Visit This Breathtaking Italian Destination To Hike Europe's Largest High-Alpine Meadow

The Dolomite mountain range's Alpe di Siusi might just be the most idyllic meadowland in all of Europe. Its rolling pastures, vineyards, and farmlands exude the essence of bucolic bounty, dotted with quaint villages and crisscrossed by gentle trails that invite you to wander for miles, with stops at the occasional rustic hut or rifugio, to sample Tyrolean cuisine (bacon dumplings? Yes please!). What makes this vast, wildflower-strewn high-alpine meadow (Europe's largest) so exceptionally stunning is the dramatic backdrop of the Dolomites, whose steep, rocky spires rise up with so much dramatic energy and grace that your spirits can't help but soar skyward with them.

Although the Alpe di Siusi Nature Preserve itself is in the Italian Alps, just a couple of hours from the Lake Como alternative Lake Molveno, it's best reached by flying into Innsbruck, Austria. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is multicultural, and you'll see the meadow referred to as Alpe di Siusi (Italian) and Seiser Alm (German) interchangeably, just as you'll encounter both influences in the local culture and, most deliciously, on your plate. In this region, you can endlessly debate whether you're hiking to eat or eating to hike.

To preserve its peaceful, pastoral charm, Alpe di Siusi does not allow private automobile traffic between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. in the summer and winter, but you'll want to arrive by Aerial Cableway anyway because, well, who wouldn't? You'll park in Seis am Schlern and hop aboard a brightly-colored pod for the ride up, with views galore. From there, the hiking ranges from easy to epic. The rolling terrain favors gentle strolls, but the surrounding mountains offer opportunities to climb to higher vistas. With 280 miles of well-signed trails, you can shorten or extend any walk to suit your energy level — or even rent an electric bike to zoom around on. The best time of year for an Italian vacation spans the shoulder seasons; spring hikes feature wildflowers, while fall hikes yield stunning autumnal colors.

The Panorama Trail is a popular loop that starts with an uphill section to gain those views but levels out into rolling hills over mixed roads and pathways, with a modest overall elevation gain of 600 feet over around 5 miles. Kids will love the Trail of Witches, an equally scenic loop that passes by two chair-like rock formations where legend holds that witches rested (this ancient part of the world is known for tall tales involving magic practitioners, ogres, and elves). No wonder it feels like a land out of a storybook.

There are two compelling reasons to plan an overnight trek through Alpe di Siusi: sunrise and sunset. Seeing the early morning (pictured) or evening alpenglow bathe the crags of the Dolomites pink and orange and cast an electric golden radiance on the softly undulating hills below is worth the trip alone. Whether you're looking to slow down and see the sights or practicing for an ascent of Mt. Etna, an overnight in Alpe di Siusi comes highly recommended. You don't need to pack a tent, as you can hike from hut to hut, plan your own route, or book an unguided tour — there are 56 huts in Alpe di Siusi. These range from luxurious micro-hotels to solo off-the-grid rustic cabins if glamping is more your style. 

At nearly 14,000 acres, there's room to extend a multi-day trek any way you like. You can book a farm stay to really experience rural bliss or head for the hills. For an overnight starting from Compaccio, you can spend the day climbing to the charming, castle-like Rifugio Bolzano or the red-roofed Rifugio Alpe di Tires, both reachable only by foot along a spectacular and challenging trail into the mountains. Operators will plan multi-day hikes for you if you prefer, so you can travel without care with just a day pack full of cheese, meats, and baked goods and relish a plate of Tyrolean ravioli in the evening.