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117 images Created 28 Sep 2011

View favorite Italy photos by Tom Dempsey, including: Venice, Saint Mark's Square (San Marco Piazza), Rialto, gondolas, Murano, Burano, Torcello, Dolomites mountains, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Sesto Group, Val Gardena, Val di Funes, Puez-Geisler (Odle) Park, Brenta Group, Marmolada, Passo Pordoi, Sella Group, Bindelweg/Viel del Pan trail, Rosengarten/Catinaccio Group, Bolzano's Iceman (Ötzi), Pala Group/Pale di San Martino, Monte Civetta, Monte Cristallo, waterfalls, and more.

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  • Blue boats, canal, and houses painted blue, red, orange, yellow. Burano, known for knitted lacework, fishing, and colorfully painted houses, is a small archipelago of four islands linked by bridges in the Venetian Lagoon, northern Italy, Europe. Burano's traditional house colors are strictly regulated by government. The Romans may have been first to settle Burano. Romantic Venice (Venezia), "City of Canals," stretches across 117 small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy, between the mouths of the Po (south) and Piave (north) Rivers. Venice and the Venetian Lagoon are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
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  • At Refugio Baita Segantini, fog swirls around the Pala group (Pale di San Martino) and reflects in a pond. The sharp pyramid of Cimon della Pala (or Cimone, 3184 m/10,446 ft) is known as the Matterhorn of the Dolomites (il Cervino delle Dolomiti). To its left is Cima della Vezana (3192m), highest of the Pala Dolomites. Walk from Passo Rolle to Baita Segantini near the mountain resort of San Martino di Castrozza, in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region of Italy, Europe. 200 million years ago, Triassic coral reefs fossilized into Dolomite. Collision of tectonic plates lifted the Dolomites within the Southern Limestone Alps. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. This panorama was stitched from 6 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-11210-15pan_Pala-Dolomites.jpg
  • A lift from Passo Pordoi up to Sass Pordoi in the Sella Group gives a sweeping view of Dolomites peaks including their highest, glacier-clad Marmolada (3343 meters / 10,968 feet), Italy. From Pordoi Pass on state highway 48 (Grand Strader delle Dolomiti), take the rapid cable car ascent or hike up to the restaurant on Sass Pordoi at 2952m. Pordoi Pass (or Pordoijoch, 2239 meters/7346 feet) is the highest surfaced road traversing a pass in the Dolomites. On the Padon chain in the foreground (a ridge of volcanic origin carpeted with lush green pasture and wildflowers), we highly recommend hiking the Bindelweg/Viel del Pan trail starting from Pordoi Pass. The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. For licensing options, please inquire.
    13ITA-20611_Marmolada_Dolomites.jpg
  • Orange sunset light spotlights Croda da Lago mountain, seen from Passo di Giau,  in the Dolomites (Dolomiti, a part of the Southern Limestone Alps), northern Italy, Europe. The Dolomites were declared a natural World Heritage Site (2009) by UNESCO.
    11ITA-2238.jpg
  • Water reflects morning sun which shimmers underneath a pedestrian bridge in the Ghetto, in Cannaregio sestiere, Venice (Venezia), Italy, Europe. The Venetian Ghetto was where Jews were compelled to live under the Venetian Republic starting in 1516, and from this the word "ghetto" originates. Venezia, founded in the 400s AD, is capital of Italy’s Veneto region, named for the ancient Veneti people from the 900s BC. The romantic City of Canals stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea, between the mouths of the Po and Piave Rivers. The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a staging area for the Crusades, and a major center of art and commerce (silk, grain and spice trade) from the 1200s to 1600s. The wealthy legacy of Venice stands today in a rich architecture combining Gothic, Byzantine, and Arab styles. Venice and the Venetian Lagoon are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
    13ITA-10005_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • Sharp spires of the Geisler/Odle Group soar above a hiker on green Alpe di Seceda, above St. Christina and Ortisei, in South Tyrol, the Dolomites, Italy, Europe. The beautiful ski resort of Selva di Val Gardena (German: Wolkenstein in Gröden; Ladin: Sëlva Gherdëine) makes a great hiking base in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (South Tyrol) region of Italy. For our favorite hike in the Dolomiti, start from Selva with the first morning bus to Ortisei, take the Seceda lift, admire great views up at the cross on the edge of Val di Funes (Villnöss), then walk 12 miles (2000 feet up, 5000 feet down) via the steep pass Furcela Forces De Sieles (Forcella Forces de Sielles) to beautiful Vallunga (trail #2 to 16), finishing where you started in Selva. The hike traverses the Geisler/Odle and Puez Groups from verdant pastures to alpine wonders, all preserved in a vast Nature Park: Parco Naturale Puez-Odle (German: Naturpark Puez-Geisler; Ladin: Parch Natural Pöz-Odles). UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    13ITA-20979_Alpe-di-Seceda_Dolomites.jpg
  • Crepuscular rays shine on Gasthaus Passo di Giau (2236 meters), where you can explore scenic trails of the Dolomites (Dolomiti, a part of the Southern Limestone Alps), northern Italy, Europe. The Dolomites were declared a natural World Heritage Site (2009) by UNESCO. Panorama stitched from 12 overlapping photos. Published in Wilderness Travel 2015 Catalog of Adventures.
    11ITA-2206-17pan_Passo-di-Giau_Dolom...jpg
  • Fireworks explode light and smoke over Redentore Festival (July 16, 2011) in Venice, Italy, Europe. Redentore Festa began as a feast of thanksgiving for the end of the terrible plague of 1576 which killed more than a quarter of Venice (some 46,000 in the city and 94,000 in the lagoons). In thanks to God for the end of this wave of the Great Plague, Venice built Il Redentore (Church of the Most Holy Redeemer, or Chiesa del Santissimo Redentore) from 1577-1592. (A worse round of Black Death swept Venice in 1629-30, after which Venice built the Salute, the last of its "Great Plague churches.") The religious celebration and popular feast of Redentore is held in Venice every the third Saturday and Sunday in July, with fireworks on Saturday night. During festival weekend, a temporary pontoon bridge allows pedestrians to walk 330 meters across Giudecca Canal from the Zattere to Redentore basilica on Giudecca Island. Venice (Venezia), the "city of canals," is the capital of Italy's Veneto region, named for the ancient Veneti people from the 10th century BC.
    11ITA-4394.jpg
  • A hawkweed flower (Hieracium genus of sunflower) blooms in Alpe di Seceda, in the Geisler/Odle Group, Dolomites, South Tyrol, Italy, Europe. The beautiful ski resort of Selva di Val Gardena (German: Wolkenstein in Gröden; Ladin: Sëlva Gherdëine) makes a great hiking base in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (South Tyrol) region of Italy. For our favorite hike in the Dolomiti, start from Selva with the first morning bus to Ortisei, take the Seceda lift, admire great views up at the cross on the edge of Val di Funes (Villnöss), then walk 12 miles (2000 feet up, 5000 feet down) via the steep pass Furcela Forces De Sieles (Forcella Forces de Sielles) to beautiful Vallunga (trail #2 to 16), finishing where you started in Selva. The hike traverses the Puez-Geisler Group from verdant pastures to alpine wonders to U-shaped Vallunga valley, all preserved in a vast Nature Park: Parco Naturale Puez-Odle (German: Naturpark Puez-Geisler; Ladin: Parch Natural Pöz-Odles). UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    13ITA2-6228.jpg
  • Gondolas are traditional, flat-bottomed rowing boats which ferry people through Venetian canals. From a peak of 10,000 gondolas 200 years ago, just 500 gondolas now serve Venice. The banana-shaped modern gondola was developed in the 1800s. The left side of the gondola is made longer than the right side to resist leftwards drift at the forward stroke. The gondolier stands on the stern facing the bow and rows just on the right side, with a forward stroke and compensating backward stroke. The oar or rèmo is held in an oar lock, or fórcola, shaped for several rowing positions. The decorative fèrro (meaning iron) ornament on the front can be made of brass, stainless steel, or aluminum, as counterweight for the gondolier standing near the stern. The six horizontal lines and curved top of the ferro represent Venice's six sestieri (districts) and the Doge's cap. Painting gondolas black originated as a sumptuary law eliminating ostentatious competition between nobles. Until the early 1900s, many gondolas had a small cabin (felze) with windows which could be closed with louvered shutters--the original "venetian blinds." The romantic "City of Canals" stretches across 117 small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy, Europe. Venice and the Venetian Lagoons are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
    11ITA-1160.jpg
  • A lift from Passo Pordoi up to Sass Pordoi in the Sella Group gives a sweeping view of Dolomites peaks including their highest, glacier-clad Marmolada (3343 meters / 10,968 feet), Italy. From Pordoi Pass on state highway 48 (Grand Strader delle Dolomiti), take the rapid cable car ascent or hike up to the restaurant on Sass Pordoi at 2952m. Pordoi Pass (or Pordoijoch, 2239 meters/7346 feet) is the highest surfaced road traversing a pass in the Dolomites. On the Padon chain in the foreground (a ridge of volcanic origin carpeted with lush green pasture and wildflowers), we highly recommend hiking the Bindelweg/Viel del Pan trail starting from Pordoi Pass. The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. This panorama was stitched from 3 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-20577-79pan_Marmolada_Dolomite...jpg
  • Gondolier. Gondolas are traditional, flat-bottomed rowing boats which ferry people through Venetian canals. From a peak of 10,000 gondolas 200 years ago, just 500 gondolas now serve Venice. The banana-shaped modern gondola was developed in the 1800s. The left side of the gondola is made longer than the right side to resist leftwards drift at the forward stroke. The gondolier stands on the stern facing the bow and rows just on the right side, with a forward stroke and compensating backward stroke. The oar or rèmo is held in an oar lock, or fórcola, shaped for several rowing positions. The decorative fèrro (meaning iron) ornament on the front can be made of brass, stainless steel, or aluminum, as counterweight for the gondolier standing near the stern. The six horizontal lines and curved top of the ferro represent Venice's six sestieri (districts) and the Doge's cap. Painting gondolas black originated as a sumptuary law eliminating ostentatious competition between nobles. Until the early 1900s, many gondolas had a small cabin (felze) with windows which could be closed with louvered shutters--the original "venetian blinds." The romantic "City of Canals" stretches across 117 small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy, Europe. Venice and the Venetian Lagoon are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List. For licensing options, please inquire.
