The Italian Dolomites are an absolutely epic place and for any hiker it as to be on your travel bucker list. I’d always wanted to visit the Dolomites and on my first short trip I managed to tick off everywhere I wanted to see on this holiday that had been on my travel list for years and it only took a 4 night trip. Read on to learn about what I think is the ultimate Dolomites itinerary….

THE DOLOMITES – SEE THE MOST picturesque PLACES this region has to offer IN 3 FULL DAYS

This itinerary below gives you 3 full days to visit the most iconic Dolomites spots that you will no doubt have seen pictures of already and wondered where they are, with a travel day either side to get from and back to the airport – so a 4 nigh stay in total is required. It blends bucket-list highlights (Lago di Sorapis, Tre Cime, Seceda) with slightly quieter gems (Lago Federa, Geisleralm, Santa Maddalena). You get two bases — Cortina d’Ampezzo and Ortisei — staying 2 nights in each resort, each having their own charm and character and it keeps driving times manageable while covering different Dolomite regions. Some may note I have missed off a very popular & accessible place Lago de Braies, but the fact it’s popular is why I omitted it – a place too over run with people (it’s a boating lake) is not my cup of tea. If you have more time in Cortina though you may want to plan a day trip here.

When is best to plan a visit the Dolomites for hiking you might ask? Well July & August are busiest, and the snow may be hanging around from late October to April/May – so I would recommend June or September myself, when the weather is favourable, less quiet and still plenty of daylight hours to explore….

Cortina d’Ampezzo, pictured above, often called the “Queen of the Dolomites,” is one of Italy’s most glamorous mountain resorts and a fantastic place to stay if you’re exploring the region as it’s close to many of the best hiking sights. Nestled in a stunning alpine valley surrounded by jagged Dolomite peaks, the town combines breathtaking scenery with a lively, stylish atmosphere. Visitors can enjoy world-class skiing in winter, hiking and cycling in summer, and year-round indulgence in luxury hotels, chic boutiques, and fine dining restaurants. I spent my first 2 nights of this trip in this excellent resort…

Day 1 – Arrival & travel to Cortina d’Ampezzo

• Fly into Verona or Venice Airport, Venice airport is slightly closer to Cortina by 45mins but it depends I guess on what the best flight deals are

• Drive to Cortina d’Ampezzo (2h 15min from Venice / 3h from Verona) – if you have an early flight – try and find the tiem to visit Venice for a couple of hours!

• Check in, explore town, dinner.

• Overnight: Cortina d’Ampezzo

TIPS:

➡️ No hikes today, just travel + a relaxed evening
💡 If you have an early flight – considr a stop in Venice for a couple of hours if you have never been
🚗 Car: We flew into Verona and hired a car from Europcar, There is a dedicated car rental building outside the terminal for all companies. I choose this company because of the reviews. When driving to Cortina – the quickest route will take you on Toll roads. Expect to pay 20 euros for the tolls (Toll boths accept cards) 
🛎️  Hotel: We stayed at Hotel Alaska Cortina, it has a rustic ski resort feel. It’s right in the centre and has free parking
🍽️ Food: The pizza at ‘Pizzeria Al Passetto’ was superb and there are a few bars in the same vicinity as this restaurant, all close to the hotel we chose.

Lago di Sorapis is a big highlight on Day 2 and can be hiked in 4 hours

Day 2 – 3 Hikes: Lago di Sorapis, Tre Cime & Cadini di Misurina

Morning hike  – Lago di Sorapis 

• Trailhead start: Passo Tre Croci (It’s a 15 min drive from Cortina) 💡 Get here early to bag a car parking spot as they are limited – aim for no later than 8am. You will also beat the crowds on the trail. Here’s the google map location where I recommend parking 

• Distance/Time: ~12 km | 4–5 hrs round trip. This is the longest and hardest of the hikes today – so best to do it first!

• Difficulty: Moderate (some narrow paths, very exposed in places – you will need a head for heights!).

• Reward: Stunning turquoise alpine lake. See my dedicated blog post on Lago Di Sorapis withg more info – click here

Lunch

• Baita Son Zuogo – a hearty alpine hut food right near the car parking spot

Afternoon hike – Cadini di Misurina + Tre Cime

• Drive to Rifugio Auronzo (40 mins from parking spot for Lago Di Sorapis) this parking spot is very high up and saves you precious hiking time, and it’s right near the Refugio. 💡 Parking must be booked ahead as places are limited. It costs 40 euros but is worth it as it means you can easily do these 2 more short hikes in the afternoon. When booking parking you don’t have to enter the reg of the car until midnight before the booking date, so have time to do this one you get the hire car. Don’t forget to do it before midnight though or you won’t be allowed up! Book parking here as much in advance as possible as it is limited and popular! https://auronzo.info/en/parking-tre-cime-di-lavaredo/

• Cadini di Misurina Viewpoint: ~3 km | 45–60 min round trip. This is an easy walk with epic views if you park at the Rifugio spot mentioned above. View more info on this route inc. map on AllTrails here: https://www.alltrails.com/en-gb/trail/italy/veneto/rifugio-auronzo-cadini-di-misurina 

• Tre Cime Short Walk: ~4–6 km | 2 hrs round trip (to main viewpoints, not full loop). | Easy–Moderate. Once you have visited Cadini viewpoint – return to the Refugio for a coffee then head off as far as time will allow on the Tre Cime loop. You don’t have to walk far though to get some epic views and the pics!

