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Dolomites

Autumn Hiking in the Dazzling Dolomites

You’ll see the imposing peaks of the Dolomites piercing the South Tyrolean sky long before you reach them. This stunning autonomous region the Italians call Alto Adige/Sud Tirol has been a mecca for skiers for decades, but our sights were set on autumn hiking.

The Dolomites have long been a favorite destination for skiers but these mountains are also a hiker’s heaven in summer and fall!

Our destination was Ortesei in Val Gardena, host of the 2024 Skiing World Cup and a paradise for hikers before the snow falls. We headed North from Trento in late September, with a quick stop at Cisalfa—a huge sporting goods store, to pick up warmer hiking clothes for my husband whose plans to wear shorts were thwarted by early cold temperatures. Snow was already falling high in the mountains. Florescent green fleece and hiking pants in hand, off we went to Ortesei.

The views become more spectacular as you wend your way up into the Dolomites– part of the Italian Alps.

After exiting the freeway, the winding roads become increasingly steep as you climb higher into the mountains.  Austrian until after WWI when it became a part of Italy, German is the preferred language in this region where Italian and Austrian culture and cuisine mingle. Everyone we met spoke German, Italian and English (or two of the three languages) while some locals also speak Ladin, a culturally significant language particular to a this area of the Sud Tirol.

German, Italian and Ladin are the three languages spoken in this area of the Sud Tirol.

For this reason, most places have three names—Italian Ortesei is called St. Ulrich in German and Urtijei in Ladin. Along with Santa Cristina and Selva, these three towns comprise the Val Gardena.

You’ll see plenty of sheep, goats and cows as you explore the mountains in the Val Gardena.
Picture perfect, Ortesei is the largest town in the Val Gardena.

We passed storybook dwellings and plenty of cows, sheep and goats before reaching the delightful Alpine town of Ortesei.  Shops specializing in locally produced high- quality carved wooden items, boutiques, art galleries, a lovely church, restaurants, cafes, and bars beckon visitors down the town’s main street—an inviting pedestrian zone. 

Ortesei’s main street, a pedestrian zone, is lined with shops, restaurants, cafes and bars.

The bright yellow Hotel Adler- Dolomiti stands out in its prominent position at the top of the pedestrian zone– our home for the next 10 days.

Market day brings vendors and visitors to town. You’ll find everything from sausage to ski wear for sale!

I’d chosen the Adler-Dolomiti because a stay here includes plenty of autumn activities. Daily guided hikes for varying levels of expertise and fitness, Nordic trekking, Kniepp walks, e-bike tours, Tibetan sound baths, yoga and exercise classes, a world-class spa with a new sauna pavilion, two indoor/outdoor pools, jacuzzi (with spectacular mountain views), a salt grotto, wine tastings, and gourmet dining are all on offer. It’s like the ultimate upscale sleep away camp for adults!

The guided hike to Col Raiser is spectacular and popular with Adler guests. It includes a stop at the Unesco “balcony”.

Activities, events, nightly dinner menus, spa specials, local lore and more are all in The Carpe Diem, The Adler’s daily newsletter available at breakfast in English, German and Italian. Guests can also access this information, and sign-up for activities, at info.adler-dolomiti.com.

There are activities for most levels of fitness at the Adler-Dolomiti. Staff are happy to help you select from the many offerings.

There’s a lot to do here but don’t be surprised to see guests at breakfast, in the lobby, or wandering the premises in their fluffy white Adler robes and slippers.  Many people come just to relax and enjoy the spa. They don’t venture out—nor do they don street attire, except at dinner!

There’s nothing like enjoying a post-hike swim and watching the steam rise from the heated pool while snow falls in the mountains above.

Half board, which we chose and highly recommend, includes an abundant breakfast buffet with cold selections like local yogurt and cheeses, charcuterie, made to order hot items, pastries and fresh baked breads, fruit, cereals, fresh squeezed orange juice and honeycomb—the hearty breakfast every hiker needs to start the day!

The Adler kitchen can pack a picnic lunch for hungry hikers. This first day hike to Furnes gave us a chance to get to know our fellow guests and reconnect with Alexander, who’d led us on hikes last year.

The lunch buffet is not included in half board but is available for a fee and includes hot entrees, cold items, salads, cheeses and dessert.

We chose half board which includes both an abundant breakfast buffet and gourmet dinners daily.
The dinner menu changes nightly and even after a week, there were no repeats.

