san martino di castrozza
 
The road into SAN MARTINO DI CASTROZZA twists and turns, and you feel like you're in the middle of nowhere until the resort's new hotels appear around the corner; the sensation is even more marked if you're heading up over the Passo di Rolle . After Cortina d'Ampezzo, San Martino is one of the smarter Dolomite resorts, but it has a more relaxed atmosphere in its cafés and a less pretentious way of going about things. The tourist office , next to the bus stop, at Via Passo Rolle 165 (Mon-Sat 9am-noon & 3-7pm, Sun 9.30am-12.30pm; tel 0439.768.867, www.sanmartino.com ) may be able to help with finding a cheapish room . Otherwise, try the Biancaneve (tel 0439.68.135; L90,000-120,000/¬46.48-61.98) or the slightly more expensive Suisse (tel 0439.68.087; L90,000-120,000/¬46.48-61.98); both are on Via Dolomiti, which runs off the main square just up from the tourist office. The alternative is to pitch a tent at the village campsite , Sass Maor (tel 0439.68.347), about a kilometre from the centre. Heading out of San Martino, buses south to Fiera di Primiero and Imer run at least hourly. The service north over the Passo di Rolle runs less often, but you can count on at least six daily for much of the summer.

A number of trails , chair lifts and cable cars head off into the mountains, making San Martino one of the best bases in the area. The strongest attraction is again the Pale di San Martino ; a cable-car ride from San Martino (daily 8am-5pm; journey up L18,000/¬9.30, down L16,500/¬8.52, return-trip L28,000/¬14.46) takes you up to Rifugio Pedrotti alla Rosetta , perched on the edge of the Altopiano. The Colverde cable car from the village runs to the foot of the Pale, from where the Rosetta cable car takes you up to the highland.

Up on the summits, even in the summer, you should be prepared for snow, wind and rain - as well as scorching sun and the most stupendous views. From the chair-lift terminus, you can make for Rifugio Pradidali at 2278m (tel 0439.64.180), a walk and descent of three hours. A more ambitious walk would be to continue on from the refuge over the Passo di Ball , returning from there to San Martino or descending over into Val Canali at Rifugio Cant del Gal . If you prefer the relative security of a guided trek, ask at the desk of the Gruppo Guide Alpine (tel 0439.768.795), in the same building as the tourist office, they run graded excursions most days in July and August.