Walks in The Italian Dolomites

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The holiday completely met my expectations/intentions. I found Headwater easy to deal with. It was my first holiday with Headwater since 2011 (Slovenia) though my wife and I had been on at least seven previous Headwater holidays, starting in 1988. We were always very happy with the service provided.

Ian Mccoll, 8 Sep 2023

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Fantastic holiday , beautiful weather, amazing scenery . Suggested itinerary of routes was first class & pretty easy to follow. Easy walks to start gradually leading to more strenuous ones, but even the harder ones were fine for someone who keeps themselves fairly fit. Hotel was lovely & in a beautiful small town. 10 minutes walk to the local bus station & 5 minutes to the train station which were all very easy to use once you got the hang of it. There really isn't anything negative to say about this holiday.

Heather Hislop, 4 Sep 2023

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Excellent Navigation App. We did not use/need additional maps. Very good transport information on how to use the fantastic transport system to arrive at start and departure from walks. Glorious walks. We were very lucky with sunshine every day and so could see wonderful views. Hotel comfortable with mountain views. Good breakfasts and supper. Plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables! Chef on duty up to Thursday - lives in San Candido - makes the best porridge I have ever tasted! Found it useful to have German as well as Italian knowledge as several mountain lodges spoke German. Pool at hotel useful to use after a day of walking.

Belinda Bulsing, 2 Sep 2023

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Wonderful area to walk in, rather busy at times in places as it was obviously very popular . This also put local transport under a certain amount of pressure

John Priestley, 2 Sep 2023

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One of the best holidays we have ever had. A mix of exercise and relaxation. Well planned via the app, very easy to book and staff cheerful and helpful. Thank you

Anne Smyrl, 2 Sep 2023

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The Headwater staff were very helpful in setting up this holiday at relatively short notice. I never had to wait on the phone for it to be answered! The App and Route Notes are excellent except for the outline maps provided in the notes which lacked information - so I would strongly recommend buying the Tabacco maps as it is easy to take a wrong turning in this terrain and to give some perspective for each walk. Some of the walks were more like those in the lower Alps than true Dolomites (the Dobbiaco location being geologically at the far northern end of the Dolomites) but they all had superb views of the Dolomite peaks and some were of course right in them!

Andrew Rushworth, 2 Sep 2023

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We were impressed with the speed and efficiency with which problems were sorted, also the friendliness of your staff. A real dislike of flying may make us think twice about going abroad in the near future but we may consider holidays in the UK with your company.

Esme Gilling, 15 Jul 2023

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Walks excellent as previously. Hotel significantly disappointing.

John Lambert, 8 Jul 2023

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Relaxed single centre walking holiday. The selection of walks provided were useful in a week with quite unstable weather. The transport links from Dobbiaco made travelling to walks no problem. It made a change from the place to place walks that we have done in recent years. Overall a great taster for the high Dolomites.

POTTER, 1 Jul 2023

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Fantastic holiday! Challenging walks with unbelievable scenery. Park Hotel Bellevue was the perfect place to rest (fab spa) and re-fuel after a day's walking. The hotel staff, the food, the rooms, the spa and special mention for Fabio, our favourite barman, made our holiday very special. We hope to be back!

MASSEY, 24 Jun 2023

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Good variety of walks of differing difficulty with extremely detailed route instructions. Made extensive use of the bus and train system, which was included and also used a number of gondolas and chairlifts to access higher plateaus. The mountain backdrops are spectacular. In early June the area is pleasantly quiet.

WARDALE, 5 Jun 2023

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We had a wonderful time in the Dolomites, stunning scenery and interesting history on the walks. Amazing food in the refugios on the walks and in our hotel in Dobbiaco. As we went in early June, the weather wasn't as predictable and some walk options weren't fully operational,( which we had been told could be the case by Headwater) it was still worth going at this time as it was much quieter. On the some walks we only met a handful of people which was our preference. Also it was important to carefully read the bus timetables as some buses didn't run as frequently in early June ( marked by a 1 at the top of the column). The App was amazing and made it so easy to navigate and enjoy the walks. You can turn on different audio options, one will actually tell you to turn while another option beeps when a turn is coming up. The hotel was perfectly located near the train station which made it so easy to get the train. Some buses also went from there. Food and the service in the Park Hotel Bellvue were excellent, a real personal service with a drinks reception one evening to get to chat to the other headwater walkers. Organisation and communication from Megan at Headwater was excellent making is all very easy.

Mary O'dea, 3 Jun 2023

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Overall our holiday was great, well organised transfer, lovely staff, location and facilities at the hotel. Food and drink options also excellent. Walking options were varied.

Mrs Mcardell, 24 Sep 2022

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Perfect location of hotel with outstanding food, service, comfortable beds and room

Amazing scenery and brilliant hiking opportunities

We will definitely return Outstanding ❤️

Mrs Manion, 2 Jul 2022

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You need a good level of physical fitness to make the most of this holiday. Despite being experienced walkers we found the going tough, although this was probably due to the extreme heat. An interesting and varied itinerary which would have benefited from longer than a week’s stay.