Dinner starts at 7 pm with a menu that changes daily but always features a salad bar, a choice of appetizers, first courses, second courses and a very satisfying cheese selection and dessert bar. There’s also a nightly vegetarian option. You’ll have the same table and waitstaff each evening of your stay and if you don’t finish your wine, the staff will be happy to cork it and save it for your next dinner.

The weekly Tyrolean buffet included music by this gentleman who turned out to be a local cheese maker. His delicious cheeses were available that evening.

Once a week local musicians entertain diners at the Tyrolean buffet of local specialties from charcuterie to entrees, and my new favorite dessert—Kaiserschmarrn, a fluffy crepe served with a delicious berry preserve and plenty of powdered sugar. Are you hungry yet?

Kaisserschmarrn! Order this local specialty every chance you get. You’re welcome.

There’s nightly entertainment in the piano bar which is also open in the afternoon for coffee, drinks, and complimentary cakes. It’s a relaxing place to meet for a drink with your fellow guests before dining and after. Aperitivo time is part of the culture!

Part of the fun of staying at the Adler is making new friends. After a busy day, meet up in the bar for an aperitivo before dinner!

Rooms are large, airy and comfortable and many have balconies overlooking the expansive grounds– ours did.  The photos on the hotel’s website  adler-resorts.com are a good representation.

Here’s our room with a view! Fluffy robes and slippers, refreshing toiletries, soothing teas, water and local apples are provided.

Both times we’ve stayed we’ve had a view over the pools, the mountains beyond, and the lifts to the Alpe di Siusi—less than a 10 -minute walk from the Adler. It’s sometimes difficult to leave all this in the morning, but the mountains beckon!

Wouldn’t you love to wake up to this? The new sauna complex is just beyond the pools.
The gondola to Alpe di Siusi is just a short walk from the Adler and there is a car park if you’re just visiting for the day.

Europe’s largest alpine meadow, the Alpe di Siusi (Seiser Alm in German and Mont Seuc in Ladin), is crisscrossed with hiking trails, handy lifts to get you up and down if you get tired of hiking, and plenty of mountain bike trails.

Hiking, biking and spectacular views bring visitors to Europe’s largest Alpine Meadow from all over the world during summer and autumn.
Book a carriage ride for your sightseeing if you don’t want to hike.

The mountains in the Val Gardena are dotted with huttes– rustic restaurants where you can relax with a drink or a hearty meal. Some have a few rooms to rent.

You’ll find these rustic restaurants throughout the Dolomites. This is Sanon Hutte in the Alpe di Siusi.
A typical hutte lunch menu–hearty food is always on offer.

Part of the fun of hiking with a group from the Adler is the conviviality. We enjoyed a great group lunch at Sanon Hutte and thanks to my friend Claudia—Kaiserschmarrn for dessert! Some days we also just stopped for a coffee- during our trek or after. Lucky for us our German, Austrian and Italian friends spoke English and let me practice my Italian, too. Conversation was never lagging!

We shared lots of lunches, coffees and laughs together with our new friends.

We spent several days exploring different areas of the Alpe di Siuisi with and without guides. There are trails and loops at varying lengths and degree of difficulty and plenty of mountain biking trails– whichever you choose, the views are guaranteed to be spectacular!

Stunning scenery, like these views of the Sassolungo, make the Alpe di Siusi one of my favorite places to explore.
These are secretly the happiest cows– sorry California!

The gondola to Seceda and funicular to Resciesa are also just a 10-minute walk from the Adler- Dolomiti and will bring you to some of the most spectacular peaks in the Val Gardena.

So many choices– and they’re all amazing!

Seceda, at 8,200 feet, is part of the Odle Group and means needles in Ladin. The views are breathtaking!

A Seceda hike will make you feel like you’re on top of the world.
The modern funicular whisks you to Rescieda in minutes.
We were heading to the summit just as the clouds were lifting!
We had the trail mostly to ourselves in Resciesa.

We hiked Resciesa on our own one day and found ourselves in the clouds. The summit at Resciesa has a large cross on top– our goal. You’ll go left when you exit the funicular to hike here. There’s a hutte along the way, if you’d like to stop for a break, enjoy the views and soak up the serenity up here.

The Val Gardena has so much to offer and some of it is surprising! We visited Europe’s highest altitude rose garden in the neighboring town of Bulla, after a guided hike on a geo trail through the piney woods.  Who knew there would be a beautiful rose garden here? The roses at Rosarium Uhrenhof were having their second bloom and were robust in spite of the autumn chill. Admission to the garden is free but donations are welcome.

