Photo: Dramatic Fermeda Towers

Sat Sep 12 These couple of days in Ortisei have been grand. Two really nice day hikes with fabulous weather. Saturday we joined the throngs to go up the Seceda cable cars; first you take a gondola and then a second bigger cable car up a very steep cliff face! The scenery is stunning, but too many people though. Views up here are spectacular with dramatic sweeping grassy mountains and cliffs. There is one view rated as a Unesco World Heritage site. We hiked along easy paths with rolling ups and downs. Again, there were many private cabins and farm buildings scattered throughout the plateau and valley. We stopped at Fermeda lodge to have a cold drink and snack. Finally as we headed down the mountain, we were more by ourselves as we hiked the long, steepish route back to Ortisei. We came out at the charming St. Jakob Chapel and finished our day back in town. Leftover pizza for dinner!