retiretoexplore

Getting Around Venice

This short blog is about how to get around Venice using public transportation, especially from the airport.  Here we describe how to purchase a public transportation ticket and how it works.  The information in this blog is based on our August 2023 trip. No Rideshares in Venice We were surprised to find out when we …

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Rifugio Lagazuoi

Rifugio Lagazuoi is a mountain hut located above Passo Falzarego.  Paso Falzarego is about a 30 minute drive from Colfosco and slightly less time from Cortina d’Ampezzo.  The rifugio is not the destination, rather it is the starting point to walk over to Monte Lagazuoi Piccolo.  The mountain top provides 360 degree views of the …

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Lake Sorapis

Lake Sorapis is an alpine lake tucked in the mountains that bear the same name.  The lake can only be reached by foot with a significant elevation gain.  According to AllTrails, the hike to the lake and back is about 7.6 miles long with a total elevation gain of 1,916 feet.  Lake Sorapis is a …

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Tre Cime

If you Google “Dolomites”, chances are an image of Tre Cime di Lavaredo would pop up.  Tre Cime di Lavaredo or Tre Cime for short loosely translated means “three tops” or “three peaks”.  It is one of the more popular hiking destinations in the Dolomites. We visited and hiked around the Tre Cime area in …

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seceda

The Seceda is the highest vantage point in Val Gardena, in the autonomous province of Bolzano (South Tyrol), Northern Italy.  It provides a 360 degree view of mountains as well as the valley below.  On a clear day, you can even see Grossglockner, the highest mountain in Austria. Seceda is famous for images of sawtooth …

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Lago Di braies

Lago di Braies (bray-see) is an alpine lake in the Dolomites of South Tyrol, northern Italy.  What makes this lake special is that it is framed by gigantic mountains and the lake’s color reflects shades between green and blue, depending on the time of day and year. Lago di Braies is a very popular destination …

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belitung

Belitung is a group of islands between Sumatra and West Kalimantan.  It is just north of the island of Java.  We spent five nights on the island that is named Belitung and it was unforgettable.  The island was mainly visited by domestic tourists when we were there.  We only saw two “bolehs” (white people) during …

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Flores

Flores is mostly an undeveloped island in the middle of Indonesia. We spent 14 blissful days in July 2023 in Flores and it was an unforgettable experience.  For the most part, the people are warm, happy and accepting of foreign visitors.  Some will even greet you first and ask you “where are you from?” There …

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