    11ITA-1057.jpg
  • In the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano, Italy, a reconstruction shows the famous Iceman at age 45. Ötzi dates from 3300 BC and is Europe's oldest natural human mummy. The Iceman was found in 1991 fully clothed, melted out from a glacier in the Ötzal Alps, Europe. The 5000-year-old Iceman was apparently murdered at age 45 by an arrowhead lodged in his left shoulder. His copper axe pushed back the Bronze Age by 1000 years. The Iceman's tools were a delight for archeologists: a copper axe with a yew handle, a flint-bladed knife with an ash handle, a quiver of 14 arrows (with viburnum and dogwood shafts, two with fletching fins and tipped with flint), an antler tool for sharpening arrow points, an unfinished yew longbow 1.82 meters (72 in) long, a bow string, berries, two birch bark baskets, two species of polypore mushrooms strung on leather (for medicinal and tinder use), and a complex firestarting kit (with pieces of a dozen different plants plus flint and pyrite to make sparks). His valuable 9.5-centimeter axe head is almost pure copper, made by casting, cold forging, polishing, and sharpening. His copper axe's handle (haft) is 60 centimetres (24 in) long and made from carefully worked yew. Anthropologists were surprised at the sophistication of Ötzi's clothes, including: a woven grass cloak, a coat, a belt with tool pouch (scraper, drill, flint flake, bone awl and a dried fungus), a pair of leggings, a loincloth and shoes, all made of leather of different skins sewn together with sinew, plus a bearskin cap with a leather chin strap. His shoes were waterproof and wide for snow, made with bearskin soles, deer hide on top panels, plus netting made of tree bark. Soft grass cushioned the foot like modern socks. View the actual frozen mummy and possessions of Ötzi in Bolzano, the Dolomites, in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (South Tyrol) region of Italy, Europe.
    13ITA2-7087.jpg
  • A Six-spot Burnet moth (Zygaena filipendulae, a black insect with 6 red wing spots, in the Zygaenidae family) sips nectar from a Knapweed (Centaurea genus) flower in the Dolomites, Italy, the Alps, Europe. Geisler/Odle Group, near St. Magdalena (Santa Maddalena). See the valley and municipality of Funes (Villnöss) in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (South Tyrol), Italy. Enjoy great hiking here in the vast Nature Park of Parco Naturale Puez-Odle (German: Naturpark Puez-Geisler; Ladin: Parch Natural Pöz-Odles). The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    13ITA-30033_Six-spot-Burnet-moth_kna...jpg
  • Spotlit by sunset, the Pala Dolomites (Pale di San Martino) soar majestically above Passo Rolle, near the mountain resort of San Martino di Castrozza in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region of Italy, Europe. The sharp peak of Cimon della Pala (right, 3129m) is eclipsed in height by Cima della Vezana (at its left, 3192m, highest of the Pala Dolomites). 200 million years ago, Triassic coral reefs fossilized into Dolomite. Collision of tectonic plates lifted the Dolomites within the Southern Limestone Alps. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. This panorama was stitched from 2 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-20050-51pan_Pala-Dolomites.jpg
  • Yellow building reflects in Venice canals. Venice (Venezia), founded in the 400s AD, is capital of Italy’s Veneto region, named for the ancient Veneti people from the 900s BC. The romantic City of Canals stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea, between the mouths of the Po and Piave Rivers. The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a staging area for the Crusades, and a major center of art and commerce (silk, grain and spice trade) from the 1200s to 1600s. The wealthy legacy of Venice stands today in a rich architecture combining Gothic, Byzantine, and Arab styles. Venice and the Venetian Lagoon are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List. This image was stitched from 15 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-10211-26pan_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • The peaks of the Cadini Group jut high in the Dolomites near Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Europe. In the Cadini di Misurina, Cima Grande rises to 2999 meters (9839 feet), between Cima Piccola 2857 m (9373 ft) and Cima Ovest or "Western Peak" 2973 m (9754 ft). Hike for spectacular views around Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Italian for "Three Peaks of Lavaredo," or in German called Drei Zinnen, "Three Merlons"). The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, in northern Italy, Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    11ITA-1652.jpg
  • A pond reflects Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Italian for "Three Peaks of Lavaredo," also called Drei Zinnen or "Three Merlons" in German), which are distinctive icons of the Alps, in the Sexten Dolomites of northeastern Italy, Europe. Until 1919 the peaks formed part of the border between Italy and Austria. Now they lie on the border between the Italian provinces of South Tyrol and Belluno and still are a part of the linguistic boundary between German-speaking and Italian-speaking majorities. Cima Grande rises to 2999 meters (9839 feet), between Cima Piccola  2857 m (9373 ft) and Cima Ovest  or "Western Peak" 2973 m (9754 ft). The Dolomites were declared a natural World Heritage Site (2009) by UNESCO. Panorama stitched from 9 overlapping photos.
    11ITA-1727-35pan_Tre-Cime-di-Lavared...jpg
  • Sunset light turns orange over sharp peaks of the Dolomites, or Dolomiti, a part of the Southern Limestone Alps, in northern Italy, Europe. The view looks westwards from a trail west of Gasthaus Passo di Giau. The Dolomites are honored as a natural World Heritage Site (2009) by UNESCO.
    11ITA-2205.jpg
  • Gondoliers row gondolas on the Grand Canal at Rialto Bridge (or Ponte di Rialto, built 1591), which is the oldest of four bridges spanning the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy, Europe. The single span stone bridge designed by Antonio da Pontestone is an architectural icon of Venice. In 452 AD, Attila the Hun invaded Italy, and people retreated to offshore islands called Rivo Alto (high bank), or Ri'Alto, the center of Venice. Venice/Venezia is the capital of Italy’s Veneto region, named for the ancient Veneti people from the 900s BC. The romantic "City of Canals" stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy. The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a staging area for the Crusades, and a major center of art and commerce (silk, grain and spice trade) from the 1200s to 1600s. The wealthy legacy of Venice stands today in a rich architecture combining Gothic, Byzantine, and Arab styles. Venice and the Venetian Lagoons are on the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage List.
    11ITA-1187.jpg
  • Gondolas are traditional, flat-bottomed rowing boats which ferry people through Venetian canals. From a peak of 10,000 gondolas 200 years ago, just 500 gondolas now serve Venice. The banana-shaped modern gondola was developed in the 1800s. The left side of the gondola is made longer than the right side to resist leftwards drift at the forward stroke. The gondolier stands on the stern facing the bow and rows just on the right side, with a forward stroke and compensating backward stroke. The oar or rèmo is held in an oar lock, or fórcola, shaped for several rowing positions. The decorative fèrro (meaning iron) ornament on the front can be made of brass, stainless steel, or aluminum, as counterweight for the gondolier standing near the stern. The six horizontal lines and curved top of the ferro represent Venice's six sestieri (districts) and the Doge's cap. Painting gondolas black originated as a sumptuary law banning ostentatious competition between nobles. Until the early 1900s, many gondolas had a small cabin (felze) with windows which could be closed with louvered shutters--the original "venetian blinds." The romantic "City of Canals" stretches across 117 small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy, Europe. Venice and the Venetian Lagoons are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
    11ITA-1510.jpg
  • Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute (Basilica of Saint Mary of Health) is a Roman Catholic church (Gesuati parish) built from 1631-1687 in Venice, Italy, Europe. The Salute stands in the Dorsoduro sestiere across the Grand Canal from Piazza San Marco. After the city's devastating outbreak of plague in 1629-1630, the Republic of Venice built the Salute as a votive offering for deliverance from pestilence. This basilica, last of Venice's "Great Plague churches," was designed in baroque style by Baldassare Longhena, a pupil of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio. Venice and the Venetian Lagoon are honored on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Panorama stitched from 12 overlapping photos.
    11ITA-1566-74pan_Salute-Venice.jpg
  • Crepuscular rays of sunlight break through clouds near Marmolada (Ladin: Marmoleda, German: Marmolata, 3343 meters / 10,968 feet elevation), the highest mountain in the Dolomites, or Dolomiti, a part of the Southern Limestone Alps, in northern Italy, Europe. The view looks westwards from a trail west of Gasthaus Passo di Giau. The Dolomites are honored as a natural World Heritage Site (2009) by UNESCO.