We hiked all kinds of trails in all sorts of conditions. The hotel’s complimentary hiking poles came in very handy, especially on the downhill slopes.
The Rosarium Uhrenhof is beautful even in the rain. Our guide, Pauli, showed us some of his favorite flowers.
The Dolomiti Rose was one of our favorite blooms.

Another day, we trekked along the Way of the Cross in Selva with our guide Alexander. After a relatively flat hike, we climbed to the ruins of the Wolkenstein Castle, which is built into the mountainside. Though we couldn’t enter, we enjoyed our picnic lunch on the “terrace” with amazing views over the valley.

Nearby Selva de Gardena is home to the ruined Wolkenstein Castle. It’s difficult to see from the path below but the trail to reach it is well signed.
Not everyone in our group chose to climb the narrow, rocky trail to the castle, but we did. There’s no pressure to do more than you’re comfortable with.
The castle is built right into the mountainside– a perfect defensive position!
The interior of the castle is posted but there are benches and stone walls you can sit on. Take in the views over the Val Gardena and relax for awhile.
Our guide Alexander shared lots of history, geography and local lore on our hikes.

While we saw lots of sheep and goats on our hikes, we also had an encounter with alpacas on our hike back from the Adler BBQ– which the hotel offers weekly (weather permitting) on Monte Pana.  If you stay at the Adler, sign up for the BBQ– it’s a great hike there and back and they serve a hearty, multi-course lunch of local specialties. Bonus– there’s Kaiserschmarrn for dessert!

Our chefs prepared an enormous pot of polenta, plus lots of local specialties from charcuterie to Kaiserschmarrn.
We may have been the only Americans here but everyone was really friendly and very patient with my halting Italian.
After lunch, many guests took time to relax and enjoy the splendid views from Monte Pana before hiking back to Ortesei. A shuttle bus was also available.
Alpacas! We passed a farm with these friendly animals on our hike back to Ortesei after a fun afternoon BBQ.

We also learned the basics of Nordic trekking in the Val D’Anna with a small group from the Adler and returned to the area on our own a few times.

If you’re hiking on your own, it’s handy to have Alltrails downloaded on your phone.

According to Alltrails.com, there are 54 hiking trails, 34 backpacking trails and 17 mountain biking trails in the Val Gardena. If you are setting out on your own, be sure to research current weather conditions (mountain weather can change quickly), difficulty of the hike, and bring necessary provisions with you.

Afternoons at the Adler include Aufguss. Different essences and music are pumped into the sauna for about 15 minutes for a super heated wellness experience led by an Aufgussmeister. Modesty note- swimsuits are discouraged.

We spent every day outdoors knowing that the Adler’s amazing spa awaited us after our exertions.  The big decision was whether to swim, sauna, take a class or just relax with a book.

Not pointing a finger at my husband, but I did hear some snoring during the very relaxing Tibetan sound bath!

We treated ourselves to a few well-deserved massages and enjoyed new to us experiences like the Tibetan Sound Baths and the relaxing salt grotto. Be sure to book some time for this semi-private therapeutic experience where you’ll float blissfully in an underground pool surrounded by salt walls.

Our friend Mario and his wife have been coming to the Adler for 25 years! We met at dinner our first night and hiked together many times during the week.

Many of the Italian and Austrian guests we’ve met return to the Adler annually.  One couple from Bergamo have been coming for 25 years!  We met one other American couple during our stay who were also returning guests. What a surprise to learn they were from San Diego, too! We hiked most days with the same small group of guests and formed friendships we know will last far longer than the vacation. 

Happy hikers! We’ve already booked our return to the Adler for next fall!
You won’t find scenery like this anywhere else. Go discover the Dolomites for yourself!

The exquisite beauty of the mountains, our new friendships, and the Adler’s outstanding hospitality will bring us back to Ortesei.  In fact, we’ve just finished booking our next visit and I’ll bet once you’ve experienced the Val Gardena and the dazzling Dolomites, you’ll return time and again, too!

The Amazing Earth Pyramids of Renon/Ritten

I have a fear of heights. Standing at the cable car station in Bolzano/Bozen and staring up at the impressive mountain I was about to ascend made me a little queasy, but I hadn’t come all this way to miss out on a hike in the Dolomites.  Specifically, a hike to see the earth pyramids of Renon/Ritten.

