Destinations / Italy
Dolomites
Pale peaks, high meadows and mountain huts with proper food. Six days across two valleys, on foot and by road.
- Length6 days
- Best monthsJun–Sep
- TypeMountain escape
- Budgetfrom €890
Why Go
Mountains you can walk into before lunch
The Dolomites rise in towers and walls of pale rock above green pasture, and they turn pink at sunset. Cable cars lift you to the high ground in minutes, so the big views don’t demand big climbs.
The region is part Italian, part Tyrolean and part Ladin, which shows in the place names and on the menu. This route splits six days between Val Gardena in the west and Cortina d’Ampezzo in the east, with one of the great mountain drives in between.
The Route
Day by day
Bolzano to Val Gardena
Arrive in Bolzano, the gateway town, and see Ötzi the Iceman at the archaeology museum. Then drive or take the bus up to Ortisei and settle into the valley.
- Bolzano old town
- South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology
- Ortisei
Seceda ridge
Take the cable car from Ortisei to the Seceda ridge, where the meadow ends in a knife-edge drop. Walk down through the pastures past the mountain huts and stop at one for lunch.
- Seceda cable car
- Odle peaks viewpoint
- Hut lunch
Alpe di Siusi
A gentler day on the largest high-altitude meadow in Europe. The paths are wide and nearly flat, with the Sassolungo and Sciliar massifs on the horizon the whole way.
- Alpe di Siusi
- Sassolungo views
- Meadow trails
Over the passes to Cortina
The road day. Cross the Sella and Pordoi passes, take the cable car to Sass Pordoi for the view over the whole range, then continue over Passo Falzarego and down into Cortina d’Ampezzo.
- Passo Sella
- Sass Pordoi
- Passo Falzarego
- Cortina d’Ampezzo
Tre Cime di Lavaredo
The classic walk of the Dolomites: a loop of about ten kilometres around the three great towers, with huts along the way. Start early for the light and the parking, and stop at Lake Misurina on the way back.
- Rifugio Auronzo
- Tre Cime loop
- Rifugio Locatelli
- Lake Misurina
Lago di Braies
Finish at the green lake under the Croda del Becco. Walk the path around the shore before the crowds arrive, then head back towards Bolzano or on to Venice.
- Lago di Braies
- Lakeside loop
- Departure
Where to Stay
Two bases, three nights and two
Ortisei, Val Gardena
A walkable village with the Seceda and Alpe di Siusi cable cars at its edge. Look for a family-run guesthouse with half board.
Cortina d’Ampezzo
The best base for Tre Cime and the eastern lakes. Smarter and pricier, so a small hotel just outside the centre is good value.
A night in a rifugio
Swap one hotel night for a mountain hut and you get sunset and sunrise on the rock with nobody else around.
When to Go
Summer for the trails
Our pick
Lifts and huts are open and the high trails are clear of snow. September is quieter, with steadier weather.
Busy and bright
Everything is running, and everyone is here. Book early and start your walks before nine.
A different trip
Lifts close between seasons, then winter brings skiing. This walking route does not work under snow.
Budget
What six days cost
An estimate for one person travelling as a pair and sharing the car and the room. Flights are not included. Summer prices rise sharply for late bookings, so check before you plan around this figure.
Practical Notes
Worth knowing before you go
Book huts and rooms early
Mountain huts and village guesthouses fill months ahead for July and August.
Check access rules
Lago di Braies and the Tre Cime road limit cars in summer and may need a booking. Look up the current rules before you drive.
Walk in the morning
Summer afternoons often bring thunderstorms. Be off exposed ridges by early afternoon.
Pack for cold at altitude
It can be warm in the valley and near freezing on a ridge. Bring a shell, a warm layer and proper boots.
Two names for everything
Places have Italian and German names, and often a Ladin one. Ortisei is also St. Ulrich and Urtijëi.
Getting there
Venice, Verona and Innsbruck are the nearest larger airports. Trains run to Bolzano, and buses link the valleys.
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