    11ITA-2194.jpg
  • Fruit head of Pulsatilla alpina, alpine pasqueflower, or alpine anemone. From Gasthaus Passo di Giau (2236 meters), explore scenic trails of the Dolomites (Dolomiti, a part of the Southern Limestone Alps), northern Italy, Europe. The Dolomites were declared a natural World Heritage Site (2009) by UNESCO.
    11ITA-8115.jpg
  • In Burano, houses are brightly painted blue, red, orange, and yellow along a fishermen's boat canal. Burano, known for knitted lacework, fishing, and colorfully painted houses, is a small archipelago of four islands linked by bridges in the Venetian Lagoon, in the Veneto region of Italy, Europe. Burano’s traditional house colors are strictly regulated by government. The Romans may have been first to settle Burano. Romantic Venice (Venezia), "City of Canals," stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy, between the mouths of the Po and Piave Rivers. Venice and the Venetian Lagoon are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List. This panorama was stitched from 6 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-10091-96pan_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • Blue door in alley dead end. Venice (Venezia), founded in the 400s AD, is capital of Italy’s Veneto region, named for the ancient Veneti people from the 900s BC. The romantic City of Canals stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea, between the mouths of the Po and Piave Rivers. The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a staging area for the Crusades, and a major center of art and commerce (silk, grain and spice trade) from the 1200s to 1600s. The wealthy legacy of Venice stands today in a rich architecture combining Gothic, Byzantine, and Arab styles. Venice and the Venetian Lagoon are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
    13ITA-10288_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • Masks have always characterized the Carnival of Venice (Carnevale di Venezia), which began by 1268 AD. The Roman Catholic festival of carnival starts on or after Epiphany and ends on Shrove Tuesday (Fat Tuesday or Martedi Grasso, 41 days before Easter, the day before Ash Wednesday). Traditionally in Venice, people were allowed to wear masks between the festival of Santo Stefano (St. Stephen's Day, December 26) at the start of the carnival season and midnight of Shrove Tuesday. As masks were also allowed during Ascension and from October 5 to Christmas, people could disguise themselves most of the year. Mask makers (mascareri) enjoyed a special position in society, with their own laws and guild. Carnival celebrations stopped after Napoleon signed the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797 and Venice became part of the Austrian-held Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia. Old carnival traditions didn’t revive until the 1970s brought a modern mask shop to Venice. Venice and the Venetian Lagoon are honored on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Venice is in the Veneto region of Italy, Europe.
    13ITA-10056_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • Gondolas are traditional, flat-bottomed rowing boats which ferry people through Venetian canals. From a peak of 10,000 gondolas 200 years ago, just 500 gondolas now serve Venice. The banana-shaped modern gondola was developed in the 1800s. The left side of the gondola is made longer than the right side to resist leftwards drift at the forward stroke. The gondolier stands on the stern facing the bow and rows just on the right side, with a forward stroke and compensating backward stroke. The oar or rèmo is held in an oar lock, or fórcola, shaped for several rowing positions. The decorative fèrro (meaning iron) ornament on the front can be made of brass, stainless steel, or aluminum, as counterweight for the gondolier standing near the stern. The six horizontal lines and curved top of the ferro represent Venice's six sestieri (districts) and the Doge's cap. Painting gondolas black originated as a sumptuary law banning ostentatious competition between nobles. Until the early 1900s, many gondolas had a small cabin (felze) with windows which could be closed with louvered shutters--the original "venetian blinds." The romantic "City of Canals" stretches across 117 small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy, Europe. Venice and the Venetian Lagoons are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
    11ITA-1485.jpg
  • Hikers walk under the North faces of the Geisler/Odle Group, which drop nearly 1000 meters into Val di Funes (Villnöß valley) in the Dolomites, Italy, Europe. Puez-Geisler Nature Park (Italian: Parco naturale Puez Odle; German: Naturpark Puez-Geisler) is in Südtirol/South Tyrol/Alto Adige, in the Dolomiti, part of the Southern Limestone Alps, Italy. The Dolomites were declared a natural World Heritage Site (2009) by UNESCO.
    11ITA-3043-45pan_Geisler-Odle-Group_...jpg
  • Gondolas are moored on Saint Mark's Basin across from Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggiore, a 16th century Benedictine church on the island of the same name in Venice, Italy, Europe. The basilica was designed in the classical renaissance style by Andrea Palladio and built from 1566-1610. The white marble basilica rises above the blue water of the lagoon (San Marco Basin and Canal) across from Piazzetta San Marco. The campanile (bell tower), first built in 1467, fell in 1774, and was rebuilt in neo-classic style by 1791. Gondolas are traditional, flat-bottomed rowing boats which ferry people through Venetian canals. From a peak of 10,000 gondolas 200 years ago, just 500 gondolas now serve Venice. The banana-shaped modern gondola was developed in the 1800s. The left side of the gondola is made longer than the right side to resist leftwards drift at the forward stroke. The gondolier stands on the stern facing the bow and rows just on the right side, with a forward stroke and compensating backward stroke. The oar or rèmo is held in an oar lock, or fórcola, shaped for several rowing positions. The decorative fèrro (meaning iron) ornament on the front can be made of brass, stainless steel, or aluminum, as counterweight for the gondolier standing near the stern. The six horizontal lines and curved top of the ferro represent Venice's six sestieri (districts) and the Doge's cap. Painting gondolas black originated as a sumptuary law banning ostentatious competition between nobles. The romantic "City of Canals" stretches across 117 small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy, Europe. Venice and the Venetian Lagoons are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
    11ITA-1069.jpg
  • A girl washes hands at well faucet, in Venice, Italy, Europe. Because Venice was cut off from reliable sources of fresh water, Venetians built underground clay-lined cisterns to collect and filter rainwater. Many wellheads were decorated with carvings of saints, family crests, inscriptions in Carolingian, Byzantine, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque era styles. An aqueduct from the mainland completed in the late 1800s made most wells obsolete. Venezia, founded in the 400s AD, is capital of Italy’s Veneto region, named for the ancient Veneti people from the 900s BC. The romantic City of Canals stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea, between the mouths of the Po and Piave Rivers. The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a staging area for the Crusades, and a major center of art and commerce (silk, grain and spice trade) from the 1200s to 1600s. The wealthy legacy of Venice stands today in a rich architecture combining Gothic, Byzantine, and Arab styles. Venice and the Venetian Lagoon are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
    13ITA-10453_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • The Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri, built 1602) spans the Roi di Palazzo and connects the Old Prison and interrogation rooms in the Doge’s Palace to the New Prison located across the canal to the right, in Venice, Italy, Europe. The bridge can be seen from Ponte della Paglia next to the Doge’s Palace. The bridge name, given by Lord Byron in the 19th century, comes from the suggestion that prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice through the window before being taken down to their cells. In reality, the days of inquisitions and summary executions were over by the time the bridge was built and the cells under the palace roof were occupied mostly by small-time criminals. Little could be seen from inside the Bridge due to the stone grills covering the windows. A local legend says that lovers will be granted eternal love and bliss if they kiss on a gondola at sunset under the Bridge of Sighs as the bells of St Mark's Campanile toll. This legend served as a plot line for the movie "A Little Romance," featuring Laurence Olivier and Diane Lane. Venice (Venezia), founded in the 400s AD, is capital of Italy’s Veneto region, named for the ancient Veneti people from the 900s BC. The romantic City of Canals stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea, between the mouths of the Po and Piave Rivers. The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a staging area for the Crusades, and a major center of art and commerce (silk, grain and spice trade) from the 1200s to 1600s. The wealthy legacy of Venice stands today in a rich architecture combining Gothic, Byzantine, and Arab styles. Venice and the Venetian Lagoon are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
    13ITA-10358_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • A statue of the winged Lion of St. Mark, one of two patron saints of Venice, rises on a tall granite column erected in the 1200s in Piazzetta San Marco, in Venice, Veneto, Italy, Europe. The winged Lion of St. Mark, which appeared on the flag and coat of arms of the Republic of Venice, is still featured in the red-yellow flag of the city of Venice (with six tails, one for each sestiere of the city), in its coat of arms, and in the yellow-red-blue flag of the Veneto region (which has seven tails representing its seven provinces). The winged lion also appears in the naval ensign of the Italian Republic, alongside the coat of arms of three other medieval Italian maritime republics (Genoa, Pisa and Amalfi), as well as the Golden Lion, awarded at the Venice Film Festival. Venezia is the capital of Italy’s Veneto region, named for the ancient Veneti people from the 900s BC. The romantic "City of Canals" stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea between the mouths of the Po and Piave Rivers. The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a staging area for the Crusades, and a major center of art and commerce (silk, grain and spice trade) from the 1200s to 1600s. The wealthy legacy of Venice stands today in a rich architecture combining Gothic, Byzantine, and Arab styles.
