2019-12-01_Red_UK

194

December 2019 | REDONLINE.CO.UK

MOUNTAIN HIKES IN

THE DOLOMITES, ITALY

I

f holidays spent on the beach are for relaxation and restoration, then trips with

mountain views are surely for revival and inspiration. Our stay at Terra The

Magic Place is my second holiday spent nestled in the mountains. This

time, it’s in the Dolomites, and it confirms my long-held suspicion that

mountain air and snowy peaks are essential ingredients in the human diet.

As ever, the inspiration behind our jaunt is the food. Terra is a hotel

with a two-Michelin-starred restaurant that’s tucked deep in the mountains.

Run by a powerhouse brother-and-sister team, Heinrich and Gisela Schneider,

it manages to feel relaxed and familiar, but also luxurious and refined

• a balancing act that few places achieve. We fly into Verona and begin our
  trip with a two-hour drive past dramatic mountainous backdrops as we weave
  our way up to Terra, which is perched in the midst of film-set-worthy views.
  Situated in the north of Italy, the area feels more like Switzerland or
  Germany, with its Alpine aesthetic and thick snow, but the food is unmistakably
  Italian. The region is famed for its grape varieties – which sommelier Gisela
  makes sure you enjoy during the wine-paired tasting menu – and plentiful
  local produce. During our stay, chef Heinrich prepares fish caught just a few
  miles away, herbs foraged from the mountains and incredible local cheeses. Eating
  local, artfully plated and exquisitely executed Michelin-starred food surrounded by
  incredible mountain vistas is an experience that can’t fail to restore your soul.
  Staying so high in the Dolomites means that all it takes is a short walk to enjoy
  the most uplifting of views. A fast-paced hike from Terra takes us to the ‘stone
  men’ – a huge collection of cairns on a mountain plateau; a place steeped in history and
  magic. As we make our own cairn, stacking snow-kissed rocks one on top of another,
  we let the beauty of the stone men inspire us to make promises for the year ahead.
  Last foodie tip? Bookend your trip with a night or two in Verona, as we did,
  to make the most of your Italian trip. Not only does it provide a delightful
  city-versus-country contrast, it also extends the opportunity to eat even more
  of the delicious, conversation-halting Italian food. ROANNA DAY

TRIP NOTES A double room at Terra The
Magic Place costs from £242 a night.
Visit terra.place/en/restaurant

From top: cairns perched high

in the Dolomites; the cosy

Terra The Magic Place; praline

with hibiscus, pear and mint

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The restaurant

at Terra

The Magic

Place boasts

stunning views.