Outdoor Paradise
Mountain Huts and Refuges
During your hikes you will often see lodges, refuges and huts, but do you know the difference? They’re all buildings, but they have different purposes and characters. Enter each place with the right spirit, appreciate its atmosphere, tradition and offering, and you will be able to fully experience the Alpine soul!
MOUNTAIN HUTS are types of accommodation which usually have a barn next door. In summer, cows and other animals are brought here to graze in the meadows. Mountain huts often allow guests to try traditional cuisine from the area.
LODGES are almost always private buildings, made of wood and stone. They were originally used as machinery storage or barns, but nowadays they are used at the weekends for barbecues with friends.
ALPINE REFUGES are buildings meant for hosting hikers and mountaineers. The facilities include a kitchen, bathrooms, dining rooms and bedrooms. The refuges are generally owned by the Italian Alpine Club or SAT (Society of Tridentine Mountaineers).
BIVOUACS are unattended structures, which are always open and free of charge to provide shelter for hikers on multi-day treks or in bad weather. Inside there is space to sleep, a table with benches and usually a sideboard, a stove and something to eat that someone has left behind over the various stays. There is no bathroom or electricity.
Enter each place with the right spirit, appreciate its atmosphere, tradition and offering, and you will be able to fully experience the Alpine soul!
