Country
Italy
Capital: Rome
Population: ~58,870,760
Local Information:
THE DOLOMITES - Déodat Tancrède Gratet de Dolomieu (1750 – 1801) was a French man of aristocratic origin. He was the man who discovered the chemical composition of dolomitic rocks in which calcium and magnesium carbonates become crimson at dawn and at sunset. It arouses a deep emotion that warms your heart!
This new mineral was discovered in 1789 and it received the name of “Dolomite” in honor of Dolomieu. The rock itself was called “Dolomitic rock”. Later, in 1864, the whole mountainous region where this rock prevails took on the name we know today, the DOLOMITES.
In the Dolomites, which are a genuine stone garden, we find more than 1,500 different species of plants, but also wood and forests among the largest and the most varied ones in Europe. At the season of blooming flowers, it is an explosion of colors. More than 50 varieties of orchids and countless meadow flowers are mixed with red fruits, edelweiss, and other solitary mountain flowers. We can also find a great number of herbs and medicinal plants and mushrooms of all sorts. The diversity and the variety of the ground enable the blooming of this huge multicolored garden that contributes to the peculiarity of the Dolomites.
Painters, writers, and poets, have all praised the mountains of the Veneto region. For centuries, explorers, fearless climbers, tireless hunters, mushroom lovers, and hikers searched for unspoiled, hidden nature and pure air to breath within these mountains. The distinct and memorable contours etched against the boundless expanse of the celestial heights in the upper atmosphere offers an emotion you must experience firsthand to perfectly understand it. The Dolomites, mountains of legend and of extreme rock climbing, with their spiked summits and their bright pastel tints, exert a magical and strong attraction on all human beings.
They offer the possibility to live an unforgettable experience, an opportunity for all, of any age and physical condition; indeed, to appreciate them and be definitively conquered by their beauty, it is not necessary to climb them; you only must get close and look at them. This is the aim of this trip.
Formalities
► Documents
Travellers from the European Union, including children, need a valid identity card or passport. Check with the authorities in your home country for the conditions of entering this destination.
► Health/Insurance
Do not forget your card and/or policy details for your health insurance and/or travel insurance.
Climate
In the mountains, the climate is different. For example, in summer, it rains more in the Dolomites than in the rest of northern Italy. In winter, the opposite is true. The hottest months are of course July and August, but these are also the rainiest months. In the mountains, the weather can change very quickly, so it's a good idea to take warm clothing and rain gear with you when you go hiking, even if the sky is clear and the sun is shining when you start out.
Currencies
Italy is a Member-State of the European Union and uses its uniform currency – the Euro €. Italy, as is the case with the other Member-States of the E.U. uses eight coins as follows: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents and 1 and 2 Euros. The banknotes are issued in the following denominations: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 Euros. Currency exchange rates are clearly displayed in every bank that accepts currency exchange, while credit card holders may acquire money from the ATMs of the collaborating banks. Italian banks are open for the public from 8:00 to 13:00 and from 14:30 to 16:30 Monday to Friday. They are closed on Public Holidays. Euros can also be exchanged for notes of other foreign currencies at exchange offices that are situated at the airport and certain main ports, in the larger cities, as well as at many tourist destinations. A passport is required when exchanging currencies. Italy more than other EU destinations, still prefer cash in most settings, but credit card use is becoming more and more available.
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