    13ITA-10367_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • A wild alpine Lilium bulbiferum flower (commonly called Orange Lily, Fire Lily, or Tiger Lily) blooms on Monte Civetta, in the Dolomites, Italy, Europe. From Alleghe village, take a scenic lift to hikes on impressive Monte Civetta (3220 meters or 10,564 feet elevation). The Dolomites or Dolomiti are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, in Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    13ITA-20105_Orange-Lily.jpg
  • A gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque. Venice (Venezia), founded in the 400s AD, is capital of Italy’s Veneto region, named for the ancient Veneti people from the 900s BC. The romantic City of Canals stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea, between the mouths of the Po and Piave Rivers. The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a staging area for the Crusades, and a major center of art and commerce (silk, grain and spice trade) from the 1200s to 1600s. The wealthy legacy of Venice stands today in a rich architecture combining Gothic, Byzantine, and Arab styles. Venice and the Venetian Lagoon are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
    13ITA-10431_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • Surprisingly young children climb and rappel (abseil) while harnessed and roped on a practice wall in downtown Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Europe. Afternoon sun rays burst through clouds over the Ampezzo Dolomites. The mountain town of Cortina d'Ampezzo (Ladin: Anpëz, German: Hayden, at 1224 meters/4016 feet elevation) is surrounded by the Dolomites (Dolomiti, a part of the Southern Limestone Alps) at the top of Valle del Boite in the Province of Belluno, Veneto region, Italy. This ski resort hosted the 1956 Winter Olympics. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. This panorama was stitched from 3 overlapping photos.
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  • Mountain bikers push their bicycles up the Panoramaweg/Panorama Trail. Views of the Geisler/Odle Group and a church in St. Magdalena (Santa Maddalena) village are iconic of the Dolomites mountains. See the valley and municipality of Funes (Villnöss) in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (South Tyrol), Italy. Enjoy great hiking here in the vast Nature Park of Parco Naturale Puez-Odle (German: Naturpark Puez-Geisler; Ladin: Parch Natural Pöz-Odles). The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    13ITA-30148_Geisler-Odle-Dolomites.jpg
  • A boat moors to an old weathered building with blue door in Venice. Venezia, founded in the 400s AD, is capital of Italy’s Veneto region, named for the ancient Veneti people from the 900s BC. The romantic City of Canals stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea, between the mouths of the Po and Piave Rivers. The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a staging area for the Crusades, and a major center of art and commerce (silk, grain and spice trade) from the 1200s to 1600s. The wealthy legacy of Venice stands today in a rich architecture combining Gothic, Byzantine, and Arab styles. Venice and the Venetian Lagoon are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
    13ITA-10017_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • A field of yellow buttercup flowers (Ranunculus genus) blooms at Pordoi Pass in Italy, Europe. In the distance rise the Langkofel/Sassolungo Group (left) and Sella Group (right). We highly recommend hiking the Bindelweg/Viel del Pan trail for a majestic perspective on the Queen of the Dolomites, glacier-clad Marmolada (3343 meters / 10,968 feet). Take state highway 48 (Grand Strader delle Dolomiti) to Pordoi Pass and hike up the Padon chain, a ridge of volcanic origin carpeted with lush green pasture and wildflowers. Hike an easy 5 miles with 1000 feet gain round trip to Rifugio Viel del Pan; or walk one way 4 miles to the lift at Porta Vescovo down to Arabba village, where an SAD bus can return you to Pordoi Pass during lift hours; or walk 3 hours to Lago di Fedaia and bus back. Pordoi Pass (or Pordoijoch, 2239 meters/7346 feet) is the highest surfaced road traversing a pass in the Dolomites. The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. The panorama was stitched from two overlapping photos, focused near and far.
    13ITA-20845-46pan_Ranunculus-flower_...jpg
  • Walk in beautiful Vallunga/Langental through a deeply glaciated U-shaped valley, in Puez-Geisler Nature Park (Italian: Parco naturale Puez Odle; German: Naturpark Puez-Geisler) near Selva di Val Gardena, in the Dolomites, Italy, Europe. The mostly Ladin-speaking town of Sëlva Gherdëine (German: Wolkenstein in Gröden; Italian: Selva di Val Gardena) is in Südtirol/South Tyrol/Alto Adige, in the Dolomiti, part of the Southern Limestone Alps.
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  • Venice (Venezia) is the capital of Italy's Veneto region, named for the ancient Veneti people from the 10th century BC. The romantic "City of Canals" stretches across 117 small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy, Europe. The Republic of Venice wielded major sea power during the Middle Ages, Crusades, and Renaissance. Riches from Venice's silk, grain, and spice trade in the 1200s to 1600s built elaborate architecture combining Gothic, Byzantine, and Arab styles. Venice and the Venetian Lagoon are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
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  • A stream tumbles in a waterfall from Sella massif (Gruppo di Sella), down to Corvara, a prestigious tourist center in Alta Badia, in Val/Valle/Valley of Badia in the province of Südtirol/South Tyrol/Alto Adige, Italy. Corvara is surrounded by the peaks of the Dolomites (or Dolomiti), a part of the Southern Limestone Alps in Europe. The Dolomites were declared a natural World Heritage Site (2009) by UNESCO. Panorama stitched from 3 overlapping photos.
    11ITA-4127-4129pan_Sella-Group-water...jpg
  • Horse and colt. North faces of the Geisler/Odle Group drop nearly 1000 meters into Val di Funes (Villnöß valley) in the Dolomites, Italy, Europe. Puez-Geisler Nature Park (Italian: Parco naturale Puez Odle; German: Naturpark Puez-Geisler) is in Südtirol/South Tyrol/Alto Adige, in the Dolomiti, part of the Southern Limestone Alps, Italy. The Dolomites were declared a natural World Heritage Site (2009) by UNESCO.
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  • Walk in beautiful Vallunga/Langental through a deeply glaciated U-shaped valley, in Puez-Geisler Nature Park (Italian: Parco naturale Puez Odle; German: Naturpark Puez-Geisler) near Selva di Val Gardena, in the Dolomites, Italy, Europe. The mostly Ladin-speaking town of Sëlva Gherdëine (German: Wolkenstein in Gröden; Italian: Selva di Val Gardena) is in Südtirol/South Tyrol/Alto Adige, in the Dolomiti, part of the Southern Limestone Alps. The Dolomites were declared a natural World Heritage Site (2009) by UNESCO. Panorama stitched from 3 overlapping photos.
    11ITA-8257+63-64_Vallunga_Puez-Geisl...jpg
  • The Piazzetta extends Piazza San Marco (Saint Mark's Square) to the Venetian Lagoon waterfront. The Doge's Palace, built in gothic style 1309-1424 AD, housed the elected leader and government of the Republic of Venice, until Napoleon occupied in 1797. The romantic "City of Canals" stretches across 117 small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy. The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a staging area for the Crusades, and a major center of art and commerce (silk, grain and spice trade) from the 13th through 17th centuries. The wealthy legacy of Venice stands today in a rich architecture combining Gothic, Byzantine, and Arab styles. Venice and the Venetian Lagoons are on the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage List. Panorama stitched from 12 overlapping photos.
    11ITA-1393-1404pan_San-Marco-Square.jpg
  • Marmots are large ground squirrels in the genus Marmota. This animal lives atop Alpe di Seceda, in the Geisler/Odle Group, above Ortisei, in South Tyrol, the Dolomites, Italy, Europe. The beautiful ski resort of Selva di Val Gardena (German: Wolkenstein in Gröden; Ladin: Sëlva Gherdëine) makes a great hiking base in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (South Tyrol) region of Italy. For our favorite hike in the Dolomiti, start from Selva with the first morning bus to Ortisei, take the Seceda lift, admire great views up at the cross on the edge of Val di Funes (Villnöss), then walk 12 miles (2000 feet up, 5000 feet down) via the steep pass Furcela Forces De Sieles (Forcella Forces de Sielles) to beautiful Vallunga (trail #2 to 16), finishing where you started in Selva. The hike traverses the Geisler/Odle and Puez Groups from verdant pastures to alpine wonders, all preserved in a vast Nature Park: Parco Naturale Puez-Odle (German: Naturpark Puez-Geisler; Ladin: Parch Natural Pöz-Odles), including the deeply glaciated U-shaped valley of Vallunga (Langental). UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    13ITA-20934_marmot_Dolomites.jpg
  • Rays of setting sun backlight the Parish Church of St. Nicholas (Nikolauskirche; dedicated to San Nicolò; consecrated in 1507), in Winnebach (Prato Drava) village, Sesto Dolomites, South Tyrol, Italy, Europe. For cheaper lodging in Val Pusteria (Pustertal), try Winnebach (Prato alla Drava) village near the Austrian border, beneath the Sexten/Sesto Dolomites (Italian: Dolomiti di Sesto; German: Sextener Dolomiten), in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (South Tyrol), Italy. Winnebach (Prato Drava) is in the comune (municipality) of Innichen/San Candido. The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, in Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    13ITA-30313_Winnebach_Prato-Drava_Pu...jpg
  • The peaks of the Cadini Group jut high above Rifugio Lavaredo in the Dolomites, near Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Europe. In the Cadini di Misurina, Cima Grande rises to 2999 meters (9839 feet), between Cima Piccola and Cima Ovest. Hike for spectacular views around Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Italian for "Three Peaks of Lavaredo," or in German called Drei Zinnen, "Three Merlons"). The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, in northern Italy, Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
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  • Hike scenic and historic trails around Cinque Torri in the Dolomiti Ampezzane mountains near Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Europe. Explore restored artillery bunkers and trenches from World War I conflicts between Italian and Austro-Hungarian troops. The "Five Towers" (Cinque Torri or Fünf Türme) rise to 2361 meters elevation on Averau mountain in the Nuvolao group of the Dolomites. The Dolomites were declared a natural World Heritage Site (2009) by UNESCO. For licensing options, please inquire.
