Legendary – monumental – unique! Anyone describing the mountain world of the Dolomites cannot avoid superlatives. Whether in summer or winter, the mountain peaks magically attract you. Skiing on 1200 kilometres of prepared slopes, hiking on one of the 10 high-altitude trails with always magnificent views, day trips to the Pragser Wildsee lake and to Cortina d'Ampezzo over countless passes or simply enjoying a day of wellness at the hotel, South Tyrol offers leisure activities in abundance.

Since the UNESCO award in 2009, the spectacular limestone peaks, first and foremost the "Three Peaks" are among the most beautiful mountains in the world. Even the famous architect "Le Corbusier" described the Dolomites as "the most beautiful natural architecture in the world". To let the beauty of these mountains take effect on you, you have to go there, immerse yourself and enjoy. If you travel by train, you need to allow around seven hours from Zurich. If you are travelling by car, you will save some time if the traffic conditions are good. Ideally, you should find a base from which you can discover the beautiful landscape anew every day. I discovered the Alta Badia region for myself in the heart of the Dolomites, and rather by chance found an accommodation that radiates charisma and magic in the same way as the majestic mountains. Just outside the Ladin mountain village of La Villa at 1400m above sea level – surrounded by the UNESCO nature parks of Puez-Odle and Fanes-Senns-Braies - the host family Castlunger and team welcome their guests with much charm, warmth and hospitality.

The Ladin mountain village of La Villa in Val Badia is a popular holiday destination for true nature lovers and active holidaymakers. The village is also a real hotspot for events of worldwide interest: in summer, the "Maratona dles Dolomites" cycling marathon starts here, and just before Christmas, the village becomes the annual centre of the international Ski World Cup, when the best ski racers in the world carve down the famous Gran Risa. Perfect for all skiers is the connection to the Dolomiti Superski ski area with a total of 1200 kilometres of slopes and a single ski pass! Twelve ski areas are ideally connected and can call themselves the largest ski area in the world. From Alta Badia, the Sellaronda takes you on the spectacular ski circuit, which leads on chairlifts and ski slopes over the four Dolomite passes around the Sella massif. The interconnected tour links the four Ladin valleys of Gardena, Alta Badia, Arabba and Val di Fassa and can easily be skied in one day in either direction. Sounds incredible? It is - unbelievably great! Fantastic downhill runs, snow parks, night skiing and numerous inviting huts with delicious food - pure winter sports pleasure awaits you!

By the way, the name "Dolomites" comes from the geologist and mineralogist Déodat Gratet de Dolomieu. The French researcher carried out the first rock samples in the 18th century and analysed the composition. The entire mountain group of the Dolomites and the mineral dolomite were named in his honour.

In addition to the many activities that can be experienced in Alta Badia in winter, mountaineering and hiking are among the most popular sports in summer. No wonder with this scenery! Just outside the door, the local mountain Sassongher is waiting to be conquered by you. The ascent of the 2665 metre high mountain is one of the classics in Alta Badia. For this hike, however, you should be sure-footed and free from vertigo. For example, you can take a more leisurely hike from the Col Alto cable car mountain station across colourful alpine flower meadows to the Pralongiá Hut, which is located at almost 2200 metres. The panorama is overwhelming. On a clear day you can see not only the Dolomites of the Badia Valley but also the glacier of the Marmolada. Or you can try one of the 10 Dolomite high-altitude trails, all of which can be hiked in one day or in one piece.

For road trip fans and pass lovers, I can warmly recommend two circular tours that reflect the full beauty of the Dolomites. The Sellaronda over the four Dolomite passes is also a great experience in summer by bike, motorbike or car. Via Grödner Joch you first go to Val Gardena. It is widely known that the Val Gardena is also called the "Valley of the Wood Carvers". However, some South Tyrolean tourists probably do not know that the largest hand-carved nativity scene in the world, created by local artists, can be found here. New figures are added year after year; the cot can also be admired in summer. Via the Sella Pass and the Pordoi Pass, which is already in the Italian province of Trentino, you return to South Tyrol and Alta Badia via the mountain village of Arabba and the Falzarego Pass.

A second beautiful round tour also starts on the doorstep with a trip through the lovely Val Badia. Incidentally, German, Italian and Ladin are spoken in this trilingual cultural region. High above the village of St. Martin in Thurn, the ancient walls of the Ciastel de Tor have been transformed into an interactive museum that sheds light on the history and culture of the local population, such as Ladin, which goes back to a spoken folk Latin (equivalent to the Rhaeto-Romanic spoken in Switzerland), as well as several legends that have their origins in the unique mountain landscape of the Dolomites. Having arrived at the bottom of the Val Badia, we turn off into the Val Pusteria and to the picturesque Braies Lake, one of the most visited places in the Dolomites, which can be hiked around in just under an hour and photographed from all angles. The journey continues via Dobbiaco into the Höhlensteintal valley, where you will get your first glimpse of the three famous peaks at the Drei-Zinnenblick vantage point. If you want to get even closer to the monuments, use the toll road up to the Auronzo Hut. From here the classic circular route "Giro delle Tre Cime" starts, which leads around the Small, Great and Western Peaks in 3.5 hours. After a little refreshment at Lago d'Antorno, the ride leads past Lake Misurina and over the Passo Tre Croci to fashionable Cortina d'Ampezzo, where you might consider buying a souvenir or two for your loved ones back home. If you haven't had your fill of the breathtaking panoramas yet, I recommend taking the cable car on the way back over the Falzarego pass near the pass to get to the almost 2800m high Lagazuoi mountain in three minutes.

You'll be full – but definitely in a different sense – at the delicious 4-course dinner at the smart Naturhotel Miraval – everything lovingly and deliciously prepared by the chef himself.

But before that, slip into your bathrobe and relax in the hotel's sauna, steam bath or whirlpool in the fresh mountain air – the Dolomite glow, or "Enrosadira" in Ladin, comes free of charge.