Generally speaking, summer timetables cover the June to September period, but this tends to vary from year to year and place to place. Local tourist offices are always in the know and timetables can be consulted on the websites listed in Appendix D. Several good deals are available for visitors – always enquire locally. Alta Valtellina has an excellent value ‘Welcome Card’ for the Perego bus networks. In Südtirol, ‘Mobilcard’ multi-day passes are recommended for the SAD lines; a multi-trip ticket ‘carta valori’ is also on sale.
Contact details for bus, train, local taxi, cable car and chairlift companies are listed in Appendix D.
The Ortler is seen beyond the chairlift (Walk 26)
Information
The Italian Tourist Board has offices all over the world and can help prospective travellers with general information (see www.enit.it).
UK: 1 Princes St, London W1B 2AY Tel 207 3993562.
USA: 630, Fifth Avenue – suite 1656, New York NY 10111 Tel 212 2455618.
Australia: Level 4, 46 Market St, Sydney, NSW 2000 Tel 02 92621666.
The many tourist offices in the Stelvio valleys can provide help with local accommodation and transport (see contact details in Appendix D). When making a phone call in Italy, remember to always include the initial zero of the landline number. Numbers beginning with ‘3’ are mobiles and need to be dialled as they stand (in other words without a zero). If calling from overseas preface all Italian telephone numbers with +39.
The Stelvio National Park websites are www.stelviopark.it and www.parks.it/parco.nazionale.stelvio. Visitor Centres are open throughout the midsummer months. All have a summer calendar of guided walks which visitors can join for a very modest fee. See Appendix D for contact details.
When to go
The best time to visit Stelvio is July, August and September when the walking days are long, conditions are good, and facilities such as refuges and local transport are readily available. However, as early as June, low to mid-altitude paths will often be snow-free, flowers will be starting to bloom and hotels offer off-season rates. October can mean crystal clear skies, perfect visibility and autumn colours, although there is a risk of early snow. Italy goes off summer daylight saving time at the end of October, giving shorter days for walking.
Accommodation
Villages and towns throughout the Stelvio National Park offer a good range of hotel (albergo), guesthouse (locanda, Gasthof), bed and breakfast (affittacamera, Garni, B&B) and farm stay (agriturismo) accommodation to suit all pockets. Suggestions are given in Appendix C. Families with small children will appreciate the freedom of a house (casa) or flat (appartamento); rentals are common, usually on a weekly basis – consult the relevant tourist office website.
Reservation – even in key resorts such as Sulden/Solda or Bormio – is not usually necessary outside the mid-August peak season, but it is always best to book ahead to avoid disappointment. If you are driving through, look out for signs saying camera libera (Italian) or Zimmer frei (German) signs.
Camping and overnight bivouacs are strictly forbidden within the Stelvio National Park, except in emergencies. A tent is still a good option for a low-budget holiday but be aware that campsites are few and far between – see Appendix C for listings.
Approaching Tabarettahütte (Walk 29)
Although all the walks described in this guidebook are designed to be completed in a single day to allow for a return to valley accommodation, an overnight stay in a high-altitude alpine rifugio (refuge) is always a memorable experience and can be the highlight of a walking holiday. With the odd exception at road level, these refuges are located in spectacular high-altitude positions accessible only on foot. They are generally open from late June to late September/October (although a handful open in spring for ski tourers).
Refuges offer reasonably priced meals and refreshments as well as sleeping facilities that range from spartan dormitories with bunk beds to cosy simple guest rooms. Pillows and blankets are always provided so sleeping bags are not needed. Sleeping sheets are, however, compulsory in club huts so carry your own. You will also need a small towel. Flip-flops or lightweight rubber sandals are a good idea as boots are not worn inside huts. Hut rules also include no smoking and lights out from 10pm–6am. Charges are around €18–25 for a bed and €40–50 for half board, which means a three-course dinner, overnight stay and breakfast. Some huts are privately owned, although the majority belong to the Italian Alpine Club CAI (Club Alpino Italiano), its Trentino branch SAT (Società Alpinisti Tridentini) and the Südtirol Club AVS (Alpenverein Südtirol).
Refuges – whether club or privately managed – are open to everyone. Members of affiliated alpine associations from other countries get discounted rates (approximately 50% off bed rates) in line with reciprocal agreements. Members of the British Mountaineering Council and Mountaineering Council of Scotland can buy a Reciprocal Rights Card from the BMC website (www.thebmc.co.uk), and it is also possible to join the UK branch of the Austrian Alpine Club (Tel 01929 556870; www.aacuk.org.uk) or CAI, the Italian Alpine Club (www.cai.it) – contact an individual branch directly.
Refuge accommodation must be booked in advance on July and August weekends, preferably by phone as few have email access during the summer. ‘Vorrei prenotare un posto letto/due posti letto’ means ‘I’d like to book one/two beds’. Be aware that if you book but do not turn up, you could set in motion costly (for you!) alpine search and rescue procedures, so remember to phone and cancel if you change your plans; but do give plenty of warning for courtesy. Some establishments accept credit cards but it is best to carry a supply of euros in cash to be on the safe side. See Appendix C for listings of all the refuges visited in this guide.
Lyfi Alm provides home-style meals and refreshments (Walk 35)
Food and drink
A holiday in the Stelvio National Park is also a guarantee of memorable gastronomical experiences thanks to the rich culinary traditions of the Lombardia, Trentino and Südtirol regions.
Hearty soups feature regularly on menus: minestrone with vegetables is unfailingly satisfying, as is substantial zuppa d’orzo with barley, while Gulaschsuppe, a rich tomatoey soup with chunks of beef and paprika, is another good bet. Pasta starts with pizzoccheri, a wholesome and filling dish of buckwheat pasta, cabbage and potatoes smothered with melted cheese. Gnocchi con ortiche are tiny potato and nettle dumplings, while Trentino versions are strangolapreti (priest stranglers!) incorporating spinach, and monchi made with polenta (cornmeal) and smothered with sage-flavoured butter. Do try capelazzi, over-sized ravioli stuffed with ricotta, and when in the Südtirol, if you can get your tongue around the name, seek out Kartoffelteigtaschen mit Bergkäse, pockets of fresh pasta filled with soft potato and served with melted local cheese.
A tagliere (‘cutting board’/platter) is always a good choice for lunch or a snack, especially at a mountain farm or eatery with