The cable car is the fastest and easiest way to reach Soprabolzano/Oberbozen.

We boarded the red gondola along with a group of young men laden with picnic provisions and camping gear and up we went. I choked back my apprehension and concentrated on the incredible views as we climbed higher and higher up the mountain toward SopraBolzano/Oberbozen.

The views are exceptional as you ascend the 1221 meters to the mountaintop.

It’s possible to take a bus or drive up the steep switchbacks to reach the town, but the cable car is much faster and easier.  It departs every four minutes and takes less than 15 minutes to reach the top– 1221 meters above Bolzano/Bozen.

Hikers and campers shared our gondola for the 15-minute ride.

The cable car deposits you right across the street from the historic narrow- gauge Renon/Ritten Railroad.  Be sure to buy a round trip combo ticket for the cable car and the railroad when you purchase your ticket at the Bolzano/Bozen station.

The historic railroad has been carrying passengers since 1907.

Trains run every 30 minutes during peak daytime hours. Climb aboard and enjoy the mountain views on the 20-minute ride from SopraBolzano/Oberbozen to Collalbo/Klobenstein.  We passed farms, cows, hikers and traditional Alpine A-frame homes as we whizzed by to the end of the line.

We zipped along through the beautiful Alpine countryside enjoying the views.

It’s a short walk from the station through a residential neighborhood to the center of Collalbo/ Klobenstein where lunch can be had a several restaurants.  Most seemed to offer the same traditional South Tyrol dishes but the two we had our eye on were closing shortly and wouldn’t seat us. 

The path from the train station into Collalbo/Klobenstein goes through a residential area.

It’s a pleasant stroll from the train station and fun to see all the carefully tended gardens along the way.

One of the gardens we passed was creatively decorated with gnomes and a Disney princess.

It was disappointing to be turned away from several restaurants because we arrived too close to the kitchen closing, but we kept searching!

Sleek Zentral was a welcome sight for these hungry travelers.

We were directed to Zentral by a harried hostess and off we went in search of sustenance.   We were not disappointed and were soon tucking into a perfectly prepared weiner schnitzel and a tasty mushroom and polenta dish.  We had a crisp local white wine with the meal and finished up with some house made gelato. 

Crisp, perfectly prepared weiner schnitzel was just right for lunch.

Menus in the Sud Tirol usually feature Austrian and Italian influenced dishes and are always seasonal.

A medley of local mushrooms atop polenta was outstanding.

Save room for dessert! Cakes and gelato are always on offer.

There’s always room for gelato.

There is a mix of Austrian and Italian influences in this autonomous area of Italy, which was a part of Austria until the end of World War I. German is the predominant and preferred language in the Sud Tirol, though signage and menus are generally printed in German, Italian and sometimes English. You’ll find many people speak English, particularly in hotels, shops and restaurants here.

Signs indicate directions and show how long it will take to reach your destination.

After a satisfying lunch we headed off towards our destination—Longomoso/Lengmoos and the earth pyramids of Renon/Ritten.  It’s an easy 30-minute hike from town to see these natural wonders, said to be Europe’s highest and most perfectly shaped examples of the boulder- topped pillars.

It’s an easy 30- minute hike to the earth pyramids.

Paths are well-marked and part of the way to the earth pyramids is paved.

Signs in German and Italian point the way.

The views just get better and better as you continue your hike!

The earth pyramids at Renon/Ritten are 25,000 years old.

Called erdpyramiden in German or piramidi di terra in Italian, the conical pillars were formed 25,000 years ago from the moraine clay soil left behind when the last of the Ice Age glaciers covering the Valle d’Isarco melted away. It takes thousands of years for earth pyramids to form and the process is a dynamic one. 

These earth pyramids are said to be the highest and most perfectly shaped in Europe.

In dry weather, the soil is rock hard, but rain softens the earth and carries away the soil.  The rocks left behind in the mud protect the clay soil beneath them, which rises from the earth to form the pyramids—capped by the boulders that allowed them to develop.  As older earth pyramids collapse, new ones form. They really are spectacular to see! 

New pillars are formed as the older ones collapse.

These are some of the most impressive earth pyramids in the world and some of the oldest!

The boulders capping the pyramids protect them and allow them to develop.

