There's a change afoot in South Tyrol in the northernmost part of Italy. It has some of the finest restaurants in Europe and now chefs are bringing their expertise to mountain huts, while traditional lodges have been given a makeover.
Located between Verona and Innsbruck in Austria, South Tyrol even has its own language - Ladin, which is still spoken by just 30,000 speakers. The area has an incredible 18 Michelin stars spread between 15 restaurants and its unique cuisine — based on hearty dishes, such as dumplings, barley soup, and fruit strudels — is gaining a reputation among foodies, who flock to lauded restaurants in the Alta Badia region, for a cutting-edge take on local ingredients.
Among the most popular is Anna Stuben at the Hotel Gardena (annastuben.com). Don't be lured into thinking that the chintzy surroundings mean stereotypical tourist fare (its dining room is clad in pine and has chirpy gingham curtains). Under the watchful eye of chef Armin Mairhofer, it serves avant-garde delights such as pici noodles served with truffle and fossa cheese or lamb with coffee-encrusted tuna. You have to book in advance though — there are only four tables.
But while the area is on the radar for gastronomic restaurants, another little foodie revolution is stirring in the verdant hillsides. It's no secret that the quaint Dolomites valley is dotted with mountain huts, which offer simple dishes to hikers. But now their menus will be somewhat revamped when eight Tyrolean Michelin-starred chefs lend them their expertise. Local hut chefs will be taught a different dish to serve — the aim being to offer super-gourmet grub to holidaymakers.
And where to stay? Well, it's not just the food in South Tyrol that pushes the envelope. The region also has a penchant for ultra-modern, quirky design, too, with a raft of new openings.
The San Lorenzo Mountain Lodge (sanlorenzomountainlodge.it) in the heart of the Dolomites has white-washed vaulted rooms and mixes traditional Alpine décor with an award-winning wine cellar (crafted from a goat shed).
The three-bedroom Mountain Chalet Obertreyen (chaletobertreyen.com), meanwhile, is in the northern town of Campo Tures. This 300-year-old chalet has been given a super-sleek makeover with oversized fireplaces, crisp linens and iPod stations and a mountain spa area.
Meanwhile, design lovers will not want to move from the lakeside Gius La Residenza hotel (designhotel-kaltern.com). Its nine suites overlook the vineyards of Caldaro and boast interiors by Philippe Starck, Jasper Morrison and Missoni Casa. Swish it certainly is but not without a conscience — everything for the interiors has been locally sourced from the oak to the locally mined stone. It's Alpine but not as you know it. altabadia.org