Mrs Graham, 2 Jul 2022

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All information required for our self guided holiday was excellent and any queries were dealt with quickly by Megan who kept us up to date on everything. We did not arrive at our hotel until 1am but access at that hour had been pre-arranged. Dobbiaco was the perfect place for our self guided walking holiday and the choice of walks on the app plus the paper maps and transport tickets made it easy to work the itinerary to suit ourselves. The Dolomites are awesome!!

When BA cancelled our Saturday flights home (Venice to Glasgow via Heathrow) late Thursday afternoon I contacted Karen in the office. She couldn't have been more helpful and passed the details to Steph who managed to book (after discussion with us) alternative flights from Innsbruck to Manchester, overnight accommodation there and a new transfer from Bellevue Hotel to airport. This was all sorted by early the next day so that we could enjoy our last day in the Dolomites. your company is lucky to have employees of this standard - I could not fault them!



Mrs Bryce, 25 Jun 2022

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Well organised holiday with easy to follow walks to chosen standard of ability. Good opportunity to meet like minded people if you wish. Scenery is absolutely stunning in Dolomites and Headwater hotel choice very good.

Mr Dentith, 11 Jun 2022

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Fantastic and adaptable walking holiday. Excellent hotel, with great (and lots of) food, and perfect location. Most of the walks require a bus journey, which adds a little bit of logistics to the start, and some nifty speed/time/distance calculations to ensure you're not hanging around too long waiting for your bus at the end.

GPS app is good, but maps and map reading skills are still essential to enable you to properly plan your day and to figure out a 'plan B' if there are any trail closures enroute (this happened twice for us).

The scenery is absolutely stunning, and no camera can fully recreate the image. So take time to properly stop, catch your breath, and soak the views into your memory.

Mr Ellis, 11 Jun 2022

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Excellent in every respect, flight arrangements, hotel transfer, accommodation and route guides.

Mrs Edwards, 7 Sep 2019

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Excellent hotel which was a great base for a range of amazing walks.

Miss Cherry, 7 Sep 2019

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Dobbiaco / Toblach is a lovely small town and a great centre for walking in the Dolomites. Public transport is very good (and runs on time) so it's easy to plan and feel confident of your arrangements - vital when self-guiding. The route notes were very good and we never needed to actually look at the provided maps - though having the routes pre-downloaded on a gps was a godsend, because sometimes there was a plethora of paths in popular places initially going off in similar directions. The suggested timings worked very well for us too, so again we felt confident that we would arrive at various locations on time. The Hotel Bellevue was very good and their packed lunches quite generous, though there were also opportunities to buy lunches in town and most routes had refuges or cafes en route.

Mrs Smith, 7 Sep 2019

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Great hotel in a lovely location in the centre of Dobbaccio. Impressive rugged mountain peaks as you walk, with some wonderful traverses, a few tricky ascents and descents and a lot of gravel paths. Only a few of the suggested walks start directly from the hotel so if you don't want to take a bus to start your walks then this may not be the holiday for you. However, the buses are great and they always stick to the timetable so we had no problems. The Tre Cime walk was the highlight. Nemes Alps was next best but we recommend you miss out the last downhill slog (a 600m altitude loss all on a wide gravel 'road') - instead we suggest you either get the bus back from Kreuzberg/Monte Croce Hotel after a hot chocolate at the hotel - it's like thick chocolate sauce! - or do the pass from the Kreuzberg hotel and retrace your steps to the hotel and then get the bus home. Check out the gun turrets at the foot of the mountains during the first half of Nemes Alps walk. Consider researching these before you go - we wish we had.

Ms Gaskell, 7 Sep 2019

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Excellent walking in fantastic mountain scenery. All walks well signed and directions very good. Bus transport was also reliable and very comfortable so could plan walking easily around the timetables.

Hotel very comfortable, in good location and served excellent meals (choices for main course and starter). Staff were really helpful.

All made for a most enjoyable week in a beautiful location. Plenty more walking than there was time for so would very happily come back for another go.

Mr Maitland, 4 Aug 2019

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I would recommend The Dolomites holiday. Its a very special location for walkers and cyclists. Scenery outstanding, people friendly and accommodating. We stayed in the Park Hotel Bellevue, which was virtually opposite the train station and about 10 mins walk from the main bus terminus. Included in our stay were travel passes for the week on both transport systems and a shuttle pass which conveys you to the start of the Tre Cime walk. There are a myriad of walking/cycling tracks available in the area for both low level and high level jaunts and all are excellently marked and easy to follow. Headwater provided exemplary guide literature and maps to ensure that it was pretty near impossible to get lost. Hotel was well positioned and very comfortable, staff were very friendly and accommodating, but the downside was the hotel opposite, which had live music on 3/4 of the evenings, one of which ended at midnight. Apparently the local district governor approves licences for such events, our hotel manager told us his hands were tied, but, given that this area attracts walkers and cyclists, whom in general want an early night and an early start the next day, this was irritating. Hotel food was indifferent, some lovely pasta dishes, but also undercooked fish (twice) and potatoes and inedible polenta. Breakfast, whilst sufficient for us, lacked variety and the salad starter(evening meal) time consisted predominantly of varieties of leaves, overall though it was acceptable.

