Winter holiday in Italy: Venice and Soraga

Several steps to feel good

How to get there:

- Direct flight: Cluj-Venice (Treviso): December 18, 7:20-8:10 / Venice-Cluj (December 30, 12:45 – 15:25) – 290 euro.

- Venice airport-bus shuttle to Venice (A one-way ticket to Venice, 45 minutes travel time) is €4.30)

- Buses connect the airport with Treviso's city centre every 30 minutes and trains to Venice run from Treviso every 30 minutes (the 30-minute journey costs €3.20).

- The Venice Santa Lucia Train Station is the main station train travellers arrive and depart from in Venice. It is a modern building in the main city and it is connected to the Grand Canal. The station is a great entrance to the antique city of Venice. Departure to SORAGA (Soraga has its own station and may easily be reached by taking the Venezia Santa Lucia line (with main stops at: Mestre, Treviso, Ponte nelle Alpi) and arrives to Calalzo-Pieve di Cadore.) From the airport: there are bus connections between the airport and Mestre railway station.

VENICE- Hotel Principe

Six nights: €620.00

Choose Hotel Principe for an unforgettable stay in Venice. Overlooking the Grand Canal, just a few yards from Santa Lucia Station, admire the view from the hotel’s romantic terrace. The Principe Hotel features comfortable guest rooms, each with an individual design ranging from classic Venetian to contemporary. Don’t miss out on a delicious meal at the restaurant, which serves a mix of Venetian specialties and international dishes. The hotel features a private water entrance, perfect for arrivals by gondola or water taxi. The Vaporetto (water bus) takes you to St. Mark’s Square in minutes.

II. SORAGA:

Hotel Park Hotel Avisio

Located between the Dolomites and Stelvio National Park, Park Hotel Avisio offers rooms with panoramic mountain views. The ski bus stop to the Valli di Fassa slopes. In the hotel you will find a sauna and a gym, along with therapeutic massage services. The hotel’s restaurant serves typical Italian and international dishes accompanied by a large vegetable buffet. Every morning, a continental breakfast buffet is served in the breakfast room.

Activities: Sauna, Solarium, Playground, Ping Pong, Karaoke, Hiking, BBQ Facilities, Cycling, Ski School.

A Factfile: Soraga

The town is situated just under Piz Meda and Valacia at the foot of the Catinaccio massif; surrounded by green trees and meadows. This characteristic Ladin centre cultivates peacefulness and tranquillity offering vast hike possibilities both in winter and in summer time. Tranquillity, simpleness, and a good relation quality/price make of Soraga one of the most required destination for an unforgettable holiday. Soraga is a small village a few kilometres from Moena in Northern Italy. Considered to be one of the oldest villages in the Fassa Valley, the village rests at the foot of the Valaccia and the group of the Catinaccio and Roda di Vael. In Ladin ‘sorega’ comes from the Latin ‘super aqua’ or ‘above the water’. This refers to the town's location above the river Avisio. Alpine explorations and art introduced outsiders into the beauty of the area. In just a few decades, the Fassa Valley became a destination for climbers and tourism grew.The connection to Austria is still strong. German language and Ladin can be heard by many natives. Clothing also holds a special place, as traditional clothing can still be observed by some of the population on a day-to-day basis, and many of the townspeople wear customary clothing for holidays and weddings.

Highlights:

-  Saint Peter and Paul Church: built in 1400, this church is dedicated to the Apostles. The church features the Episcopal coat of arms.

-  Ladin Cultural Institute: this museum helps to understand the language and culture of the ancient Dolomite people. On display are works showing figures from Fassan mythology which have been passed down by word of mouth, like the bregostènes and vivènes, the witches and elves. Displays are interactive, with multimedia technology which allows visitors to see a Ladin weddings and enjoy a Fassan carnival.

Day tripping:

Alpine and Cross-country skiing is very popular in the Dolomites. Modern lifts and runs offer fun filled days of snow. There are about 200 km of ski-slopes and because the area is relatively new among the other sites in the Dolomites, there are short waiting times.

How to get:

Bus (SAD- Public Transport- Transporto locale)

The bus station is in Belluno in the Station Square. To get to the valley, travellers can leave from Belluno and arrive to Cortina, continuing through the valleys of Alto Adige by SAD busses.
There is also a system of free busses that travel throughout the Superski Dolomites.