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  • From the ski resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo, ride a cable car lift to Tofana di Mezzo (3244 meters / 10,643 feet, third highest peak in the Dolomites) in Tofane mountain group, in the Dolomiti (a part of the Southern Limestone Alps), in the Veneto region, Italy, Europe. This ski resort hosted the 1956 Winter Olympics and motion pictures including: "The Pink Panther" (1963), "For Your Eyes Only" (1981, James Bond stunt sequences); and "Cliffhanger" (1993). Here at the head of Valle del Boite, nearby peaks include Pomagagnon to the north, Cristallo to the northeast, Faloria and Sorapiss to the east, and Becco di Mezzodì, Croda da Lago and Cinque Torri to south. The Dolomites were declared a natural World Heritage Site (2009) by UNESCO. Panorama stitched from 10 overlapping photos.
    11ITA-1821-1830pan_Cortina_Tofana-di...jpg
  • The peaks of the Cadini Group jut high in the Sesto Dolomites near Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Europe. In the Cadini di Misurina, Cima Grande rises to 2999 meters (9839 feet), between Cima Piccola and Cima Ovest. Hike for spectacular views around Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Italian for "Three Peaks of Lavaredo," or in German called Drei Zinnen, "Three Merlons"). The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, in northern Italy, Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
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  • Lake Misurina (1751 meters elevation), near Cortina d'Ampezzo, in the Cadore mountain community, in the Dolomites or Dolomiti (part of the Southern Limestone Alps), Italy. The Dolomites mountains were declared a natural World Heritage Site (2009) by UNESCO. Panorama stitched from 2 overlapping photos.
    11ITA-1798-99pan_Lake-Misurina.jpg
  • Crepuscular rays of sunlight break through clouds in the Dolomites, or Dolomiti, a part of the Southern Limestone Alps, in northern Italy, Europe. The view looks westwards from a trail west of Gasthaus Passo di Giau. The Dolomites are honored as a natural World Heritage Site (2009) by UNESCO.
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  • Saint Sylvester's Chapel (San Silvestro) in Vallunga is dedicated to the patron saint of cattle and contains 300-year-old frescoes depicting the life of Jesus. Walk through the beautiful, deeply glaciated, U-shaped valley of Vallunga/Langental in Puez-Geisler Nature Park (Italian: Parco naturale Puez Odle; German: Naturpark Puez-Geisler) near Selva di Val Gardena, in the Dolomites, Italy, Europe. The mostly Ladin-speaking town of Sëlva Gherdëine (German: Wolkenstein in Gröden; Italian: Selva di Val Gardena) is in Südtirol/South Tyrol/Alto Adige, in the Dolomiti, part of the Southern Limestone Alps. Panorama stitched from 3 overlapping photos.
    11ITA-4065-67pan_Vallunga_Puez-Geisl...jpg
  • The peaks of Cadini Group, Sorapiss Group, and Monte Cristallo rise (left to right) in the Dolomites, Veneto region, Italy, Europe. In the Cadini di Misurina, Cima Grande rises to 2999 meters (9839 feet), between Cima Piccola and Cima Ovest. Sorapiss and Monte Cristallo are in the Ampezzo Dolomites. The Cadini Group is in the Sesto Dolomites (Dolomiti di Sesto, or Sexten/Sextner/Sextener Dolomiten) which lie north of the Fiume Ansiei valley and Auronzo. From the Rifugio Auronzo toll road, hike for spectacular views around Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Italian for "Three Peaks of Lavaredo," called Drei Zinnen or "Three Merlons" in German). The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. Panorama stitched from 4 overlapping photos.
    11ITA-8079-82pan_Sexten-Dolomites.jpg
  • Madonna dell'Orto church was erected by the now-defunct Humiliati religious order in the mid 1300s in the sestiere of Cannaregio, Venice, in Italy, Europe. The brickwork bell tower was finished in 1503 with an onion dome in Eastern style, topped by a white marble statue of the Redeemer. The photo is taken from a hotel room in Antica Raffineria (www.anticaraffineria.it). Venice (Venezia) is the capital of Italy's Veneto region, named for the ancient Veneti people from the 900s BC. The romantic "City of Canals" stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy. The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a staging area for the Crusades, and a major center of art and commerce (silk, grain and spice trade) from the 1200s to 1600s. The wealthy legacy of Venice stands today in a rich architecture combining Gothic, Byzantine, and Arab styles.
    13ITA-10077_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • Gondolas are traditional, flat-bottomed rowing boats which ferry people through Venetian canals. From a peak of 10,000 gondolas 200 years ago, just 500 gondolas now serve Venice. The banana-shaped modern gondola was developed in the 1800s. The left side of the gondola is made longer than the right side to resist leftwards drift at the forward stroke. The gondolier stands on the stern facing the bow and rows just on the right side, with a forward stroke and compensating backward stroke. The oar or rèmo is held in an oar lock, or fórcola, shaped for several rowing positions. The decorative fèrro (meaning iron) ornament on the front can be made of brass, stainless steel, or aluminum, as counterweight for the gondolier standing near the stern. The six horizontal lines and curved top of the ferro represent Venice's six sestieri (districts) and the Doge's cap. Painting gondolas black originated as a sumptuary law banning ostentatious competition between nobles. Until the early 1900s, many gondolas had a small cabin (felze) with windows which could be closed with louvered shutters--the original "venetian blinds." The romantic "City of Canals" stretches across 117 small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy, Europe. Venice and the Venetian Lagoons are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
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  • The Baroque, onion-domed Church of St. Johann in Ranui was built in 1744 and dedicated to Saint Johannes Nepomuk. The Geisler/Odle Group of Dolomites mountains rises nearly 1000 meters above the church in Val di Funes (Villnöß valley), Italy. John of Nepomuk, or Nepomucenea, is a national saint of the Czech Republic, the first martyr of the Seal of the Confessional, a patron against calumnies, and a protector from floods. The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    13ITA-30201_St-Johann-in-Ranui_Geisl...jpg
  • Cadini di Misurina and the Sorapiss Group rise in the Dolomites mountain range near Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Europe. In the Cadini di Misurina, Cima Grande rises to 2999 meters (9839 feet), between Cima Piccola and Cima Ovest. Hike for spectacular views around Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Italian for "Three Peaks of Lavaredo," also called Drei Zinnen or "Three Merlons" in German). The Dolomites were declared a natural World Heritage Site (2009) by UNESCO. Panorama stitched from 4 overlapping photos.
    11ITA-1747-50pan_Dolomites.jpg
  • Gondolas are moored on Saint Mark's Basin across from Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggiore, a 16th century Benedictine church on the island of the same name in Venice, Italy, Europe. The basilica was designed in the classical renaissance style by Andrea Palladio and built from 1566-1610. The white marble basilica rises above the blue water of the lagoon (San Marco Basin and Canal) across from Piazzetta San Marco. The campanile (bell tower), first built in 1467, fell in 1774, and was rebuilt in neo-classic style by 1791. Gondolas are traditional, flat-bottomed rowing boats which ferry people through Venetian canals. From a peak of 10,000 gondolas 200 years ago, just 500 gondolas now serve Venice. The banana-shaped modern gondola was developed in the 1800s. The left side of the gondola is made longer than the right side to resist leftwards drift at the forward stroke. The gondolier stands on the stern facing the bow and rows just on the right side, with a forward stroke and compensating backward stroke. The oar or rèmo is held in an oar lock, or fórcola, shaped for several rowing positions. The decorative fèrro (meaning iron) ornament on the front can be made of brass, stainless steel, or aluminum, as counterweight for the gondolier standing near the stern. The six horizontal lines and curved top of the ferro represent Venice's six sestieri (districts) and the Doge's cap. Painting gondolas black originated as a sumptuary law banning ostentatious competition between nobles. The romantic "City of Canals" stretches across 117 small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy, Europe. Venice and the Venetian Lagoon are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
    11ITA-1066.jpg
  • The peaks of Cadini Group, Sorapiss Group, and Monte Cristallo rise (left to right) in the Dolomites, Veneto region, Italy, Europe. In the Cadini di Misurina, Cima Grande rises to 2999 meters (9839 feet), between Cima Piccola and Cima Ovest. Sorapiss and Monte Cristallo are in the Ampezzo Dolomites. The Cadini Group is in the Sesto Dolomites (Dolomiti di Sesto, or Sexten/Sextner/Sextener Dolomiten) which lie north of the Fiume Ansiei valley and Auronzo. From the Rifugio Auronzo toll road, hike for spectacular views around Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Italian for "Three Peaks of Lavaredo," called Drei Zinnen or "Three Merlons" in German). The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. Panorama stitched from 8 overlapping photos.
    11ITA-1774-81pan_Dolomites.jpg
  • After the plague of 1630, Venice built "The Salute," Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute (Saint Mary of Health) by 1687 at the intersection of the Grand Canal, Canal of San Marco, and Canal of Giudecca. Venice (Venezia) is the capital of Italy’s Veneto region, named for the ancient Veneti people from the 900s BC. The romantic "City of Canals" stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy, between the mouths of the Po and Piave Rivers. The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a staging area for the Crusades, and a major center of art and commerce (silk, grain and spice trade) from the 1200s to 1600s. The wealthy legacy of Venice stands today in a rich architecture combining Gothic, Byzantine, and Arab styles.
