Hiking Italy: It's Adventure Packed!!
June 12, 2025
Ciao from the Dolomites! Italy has been nothing short of spectacular so far; the hikes are incredibly rewarding with gorgeous, 360-degree views. We are having the most amazing time and can’t wait to tell you all about it!
Last Saturday morning, everyone arrived, tired from a long day of travel but ready to jump right in. After exchanging our dollars into euros, we hopped in the van to drive from Venice to Alta Badia in the Dolomites. The charming alpine resort town is surrounded by stunning peaks and, fun fact, was part of Austria prior to WW1. On the way there, we learned all about each other by sharing stories about past Moondance Adventures, discussing our favorite hometown restaurants, and taking some much-needed nap time. We arrived at our quaint hotel, Hotel Costes, nestled in the mountains, and were eager to explore the area, so we walked into town to check it out. Along the walk to Corvara we must’ve seen at least 50 bikers and some people hiking, too. We could already tell this active destination is full of so many adventure seekers like us! Many of the stores in town were closed, but we were on a mission to find ice cream, which we accomplished! Who doesn’t love dessert before dinner?? We certainly do! Once we were back at our hotel for the night, we settled in and the boys played some card games. Nate bought souvenir Dolomites cards that he shared with the group. These have been a huge hit throughout the trip! That night we had our first (of many) multi-course dinners and it certainly did not disappoint. We’ve learned that the pre-appetizer salad comes first, then the “real” appetizer, pasta, followed by a main dish and dessert. At dinner we shared our Rose, Thorn, and Bud from the day which has become a nightly dinner routine of ours. We’re sharing so many once in a lifetime experiences with each other, so it is really special to reflect on the day in a more casual way and recall the most special moments.
Before our first nights sleep in Italy, we had our very first Moonup. Moonup is a time when we gather at the end of the night to celebrate all the day’s joys and get to know each other on a deeper level. It’s a Moondance ritual that we all cherish so very much. We elected Noah and CC as our first LODs to set the tone for our trip by leading us through the next day – our first day of activities!
The morning of our second day we met our local guide, Michele, who is with us throughout our entire trip. He has nearly 30 years of guiding experience and has been working with Moondance ever since the first Moondance trip to the Dolomites. Needless to say, we are in great hands! After a delicious breakfast buffet spread with eggs, pancakes, and pastries we hopped in the taxi to reach our first hiking activity. We passed through a few towns along the way and all agreed that living here would be absolutely amazing. Dallie and CC like to describe everything as “sooo cute” which describes it well. The alpine towns are less than a mile long with several hostels and a few homes scattered throughout. Although there are some tourists now, the real peak season is in the winter months where people flood here to ski. In fact, the Ski World Cup races were held here in 2024, and in 2026, Italy will host the Winter Olympics in many of the towns we are visiting! We arrived at the base of our hike after a short drive and began to ascend towards Les Cordes. This route, inaugurated in June 2019, runs along the old path called ‘les cordes’ (‘the ropes’ in Latin) which was once used by local farmers to climb up to the high pastures at Rifugio Gardenaccia. Our fearless LOD, Noah, was in the front of the group throughout the whole hike, offering words of encouragement and helping us reach the summit, despite the steep incline. We got drizzled on by a little bit of rain on our way up, but the clouds cleared quickly and it turned into a beautiful afternoon. Once we reached the top, the whole group had jello legs and devoured sandwiches for lunch. We were all in awe of the stunning views and have such an appreciation for the natural beauty that surrounds us. Truly, we feel so blessed to be in such a beautiful destination! After our hike, Emily and Charlotte surprised the group with ice cream which was a well deserved treat after a big day. We headed back to our hotel for an afternoon of swimming, card games and Hacky Sack. Matt showed off his impressive swimming form while Dallie, Mattie, Victoria and Taylor played Marco Polo in the pool. David, Jack, Noah and Emily took another excursion into town to do some shopping and more exploring. Jack played some music for us along the way. He’s become the group DJ and has great music taste! Once we were all home for the night we shared another amazing meal followed by a great Moonup led by CC and Noah. They asked the group to share about one person who they look up to as a role model. So many of you were mentioned and it was so clear how much these kids love you and appreciate you. Our first full day was a huge success. We feel so lucky to share this time with your kids; they are all rockstars!!!
