The last and final stop on our trip to northern Italy was Seceda, a popular entry point for hiking in the Dolomites.
First studied by French geologist Déodat de Dolomieu, the Dolomites are also called the Pale Mountains. This magnificent mountain range in northeastern Italy holds fascinating geological and cultural secrets and is a true testament to nature’s awesomeness. Why? Because the iconic geological formations that characterize this ancient region are actually fossilized coral reefs that date back 250 million years to the Triassic Period, aka the beginning of the Mesozoic Era, aka the beginning of the Age of the Dinosaurs.
Basically, when you’re hiking in the Dolomites, you’re walking in the remnants of a 250-million-year-old prehistoric ocean.
In a cashew-sized nutshell, here’s the creation story of the Dolomites
At some point, the European and African continents collided, completely reshaping entire landscapes. The ocean disappeared, and glaciers trolled the new landscape like massive, drunk Zambonis. This, in turn, gave rise to the Alps that we know today, which includes the Dolomites, plus one sole remaining glacier.
The Dolomites have a complicated and fascinating history.
Their proximity to Germany and Austria historically made them a contested boundary region. But today, they are recognized as official Italian territory and stretch between the provinces of South Tyrol, Trento, and Belluno. Throughout all the inter-country squabbling, generations of families lived amidst the isolated beauty of the mountain range, speaking an ancient language known as Ladin. Today, the entire region is polylingual, speaking the regional dialect in addition to Italian, German, and some English, too.
Something we didn’t get to experience on this trip that was a stay in a traditional rifugio, or mountain hut. Except, “mountain hut” doesn’t quite describe the many magnificent, three and four-star hotels that we saw.
We quickly learned that traditional Italian rifugios offer much more than just a place to crash for an evening. They also offer a range of services from gourmet meals served in a rustic ambiance to recreational activities.
Whenever we stopped for a quick coffee or to indulge in a nice lunch, we were always stunned by how upscale and individualized these so called “mountain huts” were. Definitely something to keep in mind for active travelers who like to have their cake and eat it, too.
And that’s a wrap on our Italy adventures! Follow The Millennial Abroad on Instagram for nostalgic Italian summer photos; I’ve been bitten by curiosity to learn more about the region and I’ll be sharing everything else in small tidbits by the ‘gram!
Until next time, bisous from the travel journal
