Watch the Rosengarten at sunset from the valley of Bolzano and you will understand the legend. As the sun goes down, the pale dolomite peaks glow pink, then red, then purple, a phenomenon the Ladin people call enrosadira. According to the old story, King Laurin of the dwarves had a magnificent rose garden here, and when he was captured by enemies who had spotted his roses, he cursed the garden so that no one would see it by day or by night. He forgot the twilight, and so, for a few minutes each evening, the roses bloom again on the rocks. Together with the Sciliar, or Schlern, the great flat-topped massif to the north, the Catinaccio forms one of the components of the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage site, listed in 2009.
The Sciliar is a symbol of South Tyrol, its sheer walls and rounded summit visible from all over the region, and local legend held that witches gathered on its plateau. Below it spreads the Alpe di Siusi, the Seiser Alm, the largest high-altitude meadow in Europe, carpeted with flowers in early summer. Between the two massifs, the valleys of Tires and the Eggental lead into the heart of the mountains.
The riding is world-class. From Nova Levante, Welschnofen in German, the road climbs past the Lago di Carezza, a small lake of extraordinary colours with the Latemar reflected in its water, to the Passo di Costalunga, the Karerpass, at 1,745 metres, before dropping into the Val di Fassa at Vigo. The Passo Nigra, a narrower road, links the Tires valley with the Costalunga, with tight bends and views of the Rosengarten walls. From the Fassa valley, the great Dolomite passes, Sella, Pordoi, Fedaia, are within easy reach. Surfaces are generally excellent, but traffic in summer can be heavy, with cars, buses, cyclists and other bikes, and speed limits and noise restrictions are strictly enforced.
Nova Levante and Vigo di Fassa have fuel, shops, restaurants and plenty of accommodation. The local food is a blend of Tyrolean and Italian: canederli, speck, apple strudel, and polenta with mushrooms. The passes are usually open from late spring to autumn, but snow can fall at any time at altitude. Early morning and late afternoon offer the quietest roads and the best light.