Evening

• Drive back to Cortina (~1 hr).

• Get showered and head out for food and delicious meal. The centre of Cortina has some excellent options. Google maps and trip advisor are your friend here. You will no doubt have passed some places on your first night that you wish to visit.

• Overnight: Cortina d’Ampezzo

The epic viewpoint at Cadini de Misurina. It’s suprinsingly easy to walk to here if you know where to park – heres a google pin of the exact viewpoint shown here 

The iconic Tre Cime. Any visit to the Dolomites must let you see this unique rock formation. I think there are better hikes on this trip that are more varied – but this itinerary gives you time to walk a bit of the Tre Cime loop from Refugio Auronzo. How much of it you walk totally depends on the time you have left in the day. Even just a walk of 1000m from Refugio Auronzo to Sentiero Rifugio would be enough if pushed for time.

Day 3 – Lago Federa HIKE & Scenic Drive to Ortisei

Morning – Hike Lago Federa (Croda da Lago)

• Trailhead start: near Passo Giau (Once you checked out it’s a 20–30 min drive from Cortina which is enrolee to Ortesei – get here early to bag a car park spot which is on the roadside). Here’s the All Trails route www.alltrails.com/en-gb/trail/italy/veneto/lago-federa-via-pian-del-pantan

• Distance/Time: ~9 km | 3.5–4.5 hrs round trip.

• Difficulty: Moderate (steady uphill, rocky in sections).

• Reward: Crystal-clear lake reflecting the Croda da Lago peaks.

Lunch

• Rifugio Croda da Lago (Palmieri) beside the the lake at Lago Federa.

Afternoon – Finish hike and drive to Ortisei

• Hike back down to car park spot (~1.5–2 hrs).

• Complete the very Scenic drive via Val Gardena Pass to Ortesei (~2h30 with photo stops). This is an awesome drive full of twists and turns and ups and downs with dramatic views around every corner. It’s one of the best drives I’ve ever done. You do gain some height in places at the passes and you do need to be a confident driver as it is tricky in places. You certainly won’t forget it!

Evening

• 🛎️  Hotel: The Hotel Angelo Engel is pricey but worth it and right in the centre of Ortesei
  🍽️ Food: The food at Turonda Bistro was very good and we went both nights. Bar options are limited but Purgers was a good traditonal pub

• Overnight: Ortisei

Stunning scenes at Lago Federa. Autumn time is particulary special when the larch trees turn golden brown

Day 4 – Seceda, Santa Maddalena & Geisleralm

Morning – Cable Car to Seceda Ridge

• Save time and get the cable car up from Ortisei (saves 1,200m of climbing). It’s around £45 and well worth doing as means you can tick off Secede in 1-2 hours depending on how long you stay up there. Buy the ticket online to save time time and simply scan the QR code at the cable car entrance. If you are staying in the centre of Ortesei – the cable car is walking distance.

• Distance/Time: 4-6km | 1–2 hrs depending on loop chosen. You can even just stay around the cable car summit area for the classic views – follow clear signs for the ‘Secede ridge trail’ and take a hard left when you come out of the cable car, which leads you along the top ridge for the best views of Secede which are from a distance. You can then walk closer to Secede from here.

• Difficulty: Easy–Moderate (mostly gentle trails once at the top).

• Reward: Iconic jagged ridge views over the Odle peaks.

Lunch

• Back in Ortisei for a relaxed meal. Before getting the car.

Afternoon – Santa Maddalena & Geisleralm

• Drive to Santa Maddalena viewpoint (40 min). It’s an easy photo stop with a 45 min round trip walk to the most iconic viewpoint (see google map location here) from the pay & display car park here

• Continue to Zanser Alm car park (20 min) – Google  map location here

• Walk to Geisleralm Hut: ~6 km | 2 hrs round trip. | Easy. If you have time do the full loop – shown here on All Trails. But your legs may be weary – so just walk to Geisleralm and back to keep it shorter.

• Reward: Gorgeous meadows & Odle mountains backdrop.

Evening

• Return to Ortisei for dinner.

• Overnight: Ortisei

The iconic view of the Secede ridge – easy to get to if you use the cable car up! Here’s the google map pin of this exact viewpoint – about 5 min walk from the cable car exit 

This view of Saint Magdelena Church was the first photo I ever seen of the Dolomites – it was bucket list stuff for me as it was the view that made me want to visit the Dolomites many years ago. It’s quite easy to get to this viewpoint too 

Geisleralm provides a fitting climax to this Dolomite adventure and the wooden seats are the perfect spot to soak up the views one final time. The food at this Refugio is delicious too and it’s well worth spending time around here relaxing.

Day 5 – TRAVEL DAY & Departure

• The day to check out and Drive back to airport:

  • Venice: ~3 hrs

  • Verona: ~2 hrs

• Tip: If you have time and are driving back to Verona – you will pass close to Lake Garda – so consider extending your drive to visit this majestictic place. Or if you are going to Venice – you might have time to visit Venice!

• Drop off rental car & fly home.

SUMMARY

So there you go – an action packed itinerary to visit the best of the Dolomites in 3 full days and only needing 4 nights. If you have any questions feel free to ask in the comments and I’ll try and add more detail to the blog posts to help plan your adventure