Marvellous Moena
Trentino Alto Adige is one of Italy’s most fascinating regions, and charming little mountain hamlets like the village of Moena are a great example of why.
Italy is often thought of as an ancient country full of history, which isn’t incorrect, but the full unification of the nation is really quite modern, and the autonomous region of Trentino Alto Adige proves just that – it was added on to Italy relatively recently, in 1918, before being part of it’s neighbor to the north, Austria. The region is autonomous in the Italian government (like other regions of Italy like Sicily and Sardinia) and towns like Moena are culturally quite special – almost 80% of inhabitants declare not Italian or even German as their native language, but Ladin, a totally separate romance language native to the area. The Ladin speaking population dominate the village of Moena and it’s surrounding valley, called the Val di Fassa, nestled in the breathtaking (literally, some peaks have an altitude of over 10000 feet) Dolomite mountain range.
Aside from the obvious winter activities that this region is world famous for (the Dolomites are just breathtaking on skis, and the area’s ski valleys are all part of the Dolomites Superski, the biggest association of ski valleys in the world), the summer and fall also are prefect for beautiful mountain walks and hikes, and seeing some of the native cultural activities of the region, like dairy production – the local cheese, puzzone di Moena, is pungent smelling but rich with the taste of the local alpine herbs.
Moena and it’s under 2,000 residents, are in a special location – the village is nested in the peaks of the mountain range, and at sunrise and sunset, these peaks shine with a rose colored haze, which gives Moena it’s nickname of the “fairy of the Dolomites”. Having recently been designated as an official sustainable tourism destination, you can also rent e-bikes in the green months to explore the beautiful lakes and mountain paths. You can also take an easy, evergreen tree laced flat walk to the nearby luxury spa of QC terme, which is especially pretty soaking in hot tubs when you are surrounded in the snow. In the winter, if you are not a skier or snowboarder, the area is full of snowshoeing and trekking, sledding and shopping – local markets pop up that sell typical treats like mountain berry jam, pine cone honey, and teas infused with wild mountain herbs. For gastronomes, Trentino has 6 Michelin-starred restaurants, one located right in Moena, and it’s a special experience to sample the local cuisine, that pulls on German, Austrian and Italian influences.
For sportier travelers, or those looking to add something unique to their Italian holiday in the north, charming Moena and the Val di Fassa are a great addition to their itinerary.
Post written by BVT travel specialist, Christine Mitchell-De Fina