BBC Documentaries

Wild Escapes (2018x110)

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Anita Rani and JJ Chalmers journey to Italy's stunning Dolomite Mountains for a raucous three-day mini adventure. Incredible food, stunning hiking, a bit of bottom slapping and a rather itchy alpine spa experience await. Stepping off the tourist trail completely, Anita and JJ want to uncover the true Dolomites experience, ditching the tourist guides and uncovering the hidden gems the locals know about. While former Royal Marine JJ is keen to get stuck into the 'Via Ferrata' high mountain walkways built during WW1, Anita delves into the rich food culture of the region - which borrows from both Italian and German influences - as well as discovering some rather peculiar traditions - notably a very itchy alpine spa experience and the schuhplattler, a violent dance that mimics the courting ritual of the wild grouse. With a guide itinerary that packs in a week's worth of activities into just one long weekend, the travel-mad duo want to show us that you don't have to go to the ends of the Earth and spend a fortune to have the holiday adventure of a lifetime. Follow their lead and you can find everything you could ever want at the end of a short hop flight.