Monday morning, after a scrumptious breakfast, we packed up our day packs and went outside to meet our guides. We were greeted by Michele and another local hiking guide, Karin. We set off straight from the hotel on our hike to the Campolongo Pass. The first hour or so was tough and mostly uphill but the kids powered through. We breaked next to a ski lift and Dallie pointed out how much ground we had already covered. The view per usual was breathtaking and we continued our hike up to the Pralongià Plateau. Karin explained the history of the area and how important the farm lands surrounding the trails were. As we pushed forward, the hike became more mountainous and the path changed to a slight climb over the rocky landscape. We enjoyed lunch looking at the surrounding mountains including the Marmolada, the Queen of the Dolomites, which is the highest peak in the Dolomites and home to its largest remaining glacier. This was a hard day, around 6-7 hours of hiking and roughly 10 miles. The hike was very rewarding and the group absolutely crushed it! We were super proud of how positive and headstrong the group was throughout the long day and a few students even noted later that this was one of their favorite hikes! At Rifugio Valparola, our home for the next two nights, we enjoyed the panoramic mountain views and relaxed for the day. After a few games of Spoons and Hacky Sack we ventured down to the lake to take some pictures and play some group games. After, the group played our first rounds of “Fun” Poker, substituting rocks for poker chips! The game was a huge hit with the group! Nate ended up bringing home the big bucks (rocks!) and we all got settled for dinner. At dinner we went around sharing our Thorn, Rose, and Buds of the day and reflected on the trip so far. After dinner, Victoria and Jack led us in an impactful Moonup, where the group shared some of our biggest fears and all learned more about each other. It’s so amazing to see everyone open up and share during Moonup and really creates a family-like dynamic within the group.
On Tuesday we woke up to the clouds rising above the mountains. It was a peaceful and quiet morning at our Refugio which felt so relaxing. Today we experienced our first Via Ferrata climb. The approach to the Via Ferrata is itself a step back in history. From the ‘Forte Tre Sassi’ WW1 Museum, we hiked along the Goiginger gallery – once an active military post with artillery directly aimed at the opposite ‘Cengia Martini’ (Martini ledge). The trail was well marked and our guides Michele and Marco roped us in to climb along the Via Ferrata. Via Ferrata’s are somewhat of a mix between rock climbing and hiking; you’re tied in with a rope and carabiners but self led along the way. We climbed for about an hour to reach the trenches above. Mattie and Charlotte crushed the route and exclaimed that it was their favorite activity so far! The Via Ferrata ended beneath a summit. If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that Michele, our awesome guide, loves a summit. If there’s a nearby mountain to climb, we’re reaching the top!!! We made it to the Sass de Stria summit for lunch. Along the way, we hiked through some snow and got to climb up some ladders that are built into the mountains. It’s so interesting how well preserved the history is here, and especially amazing that we get to experience it. At lunch we shared more riddles and Taylor stumped the group with an especially difficult one. Vibes were high for our group picture at the summit and then we headed back down towards our Refugio. The way back was a little icy, but the kids all crushed it and helped lend a hand to each other as needed. Our afternoon was just as fun as the morning; Emily laid out on the roof and tanned with Victoria, Owsley and Louise while Jack, Noah, Matt and David played poker. It’s become quite the competitive game within the group! Dallie, our LOD, led everyone on a pre-dinner adventure up a nearby mountain to check out the views from a different perspective. The boys found a great new “sack spot” – the term coined for playing Hacky Sack with a beautiful view. We are obsessed with how remarkable these views are and I don’t think we will ever get used to them! To end a fun-filled fourth day together, we bundled up for Moonup outside. Owsley and Dallie led us in an amazing Moonup. The highlight was their creative “nug jug” story. For those who are unfamiliar, “nugs” are an important component of Moonup where we say thanks for parts of the day that stood out as being really special. For example, we give nugs to our guide Michele almost every night. On this night, we had a lot of nugs for the beautiful sunshine and the Via Ferrata we climbed. It’s a great way to reflect and share gratitude about the day.
Yesterday morning, Wednesday, we woke up early to pack up our things and eat breakfast as we prepared for our big day of exploring the WWI tunnels. At breakfast, Marco, one of our awesome guides, described insightful facts about WWI history, Italy and the Dolomites role in the war. We then hiked the Passo Falzarego and passed the time with countless games of 20 questions. Owsley stumped the group with “credit card” as one of his 20 questions. We love this game on the trail! After crossing the pass we began our journey through the fascinating open-air WWI museum carved into the mountains. Here the Italian and Austro-Hungarian armies dug shelters out of the mountains, transforming them into an impenetrable 20th century fortress of tunnels and trenches. We got to see first hand a behind-the-scenes tour of dramatic, high-altitude battles that are unique in the history of man. We had to use headlamps along the way because the tunnels are so dark. We definitely have a newfound appreciation for the physical difficulty of being a soldier in these tunnels. It’s really cold inside, even in the summer, and insanely steep. Climbing through the tunnels led us to Rifugio Lagazuoi, our home for the night. We ate lunch on a nearby summit next to the Rifugio and enjoyed the fruits of our labor while we munched and took in the view. Nate, Noah, Matt, David, and Jack soaked up the sun and played some intense rounds of poker on the Rifugio lookout. Meanwhile, Owsley led the rest of the group in a game of snaps and other impossible riddles. Before we knew it, it was dinner time! With each course the food was incredible and the delectable vanilla berry gelato for dessert perfectly topped it off. We timed Moonup just right to have a spectacular sunset for a backdrop behind us. Nate and Louise led one of our most special nightly Moonups yet, and the view amplified the moment tenfold! The LOD’s passed on their leadership duties for the next day to Mattie and Matt. At our Refugio we get to share a “mega room” with 14 bunk beds-it’s like a big sleepover, and so fun to all be together!
