The Dolomites, Sardinia, and European Trains {Discovery Dispatch}

Originally published in early 2025. Italicized notes have been added where factual or logistical information has changed; the original newsletter otherwise appears as written.

An Insider’s Guide to Where to Eat, Stay & Stray

The joy of a quiet moment with a new wine and a good friend!

Hello, Fellow Wanderers,

If anyone has been wondering where I vanished to this summer, the answer involves altitude and kaiserschmarrn.

After a short newsletter break to adventure IRL to the places I usually write about, I am back—trail-dusted, slightly more sunburned, and now officially wine-certified (a title my liver has mixed feelings about).

This summer unfolded in chapters: first, I earned my Society of Wine Educators Specialist of Wine Certification, which means I can now claim “wine research” as part of my business travels (dreams really do come true)!

Then, I was off to Corsica and Sardinia, two islands that remind travelers how young Rome really is, followed by a hut-to-hut hike through the Dolomites, where I learned that “moderate” in Italian means “bring hiking poles.” And finally, Munich, where my parents—veterans of 60+ Oktoberfests—treated me to pretzels the size of steering wheels. Sardinia in the introductory letter → Sardinia Travel Guide, Dolomites in the introductory letter → Boutique Travel in the Dolomites

In this newsletter, I share some of our experiences in Sardinia. We visited the coast and the heartlands—mountain villages, Bronze Age towers, and the kind of landscapes that bathe a traveler in a true sense of place. Read below.

Now, as autumn settles in and the Pacifica chill and fog begin to make even jet lag look romantic, I am back at my desk plotting new discoveries.

For those of you dreaming up your next trip, remember this is when Europe reveals its true self—fewer crowds, harvest tables groaning with the season’s best, and that soft, forgiving light that photographers dream about.

Clarification: Hotel benefits sometimes can be added to an existing reservation, but this depends on the property, rate and booking terms. In some cases, the reservation may need to be transferred or rebooked.

The perks I can offer apply even to trips already booked, so if something is on the calendar, reach out anyway. There might be an upgrade lurking, or a breakfast credit, or simply the peace of mind that comes from knowing someone has thought through the details.

Jody

Here is to the trips taking shape and the stories they will become.

Blue Skies and Tailwinds,

Jody

Welcome to Discovery Dispatch—curated escapes for the culturally curious, tastefully adventurous, and gloriously well-traveled. Each edition brings a fresh batch of insider finds and stories, all curated to delight history buffs, food and wine aficionados, art lovers, and family adventurers alike.

In This Issue

Kaiserschmarrn

🚂 Travel Tip: Europe’s Overnight Train Renaissance

🍷 Culinary Corner: UNESCO’s New Culinary Legends

🏛️ Historical Whispers: Pompeii’s Latest Secrets

🎨 Art & Inspiration: Why Bilbao Still Matters

Stays and Strays:

🏨 Hotel La Perla, Corvara

🌟 Sardinia: Beyond the Beaches

Travel Tip: Europe’s Overnight Train Renaissance

New routes are rolling out across Europe, awakening a renewed interest in train travel. The appeal is both practical and romantic. Travelers board after dinner, fall asleep in one country, and wake up in another—no airport security shuffle, no middle seat misery, no jet lag confusion. The scenery rolls by outside the window. And there is something deeply civilized about sipping wine in the dining car while watching the Alps fade into twilight.

Update: European Sleeper’s Brussels-to-Venice service was a seasonal 2025 route and is no longer part of its current schedule. European Sleeper now operates an overnight route from Brussels to Milan.

• European Sleeper launched its Brussels-to-Venice route in February 2025.

Prices for La Dolce Vita Orient Express vary by itinerary and cabin, so the original figure below should be treated as a general starting reference rather than a fixed nightly rate.

• La Dolce Vita Orient Express promises double beds, private baths, and vintage glamour at €3,500 per person per night.

• ÖBB’s Nightjet keeps expanding its web across Berlin, Prague, and Vienna.

• Belmond’s Britannic Explorer, which launched in July 2025 as England and Wales’ first luxury sleeper train, offers three-night itineraries winding through Cornwall, the Lake District and the Welsh countryside. The elegantly appointed cabins feel more like boutique hotel rooms than train compartments—a far cry from the cramped sleepers of decades past.

Update: Delivery of Finland’s new sleeper cars was delayed into 2026, so travelers should check which equipment will operate on their particular departure.

Finland’s VR Group is preparing to debut new double-decker sleeper cars in 2026 that blur the line between train and hotel. These modern sleepers promise to elevate Nordic rail travel to new heights of comfort, with thoughtful design that makes the journey itself a destination.

Culinary Corner: UNESCO’s New Culinary Legends

Every December, UNESCO adds new “intangible heritage” traditions to its cultural hall of fame, and food lovers are reminded that food is memory, and that tradition is kept alive not only in museums, but especially at the table.

Turkish coffee is part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Highlights include:

Turkish Coffee Culture — An emblem of hospitality and conversation, where coffee is prepared slowly, served in fine cups, and read like poetry in its grounds.

Azerbaijan’s Tandır Bread — Clay-oven loaves baked much as they have been for centuries.

Thailand’s Tomyum Kung — Celebrated for the way it gathers communities over fragrant, citrus-laced broth.

Peruvian Ceviche — Honored for its deep connection to place, with lime, chili, and Andean corn reflecting coastal identity and communal sharing.

