Signature tour · 7 days
Speck and canederli, Alto Adige wines, mountain-hut cheeses and UNESCO Alpine landscapes: seven days in the heart of the Dolomites
A seven-day, personally designed journey through Europe’s most beautiful mountain region: Alto Adige and Trentino wine tastings in family cantinas, cheesemaking in mountain rifugi, farm breakfasts at 2, 000 metres, Ladin cuisine and walks through Alpine meadows.
A PERSONAL APPROACH
‘The Dolomites are more than UNESCO mountains. They are a living Alpine culture, where speck is cured in mountain air, cheese is made at 2,300 metres and vines grow on slopes seeing 300 days of sunshine each year. I will show you the Dolomites Italians keep for themselves.’ YOUR GUIDE-SOMMELIERYour guide-sommelier
Bolzano · Val Gardena · Alpe di Siusi · Cortina · Val di Fassa · Trento · Lago di Braies
Every location in the programme has been personally selected. A family cantina in Trentino, where vines grow on slopes at 800 metres. A mountain rifugio at 2,300 metres, where a farmer makes Puzzone di Moena. Alto Adige winemakers whose families have made wine since the 15th century. You meet people for whom Alpine gastronomy is a way of life, not a business.
A cheesemaking workshop in a mountain rifugio: make your own cheese. A speck and salumi workshop exploring Alpine meat-curing techniques. A Trentino apple strudel workshop. A comparative tasting of Alto Adige and Trentino wines: Lagrein, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Nero and Teroldego.
By advance request · Limited places
WHY THE DOLOMITES
The Dolomites: eighteen peaks recognised as UNESCO World Heritage for their unique geology. Cliffs turning pink at sunset, the vertical walls of Tre Cime di Lavaredo and the lunar landscapes of Alpe di Siusi, Europe's largest high-altitude plateau.
The Dolomites are one of Italy’s most underrated wine regions. Lagrein, Alto Adige’s powerful native red. Gewürztraminer, an aromatic white named after the village of Tramin. Teroldego Rotaliano, the ‘prince of Trentino’. Pinot Nero compared to Burgundy. Tastings at family cantine with vineyards on steep slopes.
Speck dell’Alto Adige IGP, dry-cured ham aged in mountain air. Canederli, Alpine dumplings with spinach and cheese. Casunziei, Ladin beetroot and poppy-seed ravioli. Strangolapreti, ‘strangle the priest’, spinach gnocchi. Polenta, strudel and Trentino apples: mountain cooking where every recipe preserves generations of history.
Rifugi are more than mountain huts: they preserve Alpine culture. Cheese is made in copper cauldrons, speck ages in cool stone cellars and guests are welcomed as family. Lunch on a rifugio terrace overlooking the Dolomiti di Brenta changes your idea of what a food tour can be.
Your profile
A romantic Dolomites journey. Sunrise above Alpe di Siusi, candlelit dinner in a rifugio at 2,300 metres overlooking sunset peaks, a cheese workshop for two and walks through Alpine meadows. Seven days worth coming to the Italian Alps for.
Immerse yourself in Alpine culture at your own pace. Bolzano’s morning market, a Teroldego tasting in a family cantina, a Val Gardena walk and meditation against the backdrop of the Tre Cime.
Up to eight people: friends or family. A shared wine tasting in a historic cantina, cheesemaking in a rifugio and dinner with speck and canederli. Ideal for celebrating important occasions.
A programme adapted to families with children of any age. Walks through Alpine meadows, a children’s strudel workshop, Lake Braies and farms with animals: the Dolomites are made for family adventures.
Programme ·7 days
Scroll through the programme and the map follows you: the day’s point lights up and the route continues. Click a number on the map to jump to that day.
Day1WELCOME TO ALTO ADIGE’S CAPITAL: FROM THE GOTHIC CENTRE TO WINE CELLARS
Your journey begins in Bolzano, where Italian dolce vita meets Tyrolean solidity. Meet at Verona or Innsbruck Airport and transfer through vineyards to a hotel in central Bolzano. A walk through Piazza Walther and the Gothic centre: the Duomo di Bolzano and the covered arcades of Via dei Portici. Piazza delle Erbe market with local producers: speck, cheeses, Trentino apples and Schüttelbrot bread. Lunch in a traditional osteria: canederli allo speck and a glass of Gewürztraminer. In the afternoon, a first tasting in a family cantina on the slopes above Bolzano: Lagrein, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Bianco. Dinner at a historic cantina with a sixteenth-century wine cellar: traditional Alpine cooking and a vertical tasting of Lagrein Riserva.
