The gateway to the Dolomite region is the picturesque old town of Trento, which boasts this wonderful 13th-15th century castle
Looking over the castle gardens at Trento and the mountains
Frescoes in the castle's courtyard depict the prince-bishops who ruled Trento
Trento's medieval streets (rainy, like everywhere else this May and June)
Trento was known for its Venetian-style houses with painted facades, traces of which remain
Donkey rides for the kids in one of Trento's parks
Trento's main square, where Italian and Germanic influences meet
An eagle, the symbol of Trento, atop a fountain
Trento's best-preserved painted houses, on the main square
A Tuscan-style knotted pillar on the Trento cathedral
The 13th century tower and swallow-tail battlements of the archbishop's palace
In northeastern Italy, near Austria, the Dolomite mountains (ancient coral reefs) tower over spruce-covered hillsides and German-speaking Alpine villages. This peak is Sassolungo, which we could see out our window in the village of Santa Cristina.
The village of Santa Cristina in Val Gardena, in the shadow of the Dolomites
The spiky Sassolungo and sloping Sasso Piatto peaks tower over Alpe di Siusi
Columbines in bloom
These snails were everywhere in our valley
Above Santa Cristina lies a huge (50 sq. km.) meadow, the Alpe di Siusi
A llama on a mountain farm insisted on posing for us
Chris going through a genuine turn-stile on the trail
The quaint, but touristy, Dolomite village of Castelrotto
A covered bridge in the town of Fiera di Primiero
The essence of the Dolomites: tall spruce trees and gray craggy peaks