A Week in the Italian Alps

Italian Spring > Italian Summer

Hi friends! It’s been a while, so today’s newsletter is quite the saga. Pour yourself a spritz, sit back, and join me on a whirlwind trip to the Italian Alps. I honestly I don’t think I’ve ever been anywhere more beautiful.

If you’ve been following along for a while, you might remember my “Cheese, Pray, Love” series from a few years back. What began as a classic euro trip with friends quickly turned into a full-on cheese journey, complete with a detour to Sardinia to visit a pecorino producer I met through Instagram. No regrets.

I’ve always planned my own way to Europe, so when Loacker invited me to visit their headquarters in the Dolomites, I was over the MOON. I know I say this a lot, but I truly never intended for That Cheese Plate to become a full-time job. For years it was just a passion project, so this whole experience was surreal. I feel so lucky to be able to share inspiration, whether it’s through cheese, aperitivo hour or even Loacker chocolate wafers.

Bolzano and The Dolomites

The trip began in Bolzano, a three-hour drive into the mountains from Milan. Loacker was founded there in 1925 and we spent the weekend celebrating their 100th birthday! We stayed at Parkhotel Mondschein, a chic boutique hotel in the center of town, complete with thoughtful design details and breathtaking mountain views.

Saturday kicked off with a town-wide scavenger hunt organized by the enthusiastic Loacker team, which was such a fun way to explore Bolzano. We wandered through local markets, strolled one of the most stunning public parks and ended at their flagship store in the main square. A big celebration took place complete with live music and a cake cutting ceremony. That night, we had dinner overlooking the square, all of us dressed in “rebel red” to match Loacker’s signature color.

On Sunday, we drove high into the mountains to visit Loacker’s headquarters. The views were insane. The Dolomites are massive, majestic and deeply humbling. We hiked to a viewpoint with alpacas, then had lunch at Kaserhof, a traditional South Tyrolean mountain house. This region is known for Speck Alto Adige which is a cured meat similar to prosciutto, but with a slightly smoky, sweet flavor aged in the fresh alpine air. So good. That night, we had a pizza-making class where I got to taste the dreamiest raw milk burrata and buffalo mozzarella. I made a pesto-based pizza with buffalo mozz, speck, mushrooms, onion, and asparagus. A solid 10/10.

Austria and the Loacker Factory

Monday, we drove to Heinfels, Austria, to see the Loacker production facility. If you ever get the chance to make that drive from Bolzano to Heinfels, do it. It’s unreal. The road passes through rolling green hills, alpine rivers, fairytale villages and dramatic cliffs dotted with churches and castles. We stopped at a historic castle that Loacker transformed into a museum before heading to the factory.

If you watched the TV show “Unwrapped” back in the day, you would’ve loved this factory tour. We saw the full production process, from mixing the wafer dough to roasting the hazelnuts and making the chocolatey fillings. Their dedication to crafting quality products with all natural ingredients made me love them even more. Every detail is considered, from locally grown nuts to non-GMO alpine milk. Loacker is also on their way to becoming a certified B-Corp, which is very exciting.

Pinzolo and a Mountain Spa

The next day, we said goodbye and my friend and I set off on our own little adventure to Pinzolo, a charming town surrounded by evergreen forests and snow-capped peaks. We didn’t go for the skiing (sadly missed the end of the season by two days) but we did go for the spa.

Lefay Dolomiti had been on my bucket list for years, and it exceeded all expectations. The property consists of three pools, 10+ saunas and steam rooms, a full spa menu and delicious food. The service was impeccable and the rooms were spacious with mountain views. For what you get it’s surprisingly affordable, but it might have been because we went off-season. I’m now fully convinced that Italian spring > Italian summer. There’s fewer crowds, great weather and everything is in bloom. We stayed until Friday, and I truly felt like I decompressed for the first time in ages. On our final night, we hit the local grocery store and made a golden hour aperitivo spread with prosecco to pair. It was the perfect evening.

Lake Garda and Milan

On Friday morning we made our way to Milan, making a pit stop in Lake Garda. I’m not sure words can do this drive justice. As we left Pinzolo, the mountains gave way to a vast valley filled with vineyards, flowers and palm trees. Cliffs with castles rose on either side, eventually leading us to the deep blue, crystal clear lake. Bursts of purple wisteria, lemon trees and poppies peppered the streets. We stopped for a spritz in Limone Sul Garda to soak in the view, then headed to Milan for the weekend.

It happened to be the last weekend of Milan Design Week, so the city was buzzing with events and installations. We obviously had to do some vintage shopping, I loved Madame Pauline and The Cloister. We also had amazing pasta from Trattoria della Stampa, the best eggplant parm from Acanto, and some tasty aperitivo overlooking the city at Radio Rooftop Bar. I wouldn’t say we hit up the best restaurants because we were only there for one full day, but everything we did try was great! I also enjoyed walking from the Duomo through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II to the Brera district where many of the design week events were happening. I also recommend the Pinacoteca di Brera art museum. We really lucked out with stunning weather the entire time, it actually only started raining when I arrived at the airport to fly home.

Now I’m headed back to New York, excited to soak up springtime upstate! My insane month of the cookbook shoot and international travel is finally done, and I’m ready to get back into the kitchen. New recipes coming soon :)

If you’ve been to this region of Italy or have any more recommendations, drop a comment below! I’d love to hear your favorite spots.

xo Marissa