Mr Mitchell, 20 Jul 2019

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Walking in the Dolomites is amazing. The scenery is breath-taking, the wildlife is special and the walks are easy to follow. The detailed instructions on the use of public transport is invaluable.

Mrs Evanson, 20 Jul 2019

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great hotel,great location, wonderful holiday

Mr Horn, 13 Jul 2019

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This was our eighteenth Headwater holiday and one of the best. We hope to return in the near future.

Mrs Roderick, 29 Jun 2019

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Normally would be a great place to stay but currently due to roadworks, traffic is being diverted past the hotel that is making it noisy. Friendly staff, good clean rooms and good food, make it an ideal base. As it is central, with good bus and train service, it is easy to get to all walks.

Mr Miles, 22 Jun 2019

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The trip was fantastic - we all loved every minute. The luxury (spa, sauna, pool) and meals in our hotel were far beyond our expectations.

The hikes were incredibly scenic and spectacular and much easier than we had imagined (this is not a complaint). All in all heads up to Headwater.

Mr Parker, 15 Jun 2019

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Varied walking from a comfortable base

Mr Anderson, 15 Jun 2019

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A good variety of brilliant walks. Hotel was really comfortable and food was excellent. Flying to Venice provided a great opportunity to add on a few days there.

Mrs Drage, 8 Jun 2019

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Everything we had hoped for. The selection of location, hotel, routes were all spot on.

Mr Campbell, 22 Sep 2018

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We really enjoyed our self-guided walking holiday in the Dolomites because the possibilities each day were endless. With the hotel as our base and the excellent walking notes we were able to plan a varied programme. Having a bus/train pass and the timetables made planning easy. The local roads up to and above the tree line enabled days of walking amongst the peaks a real pleasure, with rugged, stunning mountain landscapes all around. The footpaths were almost empty and the peace of sitting in a high altitude meadow hearing only the birds and distant cow bells was truly relaxing. In the evenings we enjoyed the company of other self-guided holiday makers. The food at the hotel was excellent and the accommodation excellent. We would wholeheartedly recommend this holiday.

Mrs Cooper, 15 Sep 2018

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Excellent holiday. Stunning scenery and great walks. Every day seemed to offer something different. Challenging at times but nothing over and above the ratings provided. Excellent, detailed and easy to follow route instructions.

Mr Riddell, 8 Sep 2018

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Spectacular part of the world. Excellent walking with very accurate route notes. Hotel was perfect - great service and brilliant food every night, with a great choice of wines ( including local wines). We will definitely return as there are many more walks.

Mr Kennedy, 8 Sep 2018

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A brilliant service. Absolutely stunning.

The fine detail of choosing the hotels is excellent. Your website is easy to navigate and find fine details of holidays on offer.

I would throughly my reccoment Headwater to anyone wanting a specialist holiday.



Mr Clayton, 1 Sep 2018

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This was our first hiking holiday with Headwater and we thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. Despite the changing weather, we were able to choose a suitable hike for each day because of the range of hiking notes supplied by Headwater. The Park Hotel Bellevue was excellent - friendly and helpful staff, comfortable rooms, convenient location (especially for trains and buses) and amazing food. We paired this holiday with a cycling trip (Dolomites to Lake Garda), which started in the adjacent town. This gave us an extra day of hiking as our transfer between hotels took about 10 minutes by taxi. We would highly recommend this holiday.

Mrs Mcnamara, 22 Aug 2018

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Headwater were very accommodating to us, helping us to arrange our walking holiday to slot in between our plans to visit other areas in the same country during an extended stay. It was all very easy and everything worked very well. The hotel was lovely and in a great location. Our holiday was well organised and we had a very enjoyable time.

Mrs Chapman, 11 Aug 2018

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Very well organised with comprehensive walking guides and maps, more walking options than days which was good, walking guides may benefit from a diagrammatic form of ascent and descent.

Mrs Lester, 28 Jul 2018

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The Dolomites are a spectacular walking destination and there are a range of different walks on offer. The notes for each are extremely detailed and all information os provided, even down to exactly which bus to take and where to get off. The descriptions en-route are very detailed and the local signage is great. The scenery is superb and the range of walks is excellent - I would definitely recommend this self-guided trip with Headwater to anyone wishing to walk in the Dolomites. Gondolas are an additional cost. Returning to the Parkhotel Bellevue every day is a treat. This family run hotel provides extremely attentive service, the food is quite simply delicious! And relaxing in the spa helps ease those tired muscles or sore feet. If you are thinking of the Dolomites then I would definitely recommend this trip and this hotel. Headwater were extremely helpful in planning our itinerary given we were travelling from different locations and adding on our own independent stay in Italy. It was no hassle to consider the different flight options available to us. All information communicated was detailed, relevant and reliable. Headwater are extremely competent and professional and put together great itineraries.

