Two days to discover upper Val di Sole and the beautiful Val di Pejo, among cheese, animals, herbs and lots more!
Let's start our day in the beautiful village of Pellizzano, with a delicious breakfast at the Casa di Marzapane (Marzipan House Cafè)! Here the sin of gluttony cannot be avoided: Antonino offers us an infinite variety of pastries, cakes and brioches with a Mediterranean flavor... to be combined with a good coffee or a creamy cappuccino.
From here we head towards Val di Pejo, and right at the beginning of the valley, in the Noal area along the cycle road, we can visit the fields of Berry Farm, where blueberries and currants are grown. The company's products - fresh berries, jams and organic juices - can be purchased at the kiosk at Pegaja in Cogolo (towards Malga Mare).
We drive up to Peio Paese along a suggestive road from which we can enjoy a view over the entire valley, here we make a mandatory stop at the Caseificio Turnario di Peio dairy, the last of this kind still standing in Trentino. President Riccardo Casanova explains that the dairyman processes daily milk from the valley shepherds, and caserada, namely, daily cheese production, is assigned, to one of the dairy’s members, according to a rotation system, and the number of daily products given to each member is proportional to the quantity of milk delivered. We try a bit of Casolét made with raw milk, and its flavour is really unique!! We cannot resist purchasing freshly churned butter; tomorrow's breakfast will have a different taste!
By now we are a bit hungry and lunchtime is approaching! We move to the Sissi Stube Restaurant of Chalet Alpenrose BioWellness NaturHotel, where we will spend the night. Surrounded in the magical nature of the Stelvio National Park, this completely restored 18th century farmhouse is located in the Municipality of Cogolo di Peio, along the road that leads to Malga Mare. The cook Tiziano, owner of the hotel, has very clear ideas: to bring and offer Nature also in his healthy and natural cuisine, where the dishes are accurate reinterpretations of the typical Trentino and Mediterranean cuisine using organic ingredients and products from his own vegetable garden!
After a bit of well-deserved relaxation admiring the Dolomites in front of us, we move to Celentino, where we visit the Ecomuseum of the Val di Peio "Little Alpine World", managed by the association L.I.N.U.M. Here we can rediscover the secrets of the ancient local knowledge and learn the tricks of old activities, such as processing of linen or wool, transformation of wood, production of cheese...
And speaking of cheese, we are already missing it! In the village of Cogolo we visit the owners of Maso Pegolotti, a small artisan dairy that produces excellent cow and goat cheeses. We taste some delicious pieces of cheese and buy some to take home!
After this small mountain snack, it is normal to be a little thirsty... and the solution is just one: head to the nearby Birra Pejo Brewery, where Marco shows us how beer is handcrafted, using the renowned water from the local springs as the main raw material, adding quality malts and hops. We can conclude our visit with a refreshing taste of craft beer...
Now tired, we return to our Chalet, where we have dinner and end our day in peace, enjoying the scent of wood which covers our bedroom. I twill be a regenerating night, because tomorrow another exciting tour along Val di Sole awaits us!
After an energizing breakfast, we move early to Terme di Pejo, in the heart of the Stelvio National Park, where we drink a glass of thermal water that makes us start our day in the best way.
We then reach the botanical park “Il giardino dei Mezoi”, where Olga Casanova accompanies us on a guided tour to discover the many Alpine plants she grows. We are fascinated by the numerous Edelweiss flowers, which, as Olga explains, are used in the preparation of high-quality cosmetics.
Our stay in the magical Val di Pejo is over, it's time to move to Vermiglio, where Marina of Al Doss da Lecc farm awaits us to explain how she prepares her "fairy drinks", syrups based on wild herbs and medical plants. Marina takes us to see her goats, with which she makes an excellent goat cheese, ideal to spread on a crouton or to prepare a dish with a wild flavor!
Per pranzo ci spostiamo all’Agritur Volpaia sempre paese di Vermiglio. Qui Sabina ci propone una vasta scelta di piatti tipici del Trentino e della Val di Sole, tra i quali la classica torta di patate, i canederli di ricotta, le Scarpacce di Vermiglio e i gnocchetti ai mirtilli e speck, abbiamo davvero l’imbarazzo della scelta.
Descending along Val di Sole we cannot fail to notice the majestic Castle of San Michele, which stands out in the sky from the historic center of Ossana. We stop to visit these fascinating ruins that still hold a shadow of mystery... We take the opportunity to walk through the streets of this charming village and, those who want to take a nice walk in nature, can hike to Bosco Derniga, an educational garden under the Adamello Brenta Natural Park, ideal for families and children, which reproduces the variety and biodiversity of Trentino and which allows the visitor to interact with nature.
On the way back we stop in Mezzana to visit the Presanella Dairy and its brand new historical and educational journey titled “Yesterday like today”; here, we discover the whole history of genuine mountain milk and its transformation into tasty cheeses, from Trentingrana to Casolèt, from nostrano to caciotta.
Per concludere in bellezza la nostra due giorni in Alta Val di Sole ci fermiamo a cena al Ristorante Maso Burba a Piano Di Commezzadura, un vecchio maso ristrutturato dove Gianpaolo si diletta nella preparazione di piatti tipici, veramente casalinghi, come pane, pasta e dolci fatti squisitamente a mano. Che delizia!