Day2A DAY IN THE HEART OF LADIN CULTURE: ALPINE MEADOWS, WOODEN ARCHITECTURE AND MOUNTAIN HUTS
A day in Val Gardena, one of the Dolomites' five Ladin valleys. A 45-minute morning transfer from Bolzano over a mountain pass. A walk through Ortisei (St. Ulrich), the woodcarving capital, with workshops making altars and sculptures. A visit to the 12th-century wooden San Giacomo Church at 1,500 metres, the valley's oldest, overlooking Sassolungo. Lunch in a mountain rifugio: casunziei, Ladin beetroot ravioli with poppy seeds and butter. In the afternoon, a walk on Resciesa through Alpine meadows, with views of Sassolungo and the Sella Group. A cantina tasting of Müller-Thurgau, Sylvaner and local indigenous varieties. Dinner in a historic Selva di Val Gardena osteria: Ladin food, gröstl and Tyrolean knödel.
Day3A DAY AT 2,000 METRES: ALPINE MEADOWS, A CHEESE DAIRY AND VIEWS OF SCILIAR
A day on Alpe di Siusi, Europe’s largest high Alpine plateau, with 56 km² of meadows. Morning cable-car ascent from Ortisei. A plateau walk among wooden huts, grazing horses and cows, with views of Sassolungo and Sciliar. A cheesemaking workshop in a mountain rifugio: make your own cheese from fresh Alpine milk. Lunch on the rifugio terrace: polenta concia, plenty of cheese and a glass of Vernatsch (Schiava). After lunch, walk to Malga Gostner and taste at the Alpine dairy itself. Return via Compatsch: Alpine meadows in golden light. Dinner in Ortisei: tagliatelle al speck and budino di castagne for dessert.
Day4THE PEARL OF THE DOLOMITES, FROM ELEGANT BOUTIQUES TO THE LEGENDARY THREE PEAKS
A day in Cortina, the Dolomites' most elegant town and capital of the 2026 Winter Olympics. A morning transfer over the Falzarego Pass, one and a half hours along one of the Alps' most scenic roads. Cortina: Corso Italia, the main street with boutiques, cafés and an Alpine atmosphere. An ascent towards Tre Cime di Lavaredo, the three legendary peaks that symbolise the Dolomites (2,999 metres). A walk on the trail around Tre Cime: Rifugio Auronzo (2,333 m) and Rifugio Lavaredo (2,344 m). Lunch in a rifugio with the three peaks as a backdrop: pasta e fagioli alla montanara and Prosecco DOCG (Belluno). In the afternoon, a Belluno wine tasting with Manzoni Bianco and local indigenous varieties. A walk through Cortina: Santi Filippo e Giacomo Church and views of Monte Cristallo. Dinner in an elegant Cortina restaurant: casunziei ampezzani and a glass of Cartizze.
Day5THE MOST LADIN VALLEY: WHERE LANGUAGE AND CUISINE HAVE LIVED FOR A THOUSAND YEARS
A day in Val di Fassa, the Dolomites’ most Ladin valley, where people still speak a language older than Italian. Morning transfer from Cortina (1 hour). Visit the Museo Ladin de Fascia, exploring the history of a people living in the Alps for 2,000 years. A walk through Canazei and Campitello with Sella Group and Sassolungo views. A speck and salumi workshop in a family malga, from butchery to ageing: how Alpine air turns pork into a masterpiece. Lunch with tagliatelle al ragù di cervo and Teroldego Rotaliano. After lunch, a cable-car ascent to Col Rodella (2,485 m): a panorama of Marmolada, Sella, Sassolungo and Catinaccio. A Trentino DOC tasting in a cantina below Catinaccio. Dinner in a rifugio: polenta e funghi and Teroldego Riserva by the fire.