Miss Cowan, 21 Jul 2018

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I thought the hotel was excellent and Dobbiaco was a good base for exploring the north eastern Dolomites. The walks were interesting and well-described. The best walks required public transport which I found to be convenient and reliable though sometimes crowded.

Mr Dyer, 8 Jul 2018

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Our visit visit to the Dolomites, it won't be our last. Lovely area and first class support all round.

Mr Saunders, 24 Jun 2018

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An excellent holiday with all the arrangements working like clockwork. The notes for walks were very well prepared. We had a most enjoyable time.

Mr Keeley, 16 Jun 2018

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Great experiences that add to your life whilst there and cultural influences to enhance your life when you return home. We have always left wanting more, but not necessarily the same.



Mr Buckland, 23 Sep 2017

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It was extremely hard to find fault with anything.

'Excellent ' all round.

Hotel, walks, routes just fantastic.

Fabulous holiday in a perfect location.

Mr Creechan, 23 Sep 2017

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Good - we had a great time, the weather was good in the latter part of the week.

Mrs Binney, 17 Sep 2017

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We enjoyed Verona and the walking around Dobbiaco. Dobbiaco is a very good centre to walk out from, with good bus links to different starting points. The Bellevue Hotel is super. This is the second time we have stayed there and we were not disappointed. The one down side is the return via Venice Marco Polo. Once the check in is open ( there was no baggage drop) it is just a procession from one queue to the next.

Mrs Tait, 2 Sep 2017

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Some lovely walking in spectacular mountain scenery, staying in a very comfortable hotel full of character. Some walks (and buses) were very busy even at the end of the summer season. Walking notes were excellent (the one exception was on the NemesAlp walk return to Moos where a new (?) ski lift was not mentioned - this caused some confusion to us and others.

Mrs Hickling, 26 Aug 2017

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Good walking holiday in the Dolomites

Mr Gareze, 29 Jul 2017

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This was an excellent holiday - just like our previous 3 Headwater holidays. The staff at the Bellevue were friendly and helpful and the meals were of a very high standard. As well as having a mountain view our room also overlooked the railway but this was not an issue, the trains were very quiet and we were not disturbed by them. The walks were varied and the scenery was outstanding- some stunning 360 degree panaromas and some delightful meadows and pastures complete with some very gentle cattle and their melodic bells. We could easily have spent a few more days here, there was at least one walk we did not have time to do. We took this holiday in late July and we were grateful that we had packed several layers, we needed them as we climbed up to the views and on a couple occassions I regretted not having brought my gloves! Our previous Headwater holidays have been rated as 2 boot and we can see why this holiday was rated as a 2+ boot, however the extra effort was well worth it as the views were exceptional.

Ann and Nigel Carrington Brook

Mrs Carrington-Bro, 22 Jul 2017

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An excellent area for a walking holiday. Superb scenery with a well situated hotel. Food is first class.

Mr Shread, 8 Jul 2017

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Toblach was a pleasant little town and a great location base for walking in those spectacular Dolomites. Hotel Belvue fitted the bill well, with charming , helpful management and staff - though they occasionally seemed a little overstretched at mealtimes; but this is a minor quibble. our 3rd floor room (a suite with balcony and a view up the valley) was excellent. i would go again.

Mr Chase, 24 Jun 2017

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Wonderful walking week (despite the weather on some days!) in a fabulous part of the world.

Mrs Donnelly, 24 Jun 2017

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Friendly helpful and professional.

Mr Bourne, 24 Jun 2017

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Fantastic walking in magnificent scenery. Excellent hotel.

Mrs Clive, 17 Jun 2017

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Our holiday in the Italian Dolomites was amazing. The hotel accommodation and food were absolutely excellent and the staff helpful and friendly. The walking notes were very accurate and comprehensive and it was very helpful to receive them ahead of time. We found some of the walks challenging but it was very very hot when we were there. Good excuse for a long cold beer when we got back to the hotel though ........... :-) The hotel has a lovely spa but unfortunately we didn't have the time to partake of the facilities.

Mrs Smith, 17 Jun 2017

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The scenery at the destination was absolutely spectacular and will remain in our minds for a very long time - starting with the view from our hotel room!

An absolute must holiday for anyone who likes to have just the right amount of exhaustion, excitement and adrenalin in one day, with the facilities to relax and recoup overnight at the hotel, ready to do it all again the next day!

Being provided with maps and suggested walks before our holiday started meant we made the very best use of our time. Definitely had a WOW factor holiday

Mr Kennedy, 24 Sep 2016

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We really enjoyed the holiday, the scenery was amazing. Our hotel the Bellevue was comfortablle and clean, the staff friendly and helpful but not a lot to do on an evening, we sought out a couple of places in the town towards the end of the week but as we were on holiday right at the end of the season it was very quiet. The menu choice didn't have a great deal of variety/choice and did forgo the evening meal on some nights or went out beforehand as we has walked all day and we're quite hungry! (We are slightly buillt but did feel on some nights that we were stilll hungry).