At the end of the trail from Collalbo/Klobenstein, there is a large viewing platform with panoramic vistas over the valley to the earth pyramids in the nearby gorge, with maps and helpful information in German, Italian and English. We were lucky to have the platform to ourselves much of the time, though during busy summer months the popular site draws crowds.

We made it to the top!

Keep going– enjoy the views and pose for a silly picture at the top.

A handy map shows points of interest.

Many natural sites in this area have maps that include highlights of the area and give a sense of place.

Informational signs are in German, Italian and English at this popular site.

After enjoying the sensational view of the earth pyramids for quite some time, we began the hike back.  We came upon the Café Erdpyramiden along the way.

We were happy to find the cafe open as there are no services or facilities near the viewing platform.

The cafe is a handy stop since there are no facilities at the viewing platform or along the trail to reach it.

Stop in for coffee, cold drinks, snacks and local wine.

It’s a great place to enjoy the view, have a drink and a snack and use the facilities!

Bring your drink out on the back terrace and enjoy a last look at the earth pyramids.

A pleasant stroll back past historic buildings, churches, homes, a pond and grazing cows took us back to town and the train station.

It’s a beautiful walk through the countryside to and from the earth pyramids.

Enjoy the walk back– it’s an easy trek.

It’s hard to get lost with signage everywhere!

Our timing was perfect and five minutes later we were chugging along toward home.

Trains run every 30 minutes during peak hours and we timed our return perfectly.

We wandered around SopraBolzano/Oberbozen, admiring the views and checking out lodging for a future trip before heading back down to Bolzano/Bozen on the cable car. 

The comfortable lobby at Gloriette Guesthouse. Love the baby buggy bar.

We popped in the the Gloriette Guesthouse to check it out for a return visit to the area.

We had a nice wander around the town of Soprabolzano/Oberbozen before heading to the cable car.
Making our descent into the center of Bolzano/Bozen after a wonderful day in the Dolomites.

We will definitely return to this spectacular area and its natural wonders and suggest you add it to your list, too. In the meantime you can enjoy the virtual view here.

An Afternoon with Otzi the Iceman

He’s an international man of mystery, media darling, and a murder victim. Otzi the Iceman was brutally killed about 5,300 years ago and is the oldest known natural human mummy in Europe. A German couple hiking the Otzal Alps discovered his body on September 19, 1991 on a glacier in Italy about 100 meters across the Austrian border — thus his nickname.  We spent an afternoon with Otzi, not far from his birthplace in the Dolomites.

Otzi’s final resting place is the South Tyrol Museum of Archeology in Bolzano Bozen, not far from where he was born and where his body was discovered 5,300 years later.

After a brief custody dispute— both Austria and Italy laid claim to Otzi–research on his mummified body began at Innsbruck University in Austria. He has found a final resting place at Italy’s South Tyrol Museum of Archeology in Bolzano Bozen.  Today, the entire museum is dedicated to Otzi and life in the Copper Age.  Visitors can peek through a small glass window to view Otzi’s body, which is kept in a climate controlled, sealed vault.  Be patient, there is always a line to see him.

Otzi’s body is preserved in a viewable, climate- controlled vault but signage asks visitors to be respectful and refrain from photographing his remains. This acrylic model is provided for photos.
Scientists have created a remarkably life-like reconstruction of Otzi, one of the world’s most fascinating murder victims and Europe’s oldest natural human mummy.

A 3-D reconstruction gives a surprisingly lifelike depiction of what Otzi would have looked like. He was believed to be 45 years old when he met his untimely death. At 5’3’’ and 110 lbs., he was short and stocky, but muscular. He wasn’t in the pink of health when his life was cut short, though.  He had tooth decay, parasites and H. pylori, which would have caused numerous gastric issues.  Scientists were able to retrieve and identify the contents of his stomach which included his last meal—red deer meat, unleavened bread and fruit and an herb called hop hornbeam.  He likely took that to ease his tummy troubles. His hair had high levels of arsenic and copper particles, possibly from smelting copper, which may also have contributed to his ill health. None of these things killed him though.

Otzi’s goat hide leggings, bearskin hat, and other garments were remarkably well preserved after 5,300 years entombed in a glacier.
Otzi’s leggings would have extended into his shoes for warmth and protection from the snow and rain.

The garments and accessories Otzi was wearing when he met his demise were remarkably well preserved by his years of glacial entombment.  His lambskin loincloth, goat hide coat and leggings, and bearskin hat are all on exhibit, along with what remains of his shoes with their cow hide laces.  His shoes are really something to see- made from bearskin soles, deer hide uppers and tree bark netting, they were lined with grasses that acted like socks and cushioned his feet for the long treks he made through the mountains.  