    13ITA-10066_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • Weathered red house with greenish yellow shutters. Burano, known for knitted lacework, fishing, and colorfully painted houses, is a small archipelago of four islands linked by bridges in the Venetian Lagoon, in the Veneto region of Italy, Europe. Burano’s traditional house colors are strictly regulated by government. The Romans may have been first to settle Burano. Romantic Venice (Venezia), "City of Canals," stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy, between the mouths of the Po and Piave Rivers. Venice and the Venetian Lagoon are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
    13ITA-10158_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • The spiky blue "Comet Glass Star" was made for Christmas 2007 by Master glass maker Simone Cenedese in Murano and displayed at Campo Santo Stefano, under the 1890 clock tower. Murano is a series of islands linked by bridges in the Venetian Lagoon, in northern Italy, Europe. To reduce the threat of fire to Venice, all glassmakers were forced to the island of Murano in 1291 AD. Venetian glass is world-renowned as colorful, elaborate, and skillfully made. Once an independent comune, Murano is now a frazione of the comune of Venice. The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a staging area for the Crusades, and a major center of art and commerce (silk, grain and spice trade) from the 1200s to 1600s. The wealthy legacy of Venice stands today in a rich architecture combining Gothic, Byzantine, and Arab styles. This panorama was stitched from 4 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-10044-47pan_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • Brightly painted blue, pink, purple, red, and orange houses. Burano, known for knitted lacework, fishing, and colorfully painted houses, is a small archipelago of four islands linked by bridges in the Venetian Lagoon, in the Veneto region of Italy, Europe. Burano’s traditional house colors are strictly regulated by government. The Romans may have been first to settle Burano. Romantic Venice (Venezia), "City of Canals," stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy, between the mouths of the Po and Piave Rivers. Venice and the Venetian Lagoon are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
    13ITA-10172_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • The Church of Santa Fosca dates from the 1000s AD (as does the adjacent Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta) on Torcello island in the Venice Lagoon, Italy, Europe. Italy’s Veneto region is named for the ancient Veneti people from the 900s BC. Over a hundred small islands spread across the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy, between the mouths of the Po and Piave Rivers. Barbarian invasions, such as Huns in 452 AD, drove mainland Veniti people to settle the islands. The population of Torcello peaked in the 900s AD with more people than the city of Venice. The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a staging area for the Crusades, and a major center of art and commerce (silk, grain and spice trade) from the 1200s to 1600s. The wealthy legacy of Venice stands today in a rich architecture combining Gothic, Byzantine, and Arab styles.
    13ITA-10174_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • The tilting campanile (bell tower) of the Church of San Martino rises above houses in Burano, in the Venetian Lagoon, Italy, Europe. Burano, known for knitted lacework, fishing, and colorfully painted houses, is a small archipelago of four islands linked by bridges in the Venetian Lagoon. Burano’s traditional house colors are strictly regulated by government. The Romans may have been first to settle Burano. Romantic Venice (Venezia), "City of Canals," stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy, between the mouths of the Po and Piave Rivers. Venice and the Venetian Lagoon are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
    13ITA-10197_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • Old window arches on balcony. Venice (Venezia), founded in the 400s AD, is capital of Italy’s Veneto region, named for the ancient Veneti people from the 900s BC. The romantic City of Canals stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea, between the mouths of the Po and Piave Rivers. The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a staging area for the Crusades, and a major center of art and commerce (silk, grain and spice trade) from the 1200s to 1600s. The wealthy legacy of Venice stands today in a rich architecture combining Gothic, Byzantine, and Arab styles. Venice and the Venetian Lagoon are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
    13ITA-10233_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • This panorama of Campo Santa Maria Formosa in Venice was stitched from 7 overlapping photos. The Church of Santa Maria Formosa, built in 1492, is Renaissance architect Mauro Codussi's architectural masterpiece. The square known as Campo Santa Maria Formosa is in Castello sestiere, in Venice, Italy, Europe. Two façades were commissioned: in 1542, the Renaissance-style side facing the channel and in 1604, the Baroque side facing the square. Venice (Venezia) is the capital of Italy’s Veneto region, named for the ancient Veneti people from the 900s BC. The romantic "City of Canals" stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy, between the mouths of the Po (south) and Piave (north) Rivers. The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a staging area for the Crusades, and a major center of art and commerce (silk, grain and spice trade) from the 1200s to 1600s. The wealthy legacy of Venice stands today in a rich architecture combining Gothic, Byzantine, and Arab styles. This panorama was stitched from 7 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-10254-60pan_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • Gondolas are traditional, flat-bottomed rowing boats which ferry people through Venetian canals. From a peak of 10,000 gondolas 200 years ago, just 500 gondolas now serve Venice. The banana-shaped modern gondola was developed in the 1800s. The left side of a gondola is made longer than the right side to resist leftwards drift at the forward stroke. The gondolier stands on the stern facing the bow and rows just on the right side, with a forward stroke and compensating backward stroke. The oar or rèmo is held in an oar lock, or fórcola, shaped for several rowing positions. The decorative fèrro (meaning iron) ornament on the front can be made of brass, stainless steel, or aluminum, as counterweight for the gondolier standing near the stern. The six horizontal lines and curved top of the ferro represent Venice's six sestieri (districts) and the Doge's cap. Painting gondolas black originated as a sumptuary law eliminating ostentatious competition between nobles. Until the early 1900s, many gondolas had a small cabin (felze) with windows which could be closed with louvered shutters—the original "venetian blinds." The romantic "City of Canals" stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy, Europe. Venice and the Venetian Lagoons are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
    13ITA-10314_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • Crowds of people near Saint Mark's Square, across from Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute. Venice (Venezia) is the capital of Italy’s Veneto region, named for the ancient Veneti people from the 900s BC. The romantic "City of Canals" stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy, between the mouths of the Po and Piave Rivers. The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a staging area for the Crusades, and a major center of art and commerce (silk, grain and spice trade) from the 1200s to 1600s. The wealthy legacy of Venice stands today in a rich architecture combining Gothic, Byzantine, and Arab styles.
    13ITA-10334_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • The façade of Saint Mark’s Basilica is like a patchwork quilt made of marble. In Venice, Italy, the Byzantine architecture of Saint Mark’s Basilica dates from 1063 AD. Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice. Piazza San Marco (Saint Mark's Square) is the prime walking center of Venice. The Piazzetta extends Piazza San Marco to the Venetian Lagoon waterfront. Venice (Venezia) is the capital of Italy’s Veneto region, named for the ancient Veneti people from the 900s BC. The romantic "City of Canals" stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea. The Republic of Venice wielded major sea power during the Middle Ages, Crusades, and Renaissance. Riches from Venice’s silk, grain, and spice trade in the 1200s to 1600s built elaborate architecture combining Gothic, Byzantine, and Arab styles. Venice and the Venetian Lagoons are honored on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
    13ITA-10373_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • See Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute from Ponte dell'Accademia bridge on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. The bridge links the sestiere of San Marco and Dorsoduro and is named for the Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia. The original 1854 steel bridge was replaced by a wooden one in 1933 and 1985. Lovers like to attach padlocks ("love locks") to the metal hand rails of the bridge (but are discouraged from doing so by Venice authorities). The yellow and white building at left is Istituto Veneto di Scienze Lettere ed Arti / Palazzo Cavalli Franchetti. Venice (Venezia) is the capital of Italy’s Veneto region, named for the ancient Veneti people from the 900s BC. The romantic "City of Canals" stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy, between the mouths of the Po and Piave Rivers. The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a staging area for the Crusades, and a major center of art and commerce (silk, grain and spice trade) from the 1200s to 1600s. The wealthy legacy of Venice stands today in a rich architecture combining Gothic, Byzantine, and Arab styles. This panorama was stitched from 10 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-10484-93pan_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • A pond reflects Hotel Gonzaga and peaks of the Langkofel Group (Sassolungo, 3181 meters / 10,436 feet) and Sella Group, in Val di Fassa, 2 km west of Passo Pordoi, in the Dolomites, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region, Italy. We highly recommend lodging in a pristine, roomy apartment with full kitchen in a beautiful setting at Hotel Gonzaga Appartamenti Garni (Canazei, I-38032, Streda de Pordoi, 102, telephone +39 0462 602121). The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. This panorama was stitched from 5 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-20443-47pan_Langkofel-Sassolun...jpg
  • The peaks of the Cadini Group jut high in the Dolomites range near Cortina d'Ampezzo, Veneto region, Italy, Europe. In the Cadini di Misurina, Cima Grande rises to 2999 meters (9839 feet), between Cima Piccola 2857 m (9373 ft) and Cima Ovest or "Western Peak" 2973 m (9754 ft). The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, in northern Italy, Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    11ITA-1761.jpg
  • Young people hike towards Torrione di Vallesinella in the Brenta Dolomites. From the ski resort of Madonna di Campiglio in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region of Italy, the Passo Groste lift takes you directly into the Brenta Dolomites to enjoy scenic mountain hiking trails. 200 million years ago, Triassic coral reefs fossilized into Dolomite. Collision of tectonic plates lifted the Dolomites within the Southern Limestone Alps. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. This panorama was stitched from 4 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-10647-50pan_Brenta-Dolomites.jpg
  • To the right of Rifugio Tuckett e Sella (2272m) is the peak of Cima Mandron (3040m) in the clouds. Brenta Dolomites. From the ski resort of Madonna di Campiglio in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region of Italy, the Passo Groste lift takes you directly into the Brenta Dolomites to enjoy scenic mountain hiking trails. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. This panorama was stitched from 6 overlapping photos. For licensing options, please inquire.
