Madonna di Campiglio
Ciao a tutti!
This year’s CMSC Europe trip had 66 members from 17 clubs who were lucky enough to
ski, eat(!), and drink our way through Italia this winter season! We had an
outstanding time, first shooshing down 61 miles of trails in the Dolomite mountains
of Northern Italy, then strolling and boating through the breath-taking beauty of
Venice. Of course, we feasted on outstanding food, wine, and espresso everywhere we
went. 😊
Our first stop was the 4 Star Hotel St. Raphael, where we spent 7 nights in
superb comfort and beauty. The family-run accommodations were charming and
picture-perfect.
Our enjoyment in every way was the staff’s goal, and they delivered spectacularly.
It seems another goal was to feed us as much delicious food as humanly possible,
both every morning AND evening. Returning home, both the cuisine and meticulous
service were sorely missed.
The town of Madonna di Campiglio was magical, straight out of a Christmas movie,
with shops and cozy bistros at every turn. The skiing was excellent – bluebird
conditions and excellent powdery snow every day were enjoyed by all. Did I mention
there were 61 miles of trails? It was impossible to ski it all. Leisurely pauses for
savory treats and Aperol Spritzes in the lovely bistros on the mountain helped make
our ski-days fly by, leaving us wanting for more.
In the evenings, our maître d’
hotel Guiseppe made it his personal mission to overfeed us, all while providing a
level of service that made our dining experience memorable. 😊 A special highlight
of our stay was watching the Olympic Torch bearers as they passed through the town
on their way to the Milano San Siro Olympic Stadium to start the 2026 Winter
Olympics. A surprise treat that our hosts at hotel Saint Raphael provided for us was
an après ski of hot spiced Glühwein, slowly heated in a big brass kettle. It was
quite a pleasant and unexpected surprise.
After 6 days of what would normally be a perfect and complete vacation, there was
still more. We loaded onto comfortable tour buses, traveling through sunny scenery
that had everyone’s noses glued to the windows. On the way, we passed vineyards,
farms, breath-taking Lake Garda, and jaw-dropping mountain views.
Venice (extension)
When we arrived in Venice, we were transported the final few miles to our
hotel
aboard beautiful vintage wooden motor launches. Our cruise ended right at Saint
Mark’s Square. The scene was postcard perfect as we strolled the final few feet
to the excellent 4-star Hotel Cavalletto & Doge Orseolo.
We arrived just as
Carnivale began, filling St. Mark’s Square with scores of people wearing
extravagant Renaissance clothing. The square is one of the most famous and
enchanting places of the old town center (and the world!), and our hotel was
just 50 yards away.
While in Venice many of us took a boat trip to the picturesque Murano and Burano
Islands. With their brightly painted buildings, they felt like a fairy tale come
to life. On Murano, we saw artisans make beautiful hand-blown glass creations
the
same way their ancestors have done for 700 years. Their showroom was filled with
exquisite hand-made glass sculptures. On Burano, we stopped for a demonstration
at a charming shop where a multi-generational family made beautiful lace
creations
completely by hand, as they’ve done in Burano for over 500 years. It takes years
of practice to become a master at this, and sadly the skilled craftspeople are
dwindling in this modern world. Still, in that shop their art was alive and
well.
Later on, those among us who are enthusiasts of sparkling libation took a day
trip to the hills of Treviso, the epicenter of Prosecco production. Yes, of course
we
had to sample the various offerings, as well as send some home for more detailed
study.
😉 On another evening, we were lucky enough to see a Baroque chamber orchestra
perform Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. The four concertos were performed inside a
beautiful and historic museum, filled with famous instruments dating back to the
Middle
Ages. It was something I know I’ll never forget.
Alas, it had to come to an end. On our departure day, we again cruised in those
beautiful wooden launches, this time being deposited right at the airport. How
many
airports have a sail-up dock for departures? Having experienced all that we did,
we’re absolutely looking forward to next year’s trip to Austria. 😁
Until
then,
Auf
wiedersehen!
