Freedom to Choose Your Direction – Morning in Postalm
On the sixth day of our adventure, we woke up feeling great, thanks to a good night's sleep at the top of Postalm. One of the best aspects of traveling by motorhome is definitively the freedom to decide where you want to go in the morning, without having to worry about schedules or pre-made plans. This time, we set our sights on the Dolomites, and after a short browse through Google Maps, we enjoyed breakfast and started driving towards Italy. The forecasts also promised more suitable temperatures for the Dolomites, so the route felt like a perfect choice for motorhome travel.
Tunnels, Bridges, and Traffic Jams Towards Italy
The route to Italy followed a large road through a mountain pass, but the road was extremely congested due to the Central European holiday season. Although the traffic was heavy, driving a motorhome was surprisingly effortless. The active cruise control followed the car ahead easily, and the automatic transmission shifted gears smoothly as needed. The height of the vehicle also offered an advantage for observing traffic, as one could see over other cars and anticipate what was happening ahead. This made traveling much more pleasant and calmer, even though driving in heavy traffic isn't always the most relaxing experience.
Pizza Break Right After the Italian Border
Upon reaching the Dolomites region, however, we encountered a familiar problem from our trip: almost all areas were blocked, and most parking lots were closed to motorhomes. The weather in the area was quite rainy and cool, but despite this, we decided to enjoy the stunning lakes of the region. We swam in two lakes, even though the water was extremely cold. Our plan was to spend the day in the Dolomites and leave early the next morning to climb the famous Tre Cime di Lavaredo mountains.
Lago di Dobbiaco – Fog and Freezing Water
The lakes in the area had clear water but were freezing cold. The soil on the banks was clayey and extremely slippery in the rain, so walking along the shore was almost comically like skiing and trying to avoid falling. We took off our shoes immediately at the start, as the mud effectively stuck to everything. The lakes themselves were also very shallow, and we had to walk hundreds of meters in the water before the bottom dropped away. This made our plan to wash up in the lake a bit more challenging, but it didn't stop us from enjoying the scenery.
Lago di Landro and a Night Near Tre Cime
After swimming, we drove as close to Tre Cime as possible. Access to the area is subject to a fee, and the road is closed by a gate. We had read that arriving early in line would guarantee entry to the area, even though we were traveling during the busiest season. We stayed overnight in a parking lot located on the shore of Lake Antorno (which is shown in the cover photo of the post). The parking lot was officially within the grounds of a guesthouse called Chalet Lago Antorno, but it also permitted motorhome travelers to stay overnight. We enjoyed a delicious dinner at their restaurant, thus supporting them and the free motorhome parking. On the other side of the road, there was a parking area where camping was prohibited under threat of fines. During the night, an impressive thunderstorm rolled in over the mountains, which we admired from the motorhome's skylights until we fell asleep.