The spa in the hotel was lovely and we did use the pool and steam rooms but only on one evening when we returned early enough to use the facilities before dinner.



The walking guides and maps were very helpful an on the whole accurate, some of the gradings for the difficulty of the walkes were not accurate some walkes described as Two boots had long or steep inclines and descents on rough ground and I did feel a little mis guided on one or two occasions but the views from the top soon made you forget asbout the effort it had taken.



The arrangements made at our request worked really well and the flights and transfers were efficient and convenient.



A lovely holiday just a little too quiet on an evening.

Mrs Cook, 23 Sep 2016

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Our holiday experience was fantastic! We loved walking in the mountains and hearing the sound of cow bells everywhere we went. It was easy to get around on the buses and trains, and the mountain trails were varied and interesting. The lakes were a beautiful colour, and the scenery was stunning wherever we went. The food in the hotel was outstanding, with a 5 course dinner offered on each night of our stay. The hotel's spa facilities were also excellent. I had anticipated a busy hotel with lots of Headwater customers, but apart from me and my friend there were only a few other hotel guests. This meant that the dining room was very quiet and lacked a bit of atmosphere, but the staff were very attentive and looked after us really well. I would definitely recommend the Dolomites to anyone who loves to walk amongst stunning scenery. The most popular trails are obviously busy with other visitors, but it is easy to find quiet routes and paths as there are so many walks to choose from.

Ms Small, 16 Sep 2016

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You will not find a better hotel than the Bellevue at Dobbiaco and the excellent local bus and train services give you access to some of the most spectacular areas and walks in the Dolomites

Mrs Slater, 27 Aug 2016

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Superb holiday that we thoroughly enjoyed! It rained quite a bit - but don't let that put you off. The scenery is marvellous; out of this world in some places - especially the Dolomites with their marvellously jagged mountains and stunning turquoise lakes. The Drei Zimmen/Tre Cime trail is magnificent and certainly worth saving to last! The hotel accommodation was truly superb with a leisurely 5-course meal routinely included. Too good for us, I have to say! Not many British families in this area. Keep it quiet... do they know what they are missing?

Mr Robson, 23 Jul 2016

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Dobbiaco was a super location as a base for walking. The walks were well detailed and accurate and the views during the walks were quite stunning.

Mr Wark, 18 Jul 2016

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The quality and variety of walking was stimulating and typified the beauty of the area. I travelled in early July and the flower meadows were among the most abundant I have seen in Europe. The hotel offered well cooked and interesting menus (excellent pasta) and a good accompanying wine list, with friendly, helpful staff.

Mr Willson, 2 Jul 2016

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Wonderful high level walking with dramatic views and an amazing variety of wild flowers during the day, and a very comfortable hotel with superb food in the evening.

Mr Fairweather, 2 Jul 2016

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The walk notes were very good, although some local information with them would have improved the experience. There was 1 mistake we found for the Strudelkopf walk where after leaving the Hotel Hohe Gaisl you reach a stream '...after just 350m' should read '...after just 35m'. This caused confusion as the official path has been diverted - correct per the notes (but the old one/route being shown on the map) and the old one/junction is 350m from this point!!

Mr Foster, 25 Jun 2016

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If you want a very fine single-centre walking holiday in stunning mountain scenery then Headwater's Dolomites experience in the Southern Tyrol is perfect: varied, stimulating, hard work and very satisfying. As well as the glory of the mountains, the flower-strewn alpine pastures are a botanist's heaven.

Mr Moyes, 24 Jun 2016

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Generally, very enjoyable - superb part of the world to explore; ideal time of year (our trip was not peak season); great to burn some calories during the day, then enjoy some fine food and drink in the evening; good mix of like-minded people.

Mr Dudley, 11 Jun 2016

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Superb - staff & food at Hotel unsurpassable. Italian Maps not up to OS Standard (no surprise there!). You should have noted the new (2014) skilift available to take walkers down from Klammbachhutte (or a 20 min walk from Klammbachhutte) saving 4km of descent out of 5.6km.



Mountain Hut food was way higher in standard than we expected



Brilliant Holiday!

Mr Walker, 19 Sep 2015

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Headwater Holidays always provide excellent care and services, and value for money vacaions is well chosen resorts and hotels. The only thing left to chance is the weather.

Dr Emerson, 19 Sep 2015

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It was the first time for us with Headwater so we were slightly apprehensive but everything was excellent but mostly the choice of hotel. We are now looking forward to our next Headwater holiday to Gozo which is already booked.

Mrs Tremayne-Smith, 12 Sep 2015

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Excellent experience - very well organised and delivered. All the walking notes were accurate and easy to follow. The hotel is ideally located to access a wide range of excellent and beautiful walks

Mrs Beard, 6 Sep 2015

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Excellent with wide range of walks accurately described and graded. Very good hotel with delicious food and very helpful staff.