Bearskin, deerskin, tree bark netting and hay-like grasses went into the construction of his shoes. Here you can see the structural foundation as well as what remains of his well worn shoes.

Even his deerskin quiver and arrows survive.  Because of the variety of animal skins used in his clothing and accessories, researchers believe that Otzi kept and herded domesticated animals like sheep, goats and cows, earlier than was previously thought.

Scientists discovered blood, not his own, on Otzi’s goat skin coat, adding to the mystery around his murder.

He also had a grass cape with him, either to wear as a raincoat or to sleep upon—or maybe both.  Displays show how all of his garments fit together to protect him from the elements—pretty complicated!

Drawings indicate how Otzi would have dressed. Fitting each item together was a lot more complicated than you’d imagine.

Otzi liked ink!  He is in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the oldest person on earth to sport tattoos. His body is adorned with 61 of them made by rubbing charcoal dust into fresh wounds. These are certainly not the elaborate tattoos seen today—they’re mostly crosses and lines on his back, ribs, wrist and legs and may have been used for pain relief.

The copper head on Otzi’s axe came from far-away Tuscany, which meant he traveled widely or traded or both.

Researchers have been able to piece together a great deal about the life and times of Otzi the Iceman based on his clothing and the items found alongside him.  He had a copper-bladed axe, which would have made him a high-status individual.  The copper was from Tuscany, quite a distance away, so he traveled or traded or both. He also had a flint dagger from the Lake Garda area, arrows, incomplete shafts and longbow, plus a net.  Otzi was a hunter.  

The articles found near his body give us great insights into Otzi’s lifestyle and activities. A backpack frame, shown here, was one of many personal belongings discovered with him in 1991.

He had several wooden tools used to fashion clothes or utensils—he would have needed these to make repairs or construct needed items on his long treks.  He also had a birch bark cylinder likely used to carry hot embers for quickly starting a cook fire and a complex fire-starting kit. These would have been handy on his journeys for cooking and for warmth.  Otzi has shown us that people travelled more widely than previously believed during the Copper Age, trading goods, services and knowledge.

Visitors can examine Otzi’s clothing, weapons, even the contents of his last meal, and learn what scientists have finally determined was his cause of death.

Researchers know what the iceman wore and ate and likely what he did for a living, but mystery surrounded his murder until 2012.  Was he struck in the head with a blunt object? Stabbed? Shot in the back with an arrow? Was there a fight?  Or all of these things? Scrappy Otzi was definitely a hunter and a fighter. Blood from four different individuals was found on Otzi’s dagger, coat and on one of his arrows which could mean a battle. He had several broken ribs that had healed before death, and he had been struck in the head.  His brain had evidence of clots which could have been from blunt force trauma that then caused stroke or embolism.  He also had stab wounds on his hands. The likeliest cause of death was the arrow lodged in his left shoulder.  Finally, in 2012, researchers agreed that Otzi had bled to death from the arrow wound.

Otzi and the mysteries surrounding him have made him a popular media subject across the globe.

Otzi’s discovery made quite a stir worldwide and was also marked by controversy.  Once the significance of the find was reported, numerous people claimed to have found the body. The museum has an exhibit detailing much of the media coverage around him. Otzi is so scientifically important; the museum has a specific evacuation plan for him should a crisis arise that could damage him. He has opened a window into life in the Copper Age that would have remained closed, had those hikers not stumbled upon him back in 1991.

Helmut and Erika Simon, a German couple, were credited with finding Otzi’s body on the Tisenjoss Pass, just over the Austrian border in Italy, while hiking in the Otzel Alps.

In 2012 Otzi’s genome was sequenced using a bit of his hip bone, revealing he had brown eyes, type O blood, a predisposition to heart disease, was lactose intolerant, and may have had Lyme disease. His maternal line is extinct, but his paternal lineage is intact. In 2013, 19 Austrian men from a group of 3,700 tested, shared a unique genetic mutation with Otzi. Scientists believe that his descendants would have settled between the Dolomites and Sardinia— his genetic profile has much in common with Sardinians today —and that there are likely more of them alive today.

Our afternoon with Otzi was fascinating and we’d highly recommend a visit if you’re in the Bolzano Bozen area. For more information, click here.