Hotel review - Il Castagneto****, Melfi, Italy

The room was nice.

Free wi-fi and free parking places. The breakfast had a good coffee and good croissants. Also you can have some ham and cheese. Unfortunately they don´t have any warm food.

The staff was very kind and helpful. The area is really quiet and in the morning if you open the window you can hear the birds sing. In front of our room was a forest and the soil was covered with crocuses.

They also have an outside pool.

Hotel review - Novotel**** Bologna, Italy

The room was OK regarding the space. The sleeping conditions were, however, awful: the mattress was hard as a rock and the pillows were too soft (those cheap polyester pillows with only a handful of stuff in them).

Free Wi-Fi and free parking places.

The breakfast was a real disaster. The croissants were at least 2 days old, the coffee was bad and the hot buffet was inedible: the omelette was not prepared from fresh eggs and the bacon was very fat.

We will skip this hotel from now on.

Eating out - Hotel Autentic Adler, Rasun di Sotto, South Tyrol, Italy

The food was a bit salty for our taste, but overall it was a discovery.

It´s nothing like the food you tried so far in Italy, because it´s with strong Austrian influences. The menu of the half-board basus was different every night of the week.

Trip to Monguelfo-Tesido, South Tyrol, Italy

Well, this is a decisive NO GO.

The Kronplatz, Italy

The largest ski area in the Dolomites.

Around Christmas / New Year's period, there is almost exclusively only artificial snow. However, the area is packed with snow blowers, so no reason to worry for skiers.

Trip to Lago di Anterselva , South Tyrol, Italy

A frozen lake just at the border with Austria.

The area seems to be a paradise for cross-country skiing.

Trip to Sand in Taufers, South Tyrol, Italy

It's the largest village in the area, with a castle and a waterfall, Cascate di Riva, as well as a rather large aquatic centre.

Trip to Ortisei, Italy

Small and lovely.

Trip to Selva di Val Gardena, South Tyrol, Italy

Another well-known ski resort, however with a less appealing town centre.

Trip to Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy

Pleasant mountain resort - one of the largest in the area.

Hotel review - Autentic Adler ****, Rasun di Sotto, South Tyrol, Italy

The room was really nice and cozy. The bed was comfortable, the staff was nice and the view from the room ...oh, what a view!

The breakfast was better than in other regions in Italy, including also hot and cold food, vegetables, pastries and candied fruits.

The Dolomites, Italy

Definitely the most impressive mountain range in Europe.