The Dolomites

On the edge of the Brenta Dolomites, towering above the beautiful Renaissance town of Trento, Monte Bondone is a landscape of silver birch forest, snow-swept plateaux and frozen rivers - all encircled by rocky peaks that blaze ochre and pink in the light of the dying winter sun. Eagles soar above frozen waterfalls and chamois pad gently through snow-capped evergreen forest. The entire area is a mecca for walking enthusiasts and is an ideal choice for snow activities.

Traditionally a gateway to the North (it's easy to imagine mighty German emperors marching to Rome through these broad valleys ringed with craggy mountain peaks!), the area enjoys some interesting contrasts. Fairytale Gothic castles guard the hillsides, and mountain hamlets like nearby Sardagna have a Tyrolean flavour. Yet the Romanesque cathedral and 15C frescoed palaces of Trento are nothing if not Italian. It is this combination of culture and stunning Alpine scenery that gives the Dolomites their unique appeal to travellers returning year after year.