Day6THE CITY OF THE COUNCIL OF TRENT: FROM BUONCONSIGLIO TO HILLSIDE WINE CANTINAS
A day in Trento, Trentino’s elegant capital and city of the Council of Trent. Morning transfer from Val di Fassa,1.5 hours through the Adige Valley. Castello del Buonconsiglio, the prince-bishops’ residence: the 14th-century Torre dell’Aquila fresco cycle ‘The Months’, a masterpiece of Gothic painting. Piazza Duomo: Neptune’s Fountain and San Vigilio Cathedral, where the Council of Trent took place. Lunch in a historic osteria: tortel di patate and a glass of Nosiola. A Trentino apple strudel workshop, learning to stretch pastry until translucent. Wine tasting in a cantina on the hills above Trento: Trento DOC, made by the traditional method, Nosiola and Vino Santo, a sweet masterpiece from dried grapes. A visit to MUSE, the science and nature museum. Dinner in a Michelin-starred restaurant interpreting Alpine cuisine.
Day7THE FINAL DAY: A TURQUOISE LAKE, AN ALPINE PICNIC AND A FAREWELL GLASS
The final day beside the Dolomites' most photographed lake. A two-hour morning transfer from Trento to the Braies Valley. Lago di Braies is a turquoise lake at 1,496 metres, framed by the Croda del Becco cliffs. A one-hour walk around the lake: wooden boats, mountain reflections and peace. A final Alpine picnic on the shore: speck, cheeses from the malga, Schüttelbrot and Trentino apples. The final comparative tasting: Lagrein (Alto Adige) versus Teroldego (Trentino), Gewürztraminer versus Nosiola—two faces of Alpine winemaking in four glasses. Reflecting on what you have learned, tasted and discovered during the week. A farewell lunch in a rifugio above the lake, with a final glass of Trento DOC. A farewell transfer to Verona or Innsbruck Airport.
EXPERIENCES
Two great reds of the Italian Alps in four glasses. Alto Adige’s Lagrein: powerful and tannic, with dark-berry notes. Trentino’s Teroldego Rotaliano: elegant, with silky tannins. You will learn to tell them apart.
Create your own cheese from the freshest Alpine milk with a farmer-cheesemaker at 2,000 metres. The full process, from milk to shaping the wheel. Take your cheese home as the ultimate gastronomic souvenir.
Two great reds of the Italian Alps in four glasses. Alto Adige’s Lagrein: powerful and tannic, with dark-berry notes. Trentino’s Teroldego Rotaliano: elegant, with silky tannins. You will learn to tell them apart.
Stretch dough until it is translucent, an art practised for 300 years. Apples from Val di Non, cinnamon and pine nuts. Your strudel is baked and served at the final dinner.
The art of Alpine meat curing: how mountain air and herbs turn pork into speck dell’Alto Adige IGP. From butchery to tastings at different stages of maturation.
The Dolomites’ two great visual masterpieces: the legendary three peaks at 2,999 metres and Europe’s largest high Alpine plateau (56 km²).
A walk around the Dolomites' most photographed lake: wooden boats, reflections of Croda del Becco and Alpine peace. A final picnic on the shore overlooking turquoise water.
DOLOMITE GASTRONOMY
The king of Alpine gastronomy: dry-cured ham aged in mountain air with juniper, bay and garlic. Unlike prosciutto, speck is cold-smoked and aged for at least 22 weeks. Wafer-thin slices, a melting texture and rich flavour.
WHY IT IS WORTH IT
Alto Adige's Lagrein and Gewürztraminer are wines with Alpine minerality. Trentino's Teroldego and Nosiola are indigenous varieties hard to find beyond the region. Trento DOC is traditional-method sparkling wine that Italians compare to Champagne. You will not find this breadth on any other tour.
A family malga curing speck for four generations. A sixteenth-century cantina in Bolzano with a wine cellar accessible only by personal invitation. A mountain rifugio at 2, 300 metres making cheese for locals, not tourists.
You will do more than taste speck: you will make it. You will do more than eat cheese: you will create it from fresh Alpine milk. Two skills that will connect you with the Dolomites forever.
What the tour includes
Accommodation is not included. The price is calculated for your dates and group.
Accommodation is not included. The price is calculated for your dates and group.
Tour on request
from €1,100 per day
Per group per day. Accommodation is not included. The price is calculated for your dates and group.