Mr Bowie, 5 Sep 2015

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We usually travel independently but found that Headwater offered a hotel package more cheaply than we could buy ourselves and there was the additional benefit of the route notes which were excellent. My husband is the navigator of our team, but having tried Headwater, if I ever needed to travel on my own, I would be confident about using their notes and routes which were exceptional. We went to the Dolomites and had superb weather which made for a stunning holiday with plenty of walks to choose from. I would certainly use Headwater again.

Mrs Harris, 5 Sep 2015

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Excellent except for Marco Polo, slightly long transfer. The area was beautiful walking very good for all abilities.

Mrs Tait, 29 Aug 2015

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The Park Bellevue hotel was an excellent walking and cycling base in terms of its location, the options available and the standard and service of the hotel and its team. The local bus and rail transport and connections were frequent and very reliable and the provided Mobil card was fully utilised. The walks suggested in the holiday pack provided ample options for all abilities and the enclosed maps coupled with the standard of signing in the Dolomites showed there was much more to try if needed. A great holiday, helped by wall to wall sunshine for the first 4 days!

Mr Varley, 28 Aug 2015

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Dolomites and Venice were spectacular

Mr Collins, 22 Aug 2015

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Excellent holiday; fantastic hotel - which would it seems would be hard to book into directly (unless doing so a couple of years ahead). Used Headwater 3 times now which I would not have done if I did not regard them as a good company.

Mr Fraser, 1 Aug 2015

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Having taken 6 walking holidays through yourselves and Inntravel in the French Alps, Swiss Alps, Pyrenees and Dolomites, this holiday is the favourite of them all for both my wife and I.

This was a new region for us which offered a good variety of terrain and landscapes. The unexpectedness and beauty revealed as each walk progressed made this a gem of a holiday. Would definitely recommend whole heartedly.



Mr Howarth, 25 Jul 2015

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you get to some amazing places using well marked parks and good public transport one of the best walking experiences in Europe

Mr Rogers, 18 Jul 2015

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Excellent holiday based in a perfect location for walking. Local transport facilities (bus/train) were first class

Mr Shread, 4 Jul 2015

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Hotel staff excellent. Train noise bad in rooms.



Ms Andrychowska, 4 Jul 2015

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This is an excellent hikers holiday with well described routes and terrific scenery. On return the hotel and its chef is first class in providing the ideal evening.

Mr Hutton, 27 Jun 2015

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The walking and travelling around the Dolomites was excellent. Unfortunately neither hotel was situated in a quiet location and mosy

y nights we were disturbed. In Toblach there were open air rock music festivals opposite the hotel on the first two nights and on the third night the railway company decided to carry out maintenance till 5am outside our room. We also had two days of gunfire from the nearby military firing range. The hotel room and service/food were,however, excellent.

Our room in Venice was situated overlooking the alleyway leading to the hotel. This was full of people all night and we did not get much sleep. The room itself was very comfortable and the staff very helpful.

Dr Cobner, 20 Jun 2015

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An excellent holiday that exceeded our expectations in a fabulous mountainous environment. Accommodation was superb.

Mrs Young, 20 Jun 2015

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Very good indeed. Great location; walks sufficiently (but not too) challenging. Great food. Sometimes bus service arrangements to walk start end points a bit fiddly (we were put off from one of them by this). Easyjet baggage drop and general service at Venice airport (as distinct from the flights themselves which were fine) very poor.

Mr Kendrick, 20 Jun 2015

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Easy to use and inviting

Mrs Hayward, 20 Jun 2015

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Marvellous scenery, excellent hotel, notes and route signing very good.

Mr Barraclough, 13 Jun 2015

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Excellent location and region for walking. Maps and route notes provided were really useful and accurate. Hotel was comfortable and clean with excellent food and a good wellness area which was not used at all by other guests at the time we were there. This was a bonus for us. As we were early in the season, suggested walks were not crowded but we are sure at peak times things could be different. Overall we had a great holiday and will use Headwater again for another similar trip.





Mr Berzak, 13 Jun 2015

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Excellent walking area with a wide variety of routes. We made great use of the local travel card included in our holiday which allowed us unlimited travel on both buses and trains anywhere throughout the Bolzano province.

Mr Price, 13 Jun 2015

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Excellent location for seeing the Dolomites.

Friendly, family run hotel.

Instructions for the walking routs and the use of bus/train were very good

Mrs Deane, 20 Sep 2014

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The Dolomites are stunning and the walking was varied and challenging. The route notes were excellent and the self guiding was easy. The hotel was exceptional, with delicious food. The village of Dobbiacco was very well placed with good bus connections which made walking in different areas easy and enjoyable.

Mrs George, 13 Sep 2014

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This is an excellent place for a single centre holiday, offering many good trails with stunning views if you have good weather, but bear in mind that the conditions in high mountain areas such as this can be unpredictable, even in summer.

Mr Jones, 6 Sep 2014

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First rate. Hotel, hotel staff, the range of walks, and headwater staff were excellent

Mr Bingham, 6 Sep 2014

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Excellent accomodation, food, walks and scenery.

