The rooms were all unique, and they had this awesome pool that you could swim in both inside and outside. One of the family rooms was so big that we even put on a little singing and dancing show for the grown-ups after dinner. And speaking of dinner, we had a blast at the pizzeria in the hotel! The pizza chef made the pizzas right in the middle of the restaurant and put on quite the show for us. It was a day packed with fun and deliciousness! Walking holidays in Italy are something very special!

An extra helping of ice cream

On our final stretch the next day, we followed mountain streams, a trail steeped in legend, and wandered through countless orchards and forest paths toward Merano. Along the Algunder Waalweg, we had a blast racing leaves and small sticks in the water, making the walk fly by in no time. Since it was scorching hot, we decided to hop on a bus for the last leg to our hotel in Merano.

As soon as we arrived at Hotel Pienzenau, guess where we headed? Yep, straight to the pool! There was even a little rapids section, so it took some serious convincing from our parents to get us out for dinner. But boy, were we glad they did! We went to the Forst brewery's Felsenkeller restaurant to fuel up before strolling through the arcades in Merano. All us kids were in agreement: we found the most amazing ice cream of the whole vacation right here in Merano. And you know what? We got to order as many scoops as we wanted as a reward for all our fantastic walks. Of course, we couldn't finish it all, so our dads got some bonus scoops too. It was the perfect end to an unforgettable journey!

Rating? 5 stars!

On the last day of our awesome vacation, we went to Trauttmansdorff Castle in Merano. We were blown away by the beautiful flower sculptures and all the cool animals there, like stick insects and snakes. When we talked about our vacation as a family later, our moms especially gave the castle visit a big thumbs up with a 5-star rating!

After that, we all went our separate ways: Lina and Tobias took a little detour to the Adriatic Sea with their parents. Grandma and Grandpa decided to stay an extra night at Hotel Botango. And we stayed one more night in Bozen to end our vacation on a comfy note - and we're already excited for our next adventure together!

In reflecting on our vacation, it's safe to say that the most telling indicator of its success is the fact that all four children, as well as us adults, were eagerly discussing plans for our next family walking holiday shortly after we returned home. It was truly a fulfilling and enjoyable time spent together as a family.

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