Passionate Italian Journey (4) World Natural Heritage - Dolomites

Passionate Italian Journey (4) World Natural Heritage - Dolomites Verona-Bolzano-Verona April 23, 2025 (Day 3) Weather: Cloudy, 7-18 degrees. After yesterday's long flight followed by sightseeing, plus the effects of jet lag, I felt "dazed and confused" and "disoriented" in the evening, with low efficiency and mistakes in my travel journal. By 11 PM, I could barely stay awake and went straight to bed, sleeping soundly through the night. I woke up at 6 AM feeling refreshed and back to normal, ready to start a new day of exploration. After about two hours of driving, we headed north into the eastern foothills of the Alps - the Dolomites (Photo 1). The Dolomites, a world-famous tourist destination and outdoor sports paradise, is a World Natural Heritage site with 18 peaks averaging over 3,000 meters in height and 9 natural parks. The sun and mountain peaks appeared and disappeared intermittently. Among the many peaks, the 3,300-meter-high Geisler Peak, nicknamed the "most photogenic mountain peak," stands out (Photo 2). This area boasts Italy's most beautiful glaciers, forests, meadows, lakes, streams, and other landforms, with beautiful mountains and extraordinary peaks (Photo 3). The deep and long Val di Funes valley, situated at the foot of the Geisler Peak, has earned the reputation as the "Pearl of South Tyrol" (Photo 4). Upon entering Val di Funes, your eyes are greeted with fresh, lush greenery (Photo 5), well-arranged forests, and mountains embracing all sides (Photo 6). The Geisler Peak stands majestically behind the valley, like strong arms silently protecting the town and its residents (Photo 7). On the hillside, the spire of St. Magdalena Church, together with the surrounding traditional-style houses, verdant lawns, and distant forests, creates a beautiful rural landscape (Photo 8). Nearby Lake Carezza, at an altitude of over 1,600 meters, is a hidden gem in the Dolomites. This small lake formed by melting mountain snow and ice displays pure emerald-colored water, backed by snow-capped mountains, creating a scene of perfect beauty (Photo 9). By the time we finished touring the Dolomites, it was past 3 PM. This was the northernmost point of our Italian journey, and we drove south back to Verona to continue our afternoon itinerary. 16-day in-depth tour