Italian Escape

Tucked away up a mountainside in the breathtaking Dolomites is a luxury resort with lots to do...

- BRIDGET MCGROUTHER

The most beautiful architecture in the world" is how Swiss-French artist and designer Le Corbusier described the Dolomites more than 100 years ago and how accurate he was. The Italian Alpine peaks soar skywards in such a sheer and dramatic tour de force that onlookers are left in awe.

This magical beauty lifts the soul. No wonder the mountain range was awarded UNESCO heritage status in 2009, while painters, writers, philosophers and adventurers have been attracted for centuries to enjoy their inspirational splendour.

The serrated, snow-capped skyline of pale rock against the changing light is a horizon of which you can never tire. In the soft, pastel tinge of dawn, monumental massifs emerge through the mist; by evening the cliff faces glow fiery red in the sunset, a phenomenon known as enrosadira.

Two hotels allow you to enjoy the South Tyrolean scenery at its finest. The historic Adler Dolomiti is a family-friendly spa resort in postcard-pretty Ortisei. The more exclusive, contemporary Adler Ritten Lodge is near Sigmund Freud's holiday favourite Collalbo. Both hotels nestle 1,200m (3,937ft) high amid the lush slopes and forests of Val Gardena.