Mr Broughall, 2 Aug 2014

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Not to be missed well done Headwater

Mrs Grosschmidt, 19 Jul 2014

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Should have been advised that the hotel is located next to the railway station and level crossing with trains passing through from from 5.30 am. Our upgraded room overlooked the railway station and crossing. No air conditioning in rooms meant we had to leave open the windows during the night and heard announcements, warning bells and the trains themselves every half hour.

Mr Smith, 19 Jul 2014

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Dobbiaco is an excellent centre for a walking holiday with superb scenery and good choice of walks. Transfers were efficient, hotel very good and we enjoyed our first experience of a Headwater holiday very much.

Mrs Price, 19 Jul 2014

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Great location to be based for walking in the Dolomites, Bellevue Park hotel food is very good, their baths big and very welcome after a long day in tthe and the mountains themselves are magnificent. Walking notes are comprehensive, would just suggest you add a couple of routes which start out in one location and finish up elsewhere on the bus network - Tres Chime early bus is ideal - this offers some fantastic route options and minimises the amount of up. Only regret we didn't get a bit of Via Ferrata training whilst out there, would have vastly increased what we could do. Loved every minute. Tagged on three days in Verona and four days in Venice. Probably one of the best and most varied holidays we've ever done

Mrs Hodgskinson, 28 Jun 2014

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Thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish, directions for walks / routes easy to understand and very accurate, excellent mix of walking companions in our group, superb location and scenery, the week went too fast!

Mr Phillips, 21 Jun 2014

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We thoroughly enjoyed walking in the Dolomites staying in Dobiacco/Toblach at Park Bellevue Hotel. The food was superb and beautifully presented and served. The hotel staff were extremely friendly and helpful.The hotel and swimming facilities etc were fantastic. We found the walks brilliant, did not expect to be walking in snow in June! but the notes on the whole were easy to follow, just got lost once and sometimes it took us longer due to snow and several fallen trees over the path on one walk. The bus ticket which was included could be used on the train and provided excellent value for exploring the region and the nearby towns. Best of all we met really interesting people in the hotel who had come with Headwater or Exodus and we all got on very well.Have already recommended Headwater to friends.

Mrs Royle, 21 Jun 2014

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Fantastic combination of great scenery, good walks, superb hotel made a wonderful holiday.

Mr Freeman, 14 Jun 2014

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We had a super week with like-minded people. Although we were all initially wary of socialising as a group, during the week we became closer and enjoyed each other's company. The hotel was fun - comfortable and friendly with multi-course meals of excellent quality that were welcome after a day's hiking. It was the antithesis of an impersonal chain hotel. The only thing it lacked was wifi outside of the reception area. And some reference books - for example for wild flowers - would have been useful.



The walks were spectacular, probably made more so by the fact that we were early in the season - mid June. Tre Cime and Mount Elmo were decidedly scary first thing in the morning before someone else had kicked foothills in the snow. We learned to catch the buses around 10am not 9am. The notes were not entirely accurate and read as if the walks had not been checked for some time. In fact it didn't matter as the local trails are well signposted. Every member of the group who did the Mount Elmo walk got lost and changed from the notes to the maps or signposts. The 'Churches and Chapels' walk was unexpectedly interesting and quite energetic despite being on quiet lanes (very quiet - we were passed by one car and two tractors in 4 hours). It was a good contrast to the other walks and well worth doing.



We appreciated the notes on eating places - or the lack of them. It was useful to know when a packed lunch was necessary.



The travel card was convenient. Buses ran regularly to the walk starting-points and were not crowded at this time of year. On one day we caught the train (next to the hotel) and explored Brunico. Every stop had something to look at (see the poster on the platform).



A number of people went on to Venice afterwards, an easy trip given the minibus to the airport and then a bus to the station or a water bus to St Mark's Square.





Mrs Bailey, 14 Jun 2014

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Good range of walks in outstanding scenery.Surprising lack of facilities in Dobbiaco considering time of year e.g. Most shops closed- almost no bars or alternate restaurants!

Mr Williams, 14 Jun 2014

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Park Hotel staff and service outstanding. The walking guide notes were a good way to get the feel of the available routes in an all too brief week..they were accurate and very detailed. The Locanda staff were a delight, as well..so cheery and helpful. The Ferrovia area is a bit of a nightmare people crush, but, amazingly, down our little alley, all was very peaceful. The small Trattoria next to the hotel was a nice place too..staffed by pleasant and hospitable couple.

Mrs Pyke, 7 Sep 2013

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A delightful area with a large range of walks.

Mrs Meadows, 5 Sep 2013

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The holiday was a wonderful experience with really beautiful views to reward us as we tackled the walks. Instructions and timings were excellent. The hotel was lovely too.

Thanks Headwater.

Mrs Alessandro, 31 Aug 2013

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The holiday offers a good choice of walks for all levels and we weren't disappointed with any of them. The first two walks we undertook started from the hotel. A number of the walks start a bus ride away and we soon got into the swing of catching the bus and the drivers were always very helpful and patient.

The hotel was really lovely and exceptionally friendly. We travelled by train and the hotel is very near to the train station.

The views were truly excellent.

