I love decorating the house with a chic lodge look for the holidays. Making the inside feel simply delightful makes it easy to enjoy the winter months, no matter how frightful the weather may be outside. For inspiration I looked through the shots Mr. Splendid and I took when we went for a fabulous ski tour called the Sellaronda on the Dolomite Mountains in Italy last year.

We hit the sellaronda on a gorgeous bluebird day and had an absolutely exhilarating time circling the Sella Massif. With our Dolomiti Superski pass, we visited 12 unique valley ski resorts and ripped miles and miles of ego~enhancing, perfectly groomed terrain. Cozy, charming refugios along the way tempted us in to eat, drink and lounge in the sun along the way.

Canazei Ski resort

We started out in Arabba where we stayed at the Hotel Evaldo, which was okay… but I think you could do better. Note that you could stay in any of the towns near the route below and access the Sellarounda, the major towns are Arabba, Fassa, Alta Badia and Gardena or Gröden. In addition to hotels there are plenty of chalets and apartments available for rent.

We opted for the more challenging orange route which runs clockwise around the mountain, as an intermediate skiier I felt completely comfortable with everything this route offered and we even enjoyed all of the more challenging slope options along the way. The green route, which runs counter~clockwise is supposed to be a bit easier.

Some people do both in one day!!

After skiing down the valleys of each of the resorts we hopped on their form of transportation back up to the top to get to the next location ~~ all with the same ski pass and without removing our skis!

The routes are all very well signed, so even if you take an alternate route, you can get back on track with ease.

From the lifts and off the trails, you can take in spectacular views and really appreciate the special atmosphere of this area. Craggy limestone peaks tower over quaint alpine villages.

Some of the steep cliffs we rose up to were so extreme they made my stomach drop.

When not covered with snow these hills serve as grazing land for the animals of local farmers, who produce the local cheese and meats for which this country is famous. This part of the culture is also evident.

This one was skier proofed, just in case.

The slopes are scattered with inviting refugios along the way. Each refugio is unique and usually family run, featuring hearty Italian fare.

Near Marmolada we spotted this appealing restaurant where the outdoor wood burning stove was being stoked for cooking pizzas and other local cuisine.

I love the atmosphere of these mountains, the classic blend of simple comfort in a rustic, rugged, natural setting is so appealing. The rough woods rich with patina, classic alpine refinement, and the notion that you can have an invigorating outdoor experience

and then relax with elegant food and a refreshing beverage in the fresh mountain air is simply splendid.

Elegant food in a rustic setting is always the best!