This morning we are about to embark on our first day of climbing. We have a perfect view of our climbing spot, Cinque Torri, from Rifuguo Lagazuoi. Cinque Torri, meaning “Five Towers”, is a group of more than 5 towers that lies on the south slopes of Falzarego Pass above Cortina d’Ampezzo. It is part of the larger Averau-Nuvolau group in the Cortina Dolomites. We are pumped to rock climb and continue exploring the Italian Dolomites!
Sending SO much love to you all. Thank you for sharing your amazing kids with us for these two weeks. We love them all and are forever grateful for the time we get to spend with one another.
Love,
Emily & Taylor
Shoutouts:
Louise: Hi mom and dad! Currently in a rifugio on a top of a mountain and eating a good breakfast. Im having a blast with my group. They are all so funny. I miss you all so much and I will see you very soon!! I love you both so so much. ❤️
David: Hi Mom and Dad! Hope yall are doing great and enjoying your trip to Boston. I am having a great time and I like my group, lots of hiking. Both my counselors are cool and I like all of my group members. Hi Noah and Sophia I hope yall had a great camp trip to Balcony Springs. I have had a great time as well. Miss you guys but see you all very soon!!
Noah: Hi Mom and Dad. I am having so much fun in Italy!!!! I can’t wait to meet y’all up here and go to Lake Como. Emily and Taylor are super cool, fun, and chill. Sasha and Kaela I love y’all so much and I will see y’all soon. Love y’all. ⛰️🧗♂️
CC: HEYY GUYS!! I am having so so much fun with my group and the places were going. The time is going by wayy to quick but lucky me i get to stay another week!! You guys would love it here especially Virginia, all the hikes are gorgeous. Our refugios are also like on top of mountains and are so cool. Anyways I miss you guys so much and cant wait to see you soon and tell you all my fun stories!🇮🇹
Charlotte: Hey Mom and Dad! It’s been awesome here in the Dolomites and it has gone by SO quickly. Y’all would definitely love to vacation here; the views are absolutely incredible! I don’t know if you guys would love rock climbing, but that’s what we’re doing today and I am so excited! Anyway, see y’all soon and tell Witt happy birthday for me! Love you guys lots! 💗
Mattie: Hi mom and dad! I’m on top of a mountain right now and having so much fun on this trip. Dad, you would love all the hikes and sweet shots up here. Mom, you might not like the elevation but the towns and hotels are super fun as well. I miss y’all and I can’t wait to see you soon.
Owsley: HI FAMILY!!!! Im having a blast over in Italy and i can’t wait to see all of you. The views here are insane but dad you would absolutely hate the hiking because of the heights. Lilla, I hope you’re not having too much fun with out me especially in Nantucket, don’t forget to keep relevant. I love you all so much and i seriously am loving life over here. Lots of laughs and good food. ❤️🥐🌄
Victoria: Hi Family!!! I’m having the best time in Italy! The Dolomites are so beautiful and the weather is super nice here. A little cold, but I can manage! Everyone here is soooooo nice and the food is absolutely delicious. This places we’ve stayed have been so pretty and nice. I can’t wait to see y’all when i get back and i cant wait to tell you guys all about it! I miss you guys so so so so much and I love you guys sooooo much too!
Dallie: Hey FAM! Italy is amazing and I’ve had a blast!!!!! The hiking is beautiful and the views are insane, mom you would love it! Hope you have a great Father’s Day, dad. Love y’all all so much! 🥐😘🥾
Matt: Hello family. Italy is really fun and I’ve had a great time. I really enjoy the hiking, and the scenery is great. The food also has been great so far. Have a good Father’s Day, and I’ll see you guys in a week.
Jack: Hi Family, I miss you! My group is great and a lot of fun. This trip has been pretty fun so far. We have done a lottt of hiking, but I’m good with it. We are taking a gondola down the mountain this morning so I’ll let yall know how that goes. I hope you guys are doing great. Happy Father’s Day and I’ll see you guys soon!
Nate: Hey guys, miss you a lot! So far, we have been doing tons of hiking, which is alright. Today, we will be rock climbing, which I’m very excited for. So far the trip has been fun, and the people are cool. Happy Father’s Day (prematurely) and I love you guys so much.
Taylor: What up Fam! Missin y’all so much! This place is incredible, everyday is cooler than the last. I feel super grateful for all of y’all’s support in getting me here. I feel like I am exactly where I am supposed to be. Big Det, happy early Father’s Day! You would love all the biking here! Wish I could be there to celebrate Anna’s grad with the family. Mark keep on crushing Corporate America and Mom keep on dominating on the tennis court! Squeeze Maxy boy for me! Always thinking of y’all! -T
Emily: Hey! I’m having the most incredible time ever. Congrats on graduation Miles, so proud of you and can’t wait for next year together at UVA. Happy early Father’s Day, Dad – love you so much. And sending so much love to you, too, Mom! This is seriously one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been and I’m so grateful to be here. You guys would love it and we need to come as a family. Miss you guys so much! Xoxo, Ems
The Adventure Begins!
June 7, 2025
Hello Dolomites Families!
We heard from our leaders that the group has landed safely in Venice and is traveling to the Dolomites! The trip is off to a great start, and we are so excited to hear more stories as they begin their adventure.
Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