Request a personalised proposal
Your guide
My name is Kirill, and I help travellers discover the authentic taste of France — its wine, gastronomy and culture. My work goes beyond excursions and tours: it is a deep immersion in a region’s atmosphere, getting to know its traditions, history and people.
I was born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, but have lived in France since the age of 13. This country has become my second home and a true source of inspiration. For 25 years, I have studied its culture and wine regions, turning that knowledge into my profession.
My education underpins my professionalism:
ADAPTATION
Simple
Complete the form below with your dates, group and wishes. I will receive your enquiry instantly.
Within 24 hours, I will prepare a detailed programme, format and quote especially for you.
Once the details are agreed, hotel, rifugio and activity bookings are confirmed.
I will meet you at the airport. Everything else is already arranged: simply enjoy the Dolomites.
Our guests’ voices
The cheesemaking workshop on Alpe di Siusi changes your idea of food. Standing at 2,000 metres, making cheese from Alpine milk and looking at Sassolungo… And the Lagrein tasting in a 16th-century Bolzano cantina is a wine experience impossible to forget.
I thought I knew Italian wine, until I tried Teroldego Rotaliano in a family cantina below Catinaccio. And Lagrein Riserva from a 16th-century cellar. The Dolomites revealed a wine world few people know, even in Italy.
We came with children aged eight and thirteen. The strudel workshop, the walk around Lago di Braies, cable cars and animals on Alpine farms made them say it was the best trip of their lives. My wife and I discovered Trento DOC.
Dawn on Alpe di Siusi was one of the most beautiful moments of my life. And dinner in a rifugio against the Tre Cime with a glass of Cartizze was gastronomic theatre. Everything was impeccably organised. Our guide knows every winemaker and cheesemaker.
The cheesemaking workshop on Alpe di Siusi changes your idea of food. Standing at 2,000 metres, making cheese from Alpine milk and looking at Sassolungo… And the Lagrein tasting in a 16th-century Bolzano cantina is a wine experience impossible to forget.
I thought I knew Italian wine, until I tried Teroldego Rotaliano in a family cantina below Catinaccio. And Lagrein Riserva from a 16th-century cellar. The Dolomites revealed a wine world few people know, even in Italy.
We came with children aged eight and thirteen. The strudel workshop, the walk around Lago di Braies, cable cars and animals on Alpine farms made them say it was the best trip of their lives. My wife and I discovered Trento DOC.
Dawn on Alpe di Siusi was one of the most beautiful moments of my life. And dinner in a rifugio against the Tre Cime with a glass of Cartizze was gastronomic theatre. Everything was impeccably organised. Our guide knows every winemaker and cheesemaker.
FAQ
Answers to the main questions before booking.
The price is calculated for your dates and group. Send a request through the form below and I will prepare a detailed personal quote within 24 hours. From €1,100 per day. Per group per day. Accommodation is not included. The price is calculated for your dates and group.
The Dolomites are beautiful year-round. Summer (June–September): flowering Alpine meadows, ideal for walks and picnics,20–28°C. Autumn (October–November): golden forests, grape harvest and fewer tourists. Winter (December–March): skiing and Bolzano’s Christmas markets. Spring (April–May): nature awakening, blossom and green valleys.
No. Your guide speaks English and accompanies you throughout. All tastings, visits and workshops are in English. Many people speak German in Alto Adige and Italian in Trentino, but your guide translates everything.
Over the week, you will taste wines from two Italian Alpine regions. Alto Adige: Lagrein, a powerful red; Gewürztraminer, an aromatic white; Pinot Bianco; Vernatsch, Schiava; and Müller Thurgau. Trentino: Teroldego Rotaliano, the ‘prince of Trentino’; Nosiola, a rare local white variety; and Marzemino. Also Trento DOC, traditional-method sparkling wine, and Vino Santo, a sweet wine made from dried grapes.
The programme adapts to your fitness level. We use cable cars to reach higher ground; most walks cross fairly level Alpine meadows. Tre Cime involves a 2–3-hour trail walk with about 200 metres of elevation change. We can add more demanding routes if you wish, or replace walks with extra tastings.
Art Wine Guide
Seven days that will change your idea of Alpine gastronomy. Speck, malga cheeses, Teroldego and Lagrein, Tre Cime and Alpe di Siusi, on a signature tour with a personal guide.
