Your ski hotel in the Dolomites with the slopes right outside

The cross-country trails around Welschnofen wind their way through forests where the only thing that moves is your breath misting in the air. Classic or skating style, perfectly groomed so you can find your rhythm quickly. The cross-country ski trail at Lake Carezza/Karersee runs along the lakeshore, and when the lake is frozen over and there’s a thin layer of snow on the ice, it looks as though you’re gliding through a work of art. This is a winter holiday in the Val d’Ega/Eggental valley at its most peaceful.

The Hubertus toboggan run is long enough for cheering, laughing, and a little screaming, and there’s a cup of hot tea waiting for you at the bottom. In the evening, the track is lit up and laughter echoes through the trees. You can rent toboggans on site.

You strap on your snowshoes and plod off into the woods, where the snow blankets the ground and your footsteps sound muffled and soft. The silence up here is different from in the valley; it’s denser, more profound, as if someone had turned the volume down and left only the crackling of the cold. And the view of Mt Catinaccio/Rosengarten in the winter light, white and crisp against the blue sky, is unforgettable.

Bolzano and Brixen are just a short bus ride away. In Bolzano, the scent of roasted almonds hangs in the crisp air, their sugary coating glistening golden beneath the fairy lights. You’ll find handcrafted items made from wood and wool, and the scent of mulled wine and cinnamon wafts through the air everywhere you go. Brixen is smaller and quieter, with a market that fills the square in front of the magnificent cathedral with the scent of gingerbread and beeswax. You stroll along, hands clasped around a warm mug, perhaps buy something handmade to take home, and return to Friedrich in the evening, where the sauna is already waiting for you.

For those days when 40 kilometres of slopes just aren’t enough: Carezza is part of Dolomiti Superski, one of the world’s largest ski areas. That’s 1,200 kilometres of slopes, 450 lifts, and 12 ski areas, all accessible with a single pass. You can set off from Carezza in the morning and arrive in a completely different valley by the afternoon. Fantastic.

The best thing about skiing is what comes afterwards. When you take off your boots and the cold slowly fades from your feet. When you immerse yourself in the infinity pool and let the warm water soothe your muscles while Mt Catinaccio/Rosengarten glows outside. When you’re sitting in the panoramic sauna and looking out through the glass front at the snow-blanketed peaks. 

Your winter holiday in the Val d’Ega/Eggental valley ends every evening at Friedrich’s dinner table. Delicious, cheerful, and with the feeling that this day had just the right mix of fire and ice.