Jagged limestone peaks, green alpine meadows and some of the best skiing in Italy. Here is how to plan a trip to the Dolomites.
Tuscan countryside
Staying in a villa or farmhouse among the vineyards is one of the great pleasures of a holiday in Tuscany.
The Dolomites are a mountain range in north-eastern Italy, famous for pale limestone peaks that glow pink at sunset. The range has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009, and it is one of the best places in Europe for both hiking and skiing.
For the full story, read our article on an Alpine holiday for nature lovers in the Dolomites. More ideas for the rest of the country are in our Italy travel guide.
The Dolomites lie mainly in the regions of Trentino-Alto Adige (South Tyrol) and Veneto, close to the Austrian border. German and Ladin are spoken alongside Italian in many valleys, which gives the area a character of its own.
The nearest large airports are Venice, Verona and Innsbruck. From there it takes two to three hours by car or bus to the main valleys.
Hike to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, the three famous peaks that are the symbol of the Dolomites.
Walk the high meadows of Alpe di Siusi, the largest high-altitude alpine pasture in Europe.
Climb a via ferrata. Many of the routes follow paths and ladders built during the First World War.
Spend a night in a rifugio, a mountain hut with simple rooms and hearty food.
See the green water of Lago di Braies, one of the most photographed lakes in the Alps.
Ski the Dolomiti Superski area, with hundreds of kilometres of linked slopes, including the Sella Ronda circuit.
Tuscan countryside
Staying in a villa or farmhouse among the vineyards is one of the great pleasures of a holiday in Tuscany.
Choose your base by what you want to do. Cortina d'Ampezzo is the classic resort town, Val Gardena and Alta Badia are popular for skiing and hiking, and Val di Funes is quiet with views of the Odle peaks. Many hotels offer half board and spa areas.
For hiking, the best time is from late June to September, when the mountain huts and lifts are open. July and August are the busiest months. The ski season usually runs from early December to early April.
Once the cable car has gone down for the evening, hotel guests have Europe's largest high alpine meadow almost to themselves. Read more about COMO Alpina Dolomites on Alpe di Siusi.
The Dolomites are in north-eastern Italy, mainly in the regions of Trentino-Alto Adige and Veneto, close to the border with Austria. In South Tyrol many people speak German, so place names often have both an Italian and a German form. The nearest airports are Venice, Verona, Innsbruck and Bolzano.
A car gives you the most freedom, but buses connect most valleys in summer and winter, and lifts take you high into the mountains. Some popular passes and lakes have limited access or paid parking in high season.
Yes, the Dolomites suit beginners well. There are easy walks between mountain huts in summer and gentle, well-groomed slopes in winter, especially in Alta Badia and Val Gardena, plus ski schools in every valley. Experienced mountaineers get demanding routes and via ferratas, so mixed groups are easy to please.
Choose your base by what you want to do: Cortina d’Ampezzo is elegant with plenty of restaurants, Val Gardena with Ortisei and Selva suits skiing and hiking around the Sella massif, and Alta Badia is known for great food and family-friendly slopes. You will usually want a car to move between the valleys. Read more in the Dolomites: an Alpine holiday for nature lovers.
Destination
The Dolomites is Italy's largest and most dramatic mountain range. If you love both activity and nature, we are talking about a paradise for everything from cycling and climbing to alpine skiing and air sports.
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