All in all, a delightful holiday in the Dolomites.

Mr Morris, 15 Aug 2013

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Fantastic week - can't think of anything we could/would change to improve it. Hotel was excellent and staff very friendly & accomodating (e.g. agreeing to change day for walk that required hotel transportation). Food incredible (and lots of it). Scenery spectacular and walking routes very well planned, with good variety of options (and potential to extend) depending on weather and legs (although we had generally good weather)! Transfer to/from airport very efficient. We've already recommended this holiday to friends and family! Only problem is whether another holiday will live up to this one.....

Mr Hambleton, 10 Aug 2013

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This was our fifth holiday with Headwater and our best to date. We are always happy with the holidays booked with Headwater and the support provided by your staff. The Dolomites is a superb location for a walking holiday and we wondered why we had never considered this holiday before - we will definitely be visiting again. We liked the fact that all of the walks were easily accessed by the local buses and cable cars or gondolas. The Bellevue Hotel provided a very high standard of accommodation and the food was fantastic. A good selection every day, beautifully prepared and presented. One of the friends we travelled with requires a gluten free diet, Headwater had advised the hotel in advance, and the hotel went out of its way to provide delicious gluten free rolls and adapted the menu accordingly so our friend felt she was well looked after. The hotel staff were always welcoming and helpful. A holiday that we will be considering re-booking as there are so many trails we still want to explore.

Dr Baynton, 3 Aug 2013

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We thoroughly enjoyed our Headwater holiday in the Dolomites. The walking directions were excellent (maps were redundant) and the walks themselves inspiring. Mid-August is probably not the best time to go - the weather was glorious, but really difficult to escape the crowds of people. We only had ourselves to blame! The staff at the Bellevue hotel were delightful (full marks to Rita and Andrea in the dining room - and to Andreas for his overall supervision) - but beware if you're in a room facing the railway tracks.....the early morning announcements of train arrivals / departures wore a bit thin by the end of the week.

Mrs Remnant, 3 Aug 2013

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Wonderful holiday excellent accomodation and walking. Some walks quite challenging but managable. One of the best food in any hotel I have stayed in. Good quality wine at reasonable prices.

Mrs Hole, 22 Jul 2013

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A wonderful region for walking at almost any level. Every area we walked was beautiful and we did a mixture of moderate (with a little bit of challenging) and leisurely.



Hotel was excellent, very friendly and helpful and good food.

Mrs Wilton, 29 Jun 2013

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A great venue except for the overcrowding on the buses.

Mis Triggs, 29 Jun 2013

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All travel arrangements on the flights and the transfer to and from the hotel went well. The food and accommodation at Park Hotel Belleview in Dobbiaco were very good and the staff were very helpful. We got on well with other Headwater clients through the week we stayed there. The weather in mid-June was warm with little rain. Due to a recent knee problem my wife and I were unable to walk on as many routes we would have liked to but the Tre Cime and Lago de Braies walks that we did manage to complete were stunning. The 7 day travel pass was a real bonus and one day we travelled to Villnoss by train and bus to take pictures of the view of the Odler mountain range from St Magdelena. We plan to return another year.

Mr McAlpine, 29 Jun 2013

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A beautiful area of the Dolomites with spectacular scenery and added historical interest. An excellent choice of varied walks to suit all abilities. A very good hotel base, well situated.

Mr Wildsmith, 22 Jun 2013

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Dolomites outstanding area

Dr Curry, 22 Jun 2013

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Very enjoyable, although the walking was quite challenging due to length, terrain and lingering snow. We often adapted / cut short from the recommended routes, but this was feasible and equally enjoyable. Fantastic scenery.

Mrs Eynon, 15 Jun 2013

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Although I have indicated that we would book a holiday with you again I would have strong reservations as to whether the holidays that you provide are really catering for our interests. Before booking the holiday I raised the query as to whether or not it was suitable for us given that we walk to see wildlife and landscape rather than just to walk. Unfortunately the worry that the holiday was a walking holiday with little or no emphasis on wildlife came to fruition. At the start of the holiday in Dobbiaco we found it virtually impossible to find out information on where to go to get the best chance of seeing wildlife or to get information needed to identify the flowers that we were seeing. The hotel did not know nor did the tourist information centre. Half way through the holiday we managed to get to the nature centre at the Grand Hotel who were very helpful but by that time the opportunity to visit the areas suggested had largely passed. We also found the large numbers of walkers on the routes suggested to be offputting for us. We are used to walking in areas where you often do not see footprints let alone people so we were amazed to see so many people on all the routes that we followed. Perhaps it would be possible to include routes that are quieter for those that want to escape the crowds.

Having said all that the holiday was well organised the hotels were excellent and if all you want is a walking holiday then I doubt that the service that you provide can be beaten. I am just not sure that it is for us.

Mrs Brand-Hardy, 13 Jun 2013

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We had a very enjoyable but quite energetic holiday in a comfortable hotel in the Dolomites. The early season flowers and scenery were spectacular.

Mrs Watts, 12 Jun 2013