The Rediscovery of Idleness

On slow travel, unplanned time and why Soprabolzano is a pretty good place for it.
Holidays can be surprisingly exhausting these days. The most beautiful hike, the best restaurant, the perfect viewpoint, another 100 photos for Instagram – and whatever you do, don’t miss a thing.

There is a lovely old word for the exact opposite of all that: idleness.

It does not simply mean doing nothing. Idleness is time that does not have to serve an immediate purpose. Time in which thoughts are free to wander, conversations can go on a little longer and even boredom is allowed to creep in. These seemingly “unproductive” moments are still especially valuable, precisely because our minds are not constantly occupied with new stimuli, decisions and tasks.

And yet, even on holiday, we sometimes find it surprisingly difficult to leave time truly free. Days off are planned, evaluated and optimised too. There is nothing wrong with that – a beautiful hike is still a beautiful hike. We simply think you do not have to maximise every single day.

What slow travel has to do with it

Slow travel does not mean travelling as slowly as possible. It is much more about experiencing fewer places more deeply, allowing the journey itself to become part of the experience and not deciding in advance what every hour should look like.

Soprabolzano on the Renon plateau is a pretty ideal place for that. The historic Renon railway trundles gently through meadows, forests and small villages. The cable car takes you down to Bolzano in just a few minutes – and just as easily back up again. Walking and hiking trails begin right in the village, and the Dolomites keep appearing between the trees and across the landscape.

You can hike for hours here, head down to Bolzano, explore the Renon by train and discover something new every day. Or get off spontaneously somewhere along the way. Make your walk a little longer. Stay seated on a bench with a view of the Dolomites. Realise over coffee that, actually, there is nowhere you need to be right now.

Perhaps that is slow travel at its most pleasant: not wanting to experience less, but simply not deciding in advance everything that has to happen.

And Bella Posta?

Bella Posta in Soprabolzano is designed in much the same way: so that as little as possible needs organising. Breakfast waits for you until 11 am. During the day, small snacks, coffee, tea and non-alcoholic drinks are available. In the late afternoon, there is aperitivo, followed later by dinner.

Our Dolce Vita All Day is not meant to fill your day with even more scheduled moments. Quite the opposite: it takes a few decisions off your hands and leaves space in between.

Of course, we are always happy to share our favourite hikes, excursions and special places around the Renon. But we also love those holiday days that do not need a particularly big story afterwards. A walk. A long coffee. A little sunshine. Maybe a glass of wine.

And otherwise?
Delightfully little.