Whenever I indulged in travel daydreams about Italy, I pictured a land of glorious Roman ruins, cliff-face villages, Aperol spritzes in the sun and incredible pasta. That all changed when I visited the Alpe di Siusi region in the Italian Dolomites during the depths of winter and discovered a different world and culture, with decidedly fewer crowds to boot.

A spectacular mountain range dotted along the northern fringe of the country, the Dolomites combine German and Italian culture (locals are bilingual) with beautiful Alpine scenery and fusion cuisine. Tucked away amidst this beauty is the charming village of Suisi, with Mt Sciliar looming large overhead, and it has a wealth of delights to offer visitors.