Autumn with Adler Spa Resorts

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Autumn is a wonderful time to visit Italy – when the summer crowds have long departed, temperatures are mild and the natural world is producing a wonderful kaleidoscope of colours and events. In Tuscany, it’s harvest time (think wine, olive oil, truffles and mushrooms), while in the Dolomites, the wooded hills are ablaze with the golden hues of larches and beeches, with the possibility of a hint of fresh snow on the craggy peaks. In Tuscany, autumn officially starts on 22 September and lasts until 21 December. From late September, there are plenty of wine tastings and wine festivals to be enjoyed, while October and November are the best months for seeing the olive harvest and hunting down delectable truffles as well as chestnuts. Throughout this period, visitors can expect to witness a mix of colours in the landscape from green to yellow to red and, with a little luck, clear blue skies. Adler Thermae has a four-night “Explore Tuscany” package, available year round, which includes three guided walks, a €100 spa voucher to use on any treatment and complimentary use of e-bikes and mountain bikes, with unlimited use of the extensive spa facilities, fitness areas and Wi-Fi offered as standard, along with half-board accommodation. Arrival is on a Sunday and rates start from €797 per person sharing a double room on a half-board basis. Alternatively, visit between 24 October and 30 November, when Adler Thermae has a dedicated “Tuscany Hiking Special”, which includes a wide range of interesting daily walks, delicious tastings (such as truffles, Brunello wine and saffron) at high-quality local producers, with unlimited use of the extensive spa facilities, fitness areas and Wi-Fi offered as standard. This package is available for between three and 14 nights, with rates starting at €591 per person for three nights sharing a double room on a half-board basis. Meanwhile Adler Dolomiti, located in northern Italy, provides the perfect base from which to explore the walking wonderland of the Dolomites. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009, this is one of the world’s best-loved hiking areas, particularly in autumn when the colours of the trees are at their best and the light falls soft and low making everything glow. The dramatic scenery and wide range of routes on offer, from easy hikes to the challenging via ferrata (literally, iron roads, which were created during the First World War to assist troop movement) make this region a perfect destination for a wide range of walkers from beginners through to experts. Whichever route you take, it will form a part of the 13,000 kilometres of natural, well-marked trails in the region that lead through apple orchards, along irrigation channels, Alpine mountain paths and sweet chestnut groves, and across high meadows, while affording stunning views of the Dolomites’ striking pinky-grey limestone peaks and virgin forests that pepper the landscape. Wildlife is abundant too – it’s possible to see marmots, eagles, white partridges and chamoix. Adler Dolomiti offers two guided walks every day on a complimentary basis. The routes of these hikes changes daily, so one day guests can be enjoying a gentle four-and-a-half hour walk across Europe’s highest pastures and the next experiencing wonderful panoramic views on a demanding and varied ascent in the direction of Rasciesa. Returning to the Adler Dolomiti after a hard day’s exertions, guests can enjoy complimentary use of the hotel’s 9000 square metres of private parkland, with its thermal pools, and the largest wellness facility in the Dolomites with a full programme of activities – yoga is always popular for stretching out muscles after a long hike uphill. The Adler Dolomiti’s “Autumn Sunshine Walking Specials” are valid from 18 September to 4 December 2016 and include two daily guided hikes (a major hike and an easy-going hike) with in-house guides Thaddäus and Pauli, a packed lunch when there is no mountain hut at which to stop for lunch en route, backpacks, telescopic poles and maps provided free of charge, a hearty snack on guests’ return, a downloadable photo service and a wine tasting. Prices start from €441 for a three-day weekend break rising to from €911 for a week-long stay, per person sharing a double room on a half-board basis, with the possibility to book four- or five-night packages as well.

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