Historical Whispers: Pompeii’s Latest Secrets

In my other life, I would have been an archaeologist. Did anyone else hear the news about Pompeii? Archaeologists keep peeling back layers:

• A newly uncovered blue room—a likely shrine—revealed frescoes of the four seasons.

• The remains of a man and woman were found surrounded by jewelry and coins.

• Kids’ charcoal doodles of gladiators and hunters on walls are proof that ancient Roman parents were apparently as lenient about screen time—or wall time—as modern ones.

  
  

Art & Inspiration: Thinking of a Trip to Spain? Why Not Bilbao?

Twenty-seven years ago, Frank Gehry wrapped a building in 33,000 titanium scales that shift from silver to gold as clouds pass overhead. When the Guggenheim Bilbao opened in 1997, nearly four million people descended on this small Basque city in three years to see it.

The building saved Bilbao. The port city had been dying, its shipyards rusting and factories closing. Then came Gehry’s impossible curves, and tourists arrived by the millions.

Guggenheim Bilbao

The collection spans modern and contemporary art from the mid-20th century to today, including works by Mark Rothko, Sol LeWitt, and Cristina Iglesias. Richard Serra’s monumental steel installation The Matter of Time fills an entire gallery, and Jenny Holzer’s text streams in red and blue LED lights across nine columns. Outside, sculptures by Louise Bourgeois, Anish Kapoor, and Eduardo Chillida surround the building.

Dozens of cities since then have tried bottling whatever magic Bilbao found—none have succeeded to this extent. Bilbao worked because the city was ready to become something new, and Gehry gave them the mirror in which to see it. Put it on your list.

Family Adventures: Via Ferrata—Adventure with Safety Cables

While in the Dolomites, we spotted groups enjoying the via ferratas—those “iron paths” of cables, ladders, and bridges strung along cliff faces. It is now firmly on my list for next time.

These routes are graded by difficulty, making them accessible for various ages and abilities. Switzerland’s Brunnistöckli near Engelberg offers gentle introductions for families, while Italy’s Dolomite network provides more challenge for teens ready to test their courage. Even Telluride, Colorado, now has its own via ferrata traversing cliffs above the box canyon.

A via ferrata in the Dolomites

Twenty years from now, children will not remember the hotel pool. They will remember the day they clipped in and climbed across that cliff.

Read more about the Dolomites on my blog.

Hotel Highlight: Hotel La Perla, Corvara, Dolomites

In the Dolomites village of Corvara, Hotel La Perla is the kind of place that makes one forget chain hotels ever existed. Hotel La Perla → Complete Hotel La Perla Review

Guests are greeted by the owner himself, clad in a traditional Tyrolean sweater, and before long they find themselves plotting how to extend their stay. Inside, every detail feels personal: vintage teapots, antique skis, wood carvings, and a warmth that feels genuine, not staged.

Dinner at Restaurant Ladinia next door is hearty and soulful, while La Stüa de Michil, the hotel’s Michelin-starred dining room, offers a more elevated Alpine experience. The bar’s wine list reads like a love letter to Italian microproducers—Fiano, Pecorello, Lagrein—while live jazz hums gently in the background.

Rooms 108 and 400 are guest favorites: the former cozy and wood-scented, the latter perfect for families. And yes, someone actually leaves lip balm on pillows at turndown.

Perks when booked through Viewfinder typically include:

• Daily breakfast for two

• Room upgrade, subject to availability

• Welcome amenity

• Early check-in and late checkout

Read my full Hotel La Perla review on the blog.

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  La Perla dining room

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  Corvara with Dolomite peak in background

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  Stunning views in the Dolomites

Hotel La Perla in Corvara — © Holman Photography 2025

🌟 Destination Spotlight: Sardinia- Beyond the Obvious

Sardinia often gets pigeonholed as a beach paradise, but its real magic lies in the ancient and untouched—Bronze Age tower remnants rising from sun-scorched plains and mountain villages surrounded by Cannonau vines.

The island holds over 7,000 nuraghi—mysterious stone towers found nowhere else on earth. Beyond the ruins lie mountain towns like Oliena, tucked beneath limestone cliffs in one of the world’s Blue Zones, and geological wonders that predate the Alps themselves.

Then there are beaches like Li Cossi, where the Mediterranean runs through every shade of blue, and the journey to reach it winds through those same ancient landscapes that make Sardinia so much more than sun and sand.

Read the full Sardinia story on my blog.

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Why Work With Viewfinder?

When travelers work with Viewfinder, they get:

• The gift of time—theirs preserved and mine happily spent crafting their journey

• Room upgrades and special touches like complimentary breakfast or spa credits that make travel sweeter

• Someone who knows which sunset-view rooms are truly worth requesting

• A genuine connection who cares how their story unfolds

Travel designer or perks I can offer → Travel-planning services

Recommendations have created ripples of joy as friends of friends discover places they will treasure forever. If someone in your circle is planning a special getaway, please introduce us—I promise to take excellent care of anyone sent my way.

Your referrals are greatly appreciated—there is no higher compliment.

About the Author

Jody Holman is a travel advisor, photographer and founder of Viewfinder Travel. She designs thoughtful, highly personalized journeys informed by firsthand travel, trusted global partners and a photographer’s eye for place.

All photos copyright Holman Photography 2025