Walk amongst gentle wildlife, leap across clearwater streams, relax in green pastures, and enjoy stellar views straight out of a storybook. You can do all these things and more this summer in the Dolomites in Northern Italy.
What makes this famed skiing destination such a great summer spot? Wide open space, proximity to Switzerland, Germany, and Italy, and endless breathtaking sights are all part of the draw of this lower Alps region. The best time to visit for hiking the green blooming hills and mountains is late June to early September. This guarantees colorful landscapes, bustling towns and open businesses.
Whether you’re passing through for a weekend or hoping to hike to every famous lookout point, here are our recommended trails and favorite towns where you can enjoy the best of the Italian Alps.
Best Towns For Lodging
The beautiful small towns nestled in the valleys of the Dolomites are your home base for much of your stay. After long days on trails, driving to trailheads, or bussing around, you’ll want to ensure you’ve got everything you need. Luckily, there are many hotels available.
During the summer months, most accommodations offer a free bus pass making all of your journeys between towns and hiking trails free via a pass on your phone that you can scan when boarding. This makes it easy for those without a car to get around and ensures access to the whole Dolomite region from a town of your choosing.
Though it’s hard to go wrong, some towns offer more to travelers than others. A balance of good food and restaurant options, easy and frequent transport access, shopping and views all contribute to a great stay. Some of the best towns with a bit of everything are Ortisei, Selva di Val Gardena ,and Cortina d’Ampezzo. These offer access to some of the most famous trails, varied restaurant and shopping options, grocery stores and plenty of bus stops to hop on and off as you please.
Great hotels with cozy rooms are on practically every street in the Dolomites’ popular hiking towns. And better yet, many offer affordable pricing in the summer as winter is peak season here.
Antares Hotel & Residences in Selva di Val Gardena offers proximity to cable cars and bus stops to get from trailhead to trailhead, and comfortable rooms, some of which are equipped with kitchenettes with pots, pans, plates and silverware so you can stay in and cook a quick meal on quieter evenings.
To rest in luxury stay at Adler Spa and Resort just outside of Ortisei’s town center. This high rated hotel sits like a castle amongst smaller mountain peaks and offers spa treatments, yoga, and specialized guest experiences to take your stay a step beyond hiking.
Some daredevil travelers might enjoy ending a long day of hiking by collapsing into a simple bed at a famous Dolomite rifugio or mountain hut. These tiny accommodations are located all along the region’s trail for travelers to rest and get an early start the next day.
Best hikes
The Dolomites are undeniably Instagrammable, but the feeling that these surreal scenic points imbue on hikes through this region cannot be captured. Some of the best spots include Seceda, accessible from Ortisei or Santa Cristina. Seceda’s trails are dotted with overlook restaurants and cafes where you can grab a coffee, glass of wine or a meal, and take bathroom breaks. Along the way you can spot animals including horses and foals, pigs, alpacas, and more.
Vallunga is a perfect option for those looking for an easier route, or hoping to rest their legs a bit after days of more challenging treks. With little elevation, Vallunga is easy on the joints and still offers stunning views of surrounding peaks, beautiful trees, and coursing streams.
The town Cortina d’Ampezzo offers proximity to a few different trails than those previously mentioned. Here you can easily get to Tre Cime di Lavaredo, a mountain range famous for its three distinctive peaks. Also from Cortina d’Ampezzo you can visit famous lakes like Lake Sorapis, which is located near Sorapis Point. Also nearby is Lago di Misurina. What you’ll notice about rivers, streams and lakes in this region is how clear the water looks due to minerals in the water supplied by rocks and sediment in the mountains, making these bodies of water unique to the Dolomites.
Wherever you choose to hike you’re almost guaranteed amazing views. Experiences can be tailored to beginner hikes and expert level rock scramblers alike, so no matter your adventure-level the Dolomites should be on your list!