    13ITA-10731-36pan_Brenta-Dolomites_R...jpg
  • Above Rifugio Tuckett e Sella (2272m) rise the peaks of (left to right) Campanile di Vallesinella (2946m), Castelletto Superiore (2700m), Cima Sella (2917m) in the Brenta Dolomites, Italy, Europe. From the ski resort of Madonna di Campiglio in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region of Italy, the Passo Groste lift takes you directly into the Brenta Dolomites to enjoy scenic mountain hiking trails. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    13ITA-10760_Brenta-Dolomites.jpg
  • Vallesinella Falls is an exceptionally beautiful series of cascades along a short trail in the Brenta Dolomites, near the ski resort of Madonna di Campiglio in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region of Italy, Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. This panorama was stitched from 4 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-10883-86pan_Brenta-Dolomites.jpg
  • Sunrise reflects the Rosengarten/Catinaccio group in a pond. From Pera di Fassa village (in Pozza di Fassa comune in Val di Fassa), in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region, Italy, take a bus or lift to visit Rifugio Gardeccia Hutte and hike in the Rosengarten mountain massif (Catinaccio Group) of the Dolomites. 200 million years ago, Triassic coral reefs fossilized into Dolomite. Collision of tectonic plates lifted the Dolomites within the Southern Limestone Alps. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. This panorama was stitched from 4 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-10931-34pan_Catinaccio-Rosenga...jpg
  • See the steep face of Marmolata in the distance from Rifugio Gardeccia Hutte, in the Dolomites, Italy, Europe. From Pera di Fassa village (in Pozza di Fassa comune in Val di Fassa), in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region, Italy, take a bus or lift to visit Rifugio Gardeccia Hutte and hike in the Rosengarten mountain massif (Catinaccio Group) of the Dolomites. 200 million years ago, Triassic coral reefs fossilized into Dolomite. Collision of tectonic plates lifted the Dolomites within the Southern Limestone Alps. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    13ITA-10939.jpg
  • At Prera Longia/Pieralongia, between Alpe di Seceda and Alpe di Cisles/Cisles-Alm, walk by curious rock outcrops, near St. Christina, in Val Gardena, in South Tyrol, the Dolomites, Italy, Europe. In the background are the Puez Group (middle) and Langkofel Group (right, Sassolungo, 3181 meters/10,436 feet). The beautiful ski resort of Selva di Val Gardena (German: Wolkenstein in Gröden; Ladin: Sëlva Gherdëine) makes a great hiking base in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (South Tyrol) region of Italy. For our favorite hike in the Dolomiti, start from Selva with the first morning bus to Ortisei, take the Seceda lift, admire great views up at the cross on the edge of Val di Funes (Villnöss), then walk 12 miles (2000 feet up, 5000 feet down) via the steep pass Furcela Forces De Sieles (Forcella Forces de Sielles) to beautiful Vallunga (trail #2 to 16), finishing where you started in Selva. The hike traverses the Geisler/Odle and Puez Groups from verdant pastures to alpine wonders, all preserved in a vast Nature Park: Parco Naturale Puez-Odle (German: Naturpark Puez-Geisler; Ladin: Parch Natural Pöz-Odles). UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. This panorama was stitched from 7 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-21019-25pan_Val-Gardena_South-...jpg
  • Gondolas are traditional, flat-bottomed rowing boats which ferry people through Venetian canals. From a peak of 10,000 gondolas 200 years ago, just 500 gondolas now serve Venice. The banana-shaped modern gondola was developed in the 1800s. The left side of a gondola is made longer than the right side to resist leftwards drift at the forward stroke. The gondolier stands on the stern facing the bow and rows just on the right side, with a forward stroke and compensating backward stroke. The oar or rèmo is held in an oar lock, or fórcola, shaped for several rowing positions. The decorative fèrro (meaning iron) ornament on the front can be made of brass, stainless steel, or aluminum, as counterweight for the gondolier standing near the stern. The six horizontal lines and curved top of the ferro represent Venice's six sestieri (districts) and the Doge's cap. Painting gondolas black originated as a sumptuary law eliminating ostentatious competition between nobles. Until the early 1900s, many gondolas had a small cabin (felze) with windows which could be closed with louvered shutters—the original "venetian blinds." The romantic "City of Canals" stretches across 100+ small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy, Europe. Venice and the Venetian Lagoons are honored on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
    13ITA-10280_Venice-Italy.jpg
  • A stream flows from le Coronelle in the Rosengarten/Catinaccio group at sunrise in the Dolomites, Italy, Europe. From Pera di Fassa village (in Pozza di Fassa comune in Val di Fassa), in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region, Italy, take a bus or lift to visit Rifugio Gardeccia Hutte and hike in the Rosengarten mountain massif (Catinaccio Group) of the Dolomites. 200 million years ago, Triassic coral reefs fossilized into Dolomite. Collision of tectonic plates lifted the Dolomites within the Southern Limestone Alps. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. This panorama was stitched from 6 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-10956-61pan_Catinaccio-Rosenga...jpg
  • A yellow poppy flower blooms on sunny slopes of the Rosengarten/Catinaccio Group in the Dolomites, Italy, Europe. From Pera di Fassa village (in Pozza di Fassa comune in Val di Fassa), in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region, Italy, take a bus or lift to visit Rifugio Gardeccia Hutte and hike in the Rosengarten mountain massif (Catinaccio Group) of the Dolomites. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    13ITA-11011_yellow-poppies.jpg
  • A bee gathers nectar and pollinates a purple knapweed flower (Centaurea genus), at Passo Cibiana, Dolomites, part of the Southern Limestone Alps, Italy, Europe. Centaurea is a genus of hundreds of species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants (commonly called knapweed, starthistle, centaury, or centory) in the family Asteraceae. Centaurea are found only north of the equator. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    13ITA-50305_bee_Centaurea.jpg
  • From Rifugio Guido Lorenzi on Monte Cristallo in the Ampezzo Dolomites, look northeast across blue ridges of the Sesto Dolomites (Dolomiti di Sesto, or Sexten/Sextner/Sextener Dolomiten) towards the pyramids of Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Italian for "Three Peaks of Lavaredo," called Drei Zinnen or "Three Merlons" in German). A lift to Forcella Staunies on Monte Cristallo gives unforgettable views over the Dolomites mountains (part of the Southern Limestone Alps) near Cortina d'Ampezzo, in the Province of Belluno, Veneto region, Italy, Europe. Monte Cristallo lies within Parco Naturale delle Dolomiti d'Ampezzo. Directions: From Cortina, drive 6km east on SR48 to the large parking lot for Ski Area Faloria Cristallo Mietres (just west of Passo Tre Croci Federavecchia). Take a chair-lift from Rio Gere to Son Forca (rising from 1698m to 2215m). Then take the old style ovovia (egg-shaped) Gondellift Forcella Staunies to Rifugio Guido Lorenzi (2932m) for astounding views. Climbers enjoy spectacular via ferrata routes here. Cortina gained worldwide fame after hosting the 1956 Winter Olympics. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. This panorama was stitched from 2 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-40174-75pan_atop-Monte-Cristal...jpg
  • Spotlit by sunset, the Pala Dolomites (Pale di San Martino) soar majestically above Passo Rolle, near the mountain resort of San Martino di Castrozza in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region of Italy, Europe. The sharp peak of Cimon della Pala (right, 3129m) is eclipsed in height by Cima della Vezana (at its left, 3192m, highest of the Pala Dolomites). 200 million years ago, Triassic coral reefs fossilized into Dolomite. Collision of tectonic plates lifted the Dolomites within the Southern Limestone Alps. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. This panorama was stitched from 2 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-20055-56pan_Pala-Dolomites.jpg
  • At moonrise, the Pala Dolomites (Pale di San Martino) soar majestically above Passo Rolle, near the mountain resort of San Martino di Castrozza in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region of Italy, Europe. The sharp peak of Cimon della Pala (right, 3129m) is eclipsed in height by Cima della Vezana (behind left, 3192m, highest of the Pala Dolomites). 200 million years ago, Triassic coral reefs fossilized into Dolomite. Collision of tectonic plates lifted the Dolomites within the Southern Limestone Alps. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. This panorama was stitched from 2 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-20070-71pan_Pala-Dolomites.jpg
  • Monte Civetta (3220 meters or 10,564 feet elevation) rises high above hiker trails accessible via lift from Alleghe resort village, in the Dolomites, Belluno province, Veneto region, Italy. The Dolomites or Dolomiti are part of the Southern Limestone Alps in Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. This panorama was stitched from 6 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-20177-82pan_Monte-Civetta.jpg
