Antholzersee, translated Lake of Antholz in English, is the third largest Lake in South Tyrol. Surrounded by mountain peaks, it is one of the most picturesque places in the Dolomites which we saw. When we reached this viewing point, we almost felt overwhelmed by the silence and yeah… the fresh air, which at a height of 1642 meters over the sea level, was not so easy to breathe.
We often see this view of the Lake Tegel when we are leaving or returning to Berlin. It is always a significant moment when we smile to each other… there really is no place like home.
Walking in the Laurel Forest through Anaga Mountains is like going back in time. These various subtropical trees and plants on Tenerife, once covered the southern parts of Europe and northern Africa some 20,000 years ago. Unfortunately, the woodlands from the Tertiary period are very rare to find around the world.
Ever wondered what a bugloss is? A bugloss is a plant that is widespread on the island of Tenerife, in Spain. It usually grows up to approximately 3 meters in height and you can see it on Las Cañadas del Teide. I have always wanted to see them bloom in an inflamed red shade.
We visited this beach and chapel with friends one sunny winter Sunday (typical weather in Portugal). The tide was low, so we could walk around the “Capela” without even soaking our shoes. We were very lucky this day because when the tide was high, the small church would be surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean waves and so it can be very difficult to enter.
The view that magnetised me was the vacant football pitch just at the foot of the mountain. At a height of 1754 meters over sea level, we felt a little discomfort breathing and I can only imagine how challenging it would have been to play a football game in such conditions.
The Vaduz Castle, located in Liechtenstein, was given this title due to its location’s capital –Vaduz. It’s the symbol of the country, a most majestic sight that I have personally experienced and this is also the home of the Princely Family of Liechtenstein. Unfortunately, this site is not open to the public, but it is still worth admiring from the outside and enjoying the views of the Alps.
If you connect Switzerland with the Alpine scenery and the typical cold weather – this is the right connection, but it is not everywhere. There is a place named Lugano in Switzerland that is an Italian speaking Ticino region, where palm trees and a lot of flowers grows. The sun shines often, though, your experience there will include a lot more – a view of the Alps and enjoying a lot of Swiss chocolate.
The wonderful thing about the Dolomites is that when you take a drive through the mountain valleys to your destination, and you look around – you will see that this route is more interesting than the end. The view on Picco Di Vallandro (translated in German – Dürrenstein) from the flourishing valley, was an absolute pleasant surprise.
You will immediately notice when you’re in Misurina in the Dolomites, that the air will be unlike what you’ve ever experienced. The lake Misurina and its surroundings are believed to have good air for healing respiratory diseases. From our experience, we found that breathing 1754 meters above sea level wasn’t easy, but it may just be that the views were simply breath-taking.