Walking in Italy's Dolomite Region

Gruppo del Sassolungo da Passo Sella (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By []Tony Maniscalco

Introducing the Dolomites
 The Dolomites, an area rightly popular for walking holidays in Italy's north-east province of Belluno, is named after a French scientist called Dolomieu. It was Dolomieu who first studied the local limestone rock that forms the distinctive scenery you'll find in this region of Italy. Hiking between these limestone giants you'll find Eden-like, green valleys, lined with rolling meadows and wild, alpine flowers. But it will be the dramatic triangular peaks that make you appreciate the awesome power of the glaciers that shaped these mountains.
 

Italy, Dolomites - When Advent Knocks on the Door

Image via Wikipedia
By Lena Seifert


In the authentic Sarntal Valley in Italy's South Tyrol traditions are kept alive passionately. For example, "Kloeckeln" is a tradition during the Advents time (the four weeks before Christmas) that exists here since the 16th Century and has survived until today in its special original form.
Anyone who visits the Sarntal valley finds authentic, evolved tradition, which is kept alive naturally by the Sarners. Customs are no routine rituals here; they are authentically observed and celebrated. A special tradition is Kloeckeln, a custom at the time of Advent with pagan elements. The term "Kloekeln" is derived from "klocken", which in Sarner dialect means as much as "to knock". In former times Kloeckeln existed in the entire Alps, nowadays it is kept alive only in a few valleys - and rarely as authentically as in the Sarntal valley.