  • From Punta Rocca lift station on Marmolada, look west to Pala di San Martino Group, Passo Rolle, and Passo Valles, in Italy. From Malga Ciapela village, take a spectacular lift on Marmolada (Queen of the Dolomites) above the biggest (and only skiable) glacier in the Dolomiti: Ghiacciaio della Marmolada. Known as Marmoleda in Ladin, the highest peak in the Dolomites rises to 3343 meters (10,968 feet) elevation. Top station Punta Rocca gives a very exciting view of the surrounding mountains. The World War I museum at Serauta lift station describes the amazing City of Ice (Die Eisstadt, 1917), where Austrian soldiers inside the Marmolada Glacier built quarters in tunnels extending 12 kilometers with a vertical drop of over 1000 meters! Nine thousand Austrian and Italian soldiers died on the front line in a futile stalemate on and around Marmolada over 2 years. Find lift info at Funiviemarmolada.com. The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, in northern Italy, Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. This panorama was stitched from 4 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-20331-34pan_Marmolada_Dolomite...jpg
  • Marmolada reflects in Lago di Fedaia, a two-part reservoir just west of Passo di Fedaia (2057 meters or 6749 feet) along Strada Statale 641, at the head of Val di Fassa, in the Veneto region of Italy, Europe. Marmolada (Queen of the Dolomites) is capped by the biggest (and only skiable) glacier in the Dolomiti: Ghiacciaio della Marmolada. Known as Marmoleda in Ladin, the highest peak in the Dolomites rises to 3343 meters (10,968 feet) elevation at Punta Penia. The World War I museum at Serauta lift station describes the amazing City of Ice (Die Eisstadt or Citta di Ghiaccio, 1917), where Austrian soldiers inside the Marmolada Glacier built quarters in tunnels extending 12 kilometers with a vertical drop of over 1000 meters! Nine thousand Austrian and Italian soldiers died on the front line in a stalemate on and around Marmolada over 2 years. After Austria lost World War I, its South Tirol became Italy's Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region (bordering the Veneto). The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, in Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. This panorama was stitched from 8 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-20378-85pan_Lake-Fedaia_Marmol...jpg
  • Starting from Pordoi Pass in Italy, we highly recommend hiking the Bindelweg/Viel del Pan trail for a majestic perspective on the Queen of the Dolomites, glacier-clad Marmolada (3343 meters / 10,968 feet). Take state highway 48 (Grand Strader delle Dolomiti) to Pordoi Pass and hike up the Padon chain, a ridge of volcanic origin carpeted with lush green pasture and wildflowers. Hike an easy 5 miles with 1000 feet gain round trip to Rifugio Viel del Pan; or walk one way 4 miles to the lift at Porta Vescovo down to Arabba village, where an SAD bus can return you to Pordoi Pass during lift hours; or walk 3 hours to Lago di Fedaia and bus back. Pordoi Pass (or Pordoijoch, 2239 meters/7346 feet) is the highest surfaced road traversing a pass in the Dolomites. The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. This panorama was stitched from 3 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-20724-26pan_Marmolada_Dolomite...jpg
  • Near Pordoi Pass in Italy, a bicyclist pedals up the Bindelweg/Viel del Pan trail for a majestic perspective on the Queen of the Dolomites, glacier-clad Marmolada (3343 meters / 10,968 feet). Take state highway 48 (Grand Strader delle Dolomiti) to Pordoi Pass and hike up the Padon chain, a ridge of volcanic origin carpeted with lush green pasture and wildflowers. Hike an easy 5 miles with 1000 feet gain round trip to Rifugio Viel del Pan; or walk one way 4 miles to the lift at Porta Vescovo down to Arabba village, where an SAD bus can return you to Pordoi Pass during lift hours; or walk 3 hours to Lago di Fedaia and bus back. Pordoi Pass (or Pordoijoch, 2239 meters/7346 feet) is the highest surfaced road traversing a pass in the Dolomites. The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, in Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    13ITA-20818_Marmolada_Dolomites.jpg
  • Sharp spires of the Geisler/Odle Group soar above green Alpe di Seceda, above St. Christina and Ortisei, in South Tyrol, the Dolomites, Italy, Europe. The beautiful ski resort of Selva di Val Gardena (German: Wolkenstein in Gröden; Ladin: Sëlva Gherdëine) makes a great hiking base in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (South Tyrol) region of Italy. For our favorite hike in the Dolomiti, start from Selva with the first morning bus to Ortisei, take the Seceda lift, admire great views up at the cross on the edge of Val di Funes (Villnöss), then walk 12 miles (2000 feet up, 5000 feet down) via the steep pass Furcela Forces De Sieles (Forcella Forces de Sielles) to beautiful Vallunga (trail #2 to 16), finishing where you started in Selva. The hike traverses the Geisler/Odle and Puez Groups from verdant pastures to alpine wonders, all preserved in a vast Nature Park: Parco Naturale Puez-Odle (German: Naturpark Puez-Geisler; Ladin: Parch Natural Pöz-Odles). UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    13ITA-20944_Alpe-di-Seceda_Dolomites.jpg
  • Vallunga/Langental, Puez Group, Dolomites, South Tyrol, Italy, Europe. The beautiful ski resort of Selva di Val Gardena (German: Wolkenstein in Gröden; Ladin: Sëlva Gherdëine) makes a great hiking base in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (South Tyrol) region of Italy. For our favorite hike in the Dolomiti, start from Selva with the first morning bus to Ortisei or St. Christina, take the Seceda lift, admire great views up at the cross on the edge of Val di Funes (Villnöss), then walk 12 miles (2000 feet up, 5000 feet down) via the steep pass Furcela Forces De Sieles (Forcella Forces de Sielles) to beautiful Vallunga (trail #2 to 16), finishing where you started in Selva. The hike traverses the Geisler/Odle and Puez Groups from verdant pastures to alpine wonders, all preserved in a vast Nature Park: Parco Naturale Puez-Odle (German: Naturpark Puez-Geisler; Ladin: Parch Natural Pöz-Odles), including the deeply glaciated U-shaped valley of Vallunga (Langental). As sheep and cows graze en route, Saint Sylvester's Chapel (San Silvestro) in Vallunga is fittingly dedicated to the patron saint of cattle and contains 300-year-old frescoes depicting the life of Jesus. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    13ITA-21181_Vallunga_Naturpark-Puez-...jpg
  • Vallunga/Langental, Puez Group, Dolomites, South Tyrol, Italy, Europe. The beautiful ski resort of Selva di Val Gardena (German: Wolkenstein in Gröden; Ladin: Sëlva Gherdëine) makes a great hiking base in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (South Tyrol) region of Italy. For our favorite hike in the Dolomiti, start from Selva with the first morning bus to Ortisei or St. Christina, take the Seceda lift, admire great views up at the cross on the edge of Val di Funes (Villnöss), then walk 12 miles (2000 feet up, 5000 feet down) via the steep pass Furcela Forces De Sieles (Forcella Forces de Sielles) to beautiful Vallunga (trail #2 to 16), finishing where you started in Selva. The hike traverses the Geisler/Odle and Puez Groups from verdant pastures to alpine wonders, all preserved in a vast Nature Park: Parco Naturale Puez-Odle (German: Naturpark Puez-Geisler; Ladin: Parch Natural Pöz-Odles), including the deeply glaciated U-shaped valley of Vallunga (Langental). As sheep and cows graze en route, Saint Sylvester's Chapel (San Silvestro) in Vallunga is fittingly dedicated to the patron saint of cattle and contains 300-year-old frescoes depicting the life of Jesus. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. This panorama was stitched from 8 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-21197-204pan_Vallunga_Naturpar...jpg
  • Vallunga/Langental, Puez Group, Dolomites, South Tyrol, Italy, Europe. The beautiful ski resort of Selva di Val Gardena (German: Wolkenstein in Gröden; Ladin: Sëlva Gherdëine) makes a great hiking base in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (South Tyrol) region of Italy. For our favorite hike in the Dolomiti, start from Selva with the first morning bus to Ortisei or St. Christina, take the Seceda lift, admire great views up at the cross on the edge of Val di Funes (Villnöss), then walk 12 miles (2000 feet up, 5000 feet down) via the steep pass Furcela Forces De Sieles (Forcella Forces de Sielles) to beautiful Vallunga (trail #2 to 16), finishing where you started in Selva. The hike traverses the Geisler/Odle and Puez Groups from verdant pastures to alpine wonders, all preserved in a vast Nature Park: Parco Naturale Puez-Odle (German: Naturpark Puez-Geisler; Ladin: Parch Natural Pöz-Odles), including the deeply glaciated U-shaped valley of Vallunga (Langental). As sheep and cows graze en route, Saint Sylvester's Chapel (San Silvestro) in Vallunga is fittingly dedicated to the patron saint of cattle and contains 300-year-old frescoes depicting the life of Jesus. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009. This panorama was stitched from 7 overlapping photos.
    13ITA-21240-46pan_Vallunga_Naturpark...jpg
  • Old window with fresco and flowers, in St. Magdalena (Santa Maddalena) village in the valley and municipality of Funes (Villnöss) in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (South Tyrol), Italy. Enjoy great hiking here in the vast Nature Park of Parco Naturale Puez-Odle (German: Naturpark Puez-Geisler; Ladin: Parch Natural Pöz-Odles). The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, in Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    13ITA-30010.jpg
  • Views of the Geisler/Odle Group and a church in St. Magdalena (Santa Maddalena) village are iconic of the Dolomites mountains. See the valley and municipality of Funes (Villnöss) in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (South Tyrol), Italy. Enjoy great hiking here in the vast Nature Park of Parco Naturale Puez-Odle (German: Naturpark Puez-Geisler; Ladin: Parch Natural Pöz-Odles). The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    13ITA-30023_Geisler-Odle-Dolomites.jpg
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