Breakfast
Bread, cheese and cured ham
A South Tyrol breakfast table: dark rye bread, mountain cheese, cured ham called speck and strong coffee. Fuel for a high morning.
Local tip Take some bread and cheese with you for the ridge.
Arrival day
Before Day 1. The Dolomites are a car trip over mountain roads, so sort the car, the season and the weather first.Details
- From the airport
- Innsbruck, Verona, Venice and Munich all work, between two and four hours from Val Gardena by road. The nearest rail stations are Bolzano and Brixen, with buses on from there. Pick up the car at the airport and drive in daylight if you can.
- Your car
- A car makes this trip. The roads climb in hairpins, so take your time and fill the tank in the valleys. In winter many roads need winter tyres or chains, and some passes close for snow, so check ahead. Some high meadows and lake roads limit private cars, so check access rules before you set out.
- Where to sleep
- Val Gardena (Ortisei, Santa Cristina or Selva) for the first three nights, then Cortina d'Ampezzo or a village near it for the last two. Beds fill early in summer, and in the ski season, so book ahead. Day 4 begins with a long morning drive over the Falzarego Pass to Cortina.
- Before the first morning
- Pack layers, a hat and a rain jacket, because the weather at height can change in an hour. Day 1 is a high day with a cable car, so go to bed early and look at the forecast. Cable cars may pause for wind or cloud.
Day 1. Seceda and Val Gardena
3 stops · 13.5 kmA high ridge, a church in a meadow and a wood-carving village. A cable car lifts you onto a jagged ridge with a wide green slope below, then a drive to a postcard church and an evening back in the valley.
- 1MorningWorth the time
Seceda
A rocky ridge above Ortisei, reached by a cable car, with the jagged Odle peaks on one side and a wide green slope on the other. A path runs along the top. Keep well back from the edge, and check ahead for the lift and the weather.
Go when Early morning on a clear day, before the cloud builds.
Local tip Take the first lift if you can and carry a warm layer, since the ridge is windy. Keep to the path and stay back from the edge, and check ahead on the lift and the weather.
Photo by Shpëtim Ujkani on Unsplash About 14 min by car or transit4.9 km - 2MiddayWorth the time
Santa Maddalena church
A small white church with an onion dome in an open meadow, with the Odle peaks straight behind it. It sits in the Val di Funes, a quiet valley with farmhouses. Park at the roadside and walk up the lane. Respect the fields and the farms.
Go when Late morning, when the light is on the peaks.
Local tip Park where the roadside allows and walk the lane. The meadow is a farmer's field, so keep to the track and leave the grass alone.
Photo by Maurizio Delladio on Unsplash - Lunch
Canederli in broth
Large bread dumplings with speck and herbs, served in a clear soup or with melted butter. A staple of the Alpine kitchen.
Local tip Order the dumplings in broth if you want something light.
About 21 min by car or transit8.5 km - 3EveningAn evening stop
Ortisei
The main village of Val Gardena, where people speak Ladin as well as Italian and German, and where wood carving has been a trade for centuries. Walk the pedestrian street and look into a workshop.
Go when Early evening, with a stroll after the mountain (about 9:03 PM).
Local tip Walk the pedestrian street and look into the wood-carving shops. The Ladin language you hear is the old tongue of these valleys.
- Dinner
Schlutzkrapfen
Half-moon pasta filled with spinach and ricotta and served in butter with cheese. A dish of the South Tyrol.
Local tip Ask whether the pasta is made in house.
If it rains. Do not go up the Seceda in cloud or rain, because the ridge is wet, windy and hidden. Keep the church and Ortisei, and swap the ridge for the first clear morning.
Day 2. The Alpe di Siusi and Bolzano
3 stops · 26.9 kmA day of gentle ground. A huge high meadow under the Sassolungo, a village with a tall church tower, and a museum in Bolzano with a 5,000 year old man.
- Travel from OrtiseiAbout 15 min by car or transit5.6 kmWhere Day 1 ended.
- 1MorningWorth the time
Alpe di Siusi
One of the biggest high-altitude meadows in Europe, a wide rolling plateau of grass and wooden barns with the Sassolungo and the Sciliar rising behind. Most people go up by cable car from Ortisei, because road access is restricted. Check ahead.
Go when Morning, before the day visitors arrive.
Local tip Go up by cable car and walk the flat paths on the plateau. Cattle graze in summer, so give them room and close the gates.
Photo: This Photo was taken by W…, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons - Lunch
A hut lunch of polenta and cheese
Soft polenta topped with melted mountain cheese, plain and warm, eaten at a wooden table with a view of the Sassolungo.
Local tip Huts are mostly closed in the shoulder seasons, so check ahead.
About 11 min walk0.9 km - 2MiddayWorth a short stop
Castelrotto
A village with a tall church tower in the main square, painted houses and a market-day feel. A gentle stop on the way down to the valley.
Go when Midday, with a coffee in the square.
Local tip Look up at the tall church tower and walk the lanes. The bells ring on the hour, so the square is lively at noon.
Photo: 2015 Michael 2015, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons About 35 min by car or transit20.5 km - 3AfternoonWorth the time
South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology
The museum in Bolzano that keeps Ötzi the Iceman, a man who died in the mountains about 5,300 years ago and was found in the ice in 1991. A calm, indoor afternoon. Check ahead on opening.
Go when Afternoon, any day, wet or dry.
Local tip Ötzi lies in a cold, dim room, and photographs are not allowed. Check ahead on opening and on the exhibition you want to see.
Photo: Hubert Berberich ( HubiB ), CC BY 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons - Treat
Apple strudel
Thin pastry wrapped around spiced apples, raisins and cinnamon, served warm. A classic of the region, often with cream.
Local tip Ask for it warm with a spoon of cream or vanilla sauce.
Photo: che, CC BY-SA 2.5 on Wikimedia Commons - Dinner
Speck and a mixed board
Smoked ham, cheese, pickles and rye bread on a wooden board, with a glass of local white wine. A light supper after a museum day.
Local tip Share a board, since they are big.
If it rains. The Alpe di Siusi is soft and green in a shower but muddy. Go to Bolzano first, since the museum is indoors, and keep the meadow for the afternoon if it clears.
Day 3. The great passes
3 stops · 46.6 kmThe big drive. Three mountain passes around the Sella massif, a cable car to a rocky plateau near 3,000 meters, and views of the Sassolungo from the road.
- Drive from South Tyrol Museum of ArchaeologyAbout 46 min by car35.5 kmWhere Day 2 ended.
- 1MorningWorth a short stop
Gardena Pass
A mountain pass between Val Gardena and Alta Badia, with a view back to the Sella group and the Sassolungo. Stop in a lay-by and look. Check ahead for road conditions, especially in the shoulder seasons.
Go when Morning, before the traffic.
Local tip The road can be busy with motorbikes and cyclists in summer. Use the lay-bys and look back toward the Sella group.
Photo: This Photo was taken by W…, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons About 18 min by car or transit6.9 km - 2MiddayWorth the time
Pordoi Pass and Sass Pordoi
The highest road pass in the Dolomites, with a cable car that climbs to a rocky plateau near 3,000 meters and a huge view over the whole range. Dress warmly and check ahead for the lift and the weather.
Go when Midday, on a clear day.
Local tip The plateau is bare, cold and windy, with snow even in summer. Dress for winter, go slowly and check ahead on the lift and the weather.
Photo by Claudio Carrozzo on Unsplash - Lunch
Barley soup
A thick soup of barley, vegetables and bits of smoked ham, served hot with rye bread. A hut classic at the passes.
Local tip It is filling, so one bowl is a lunch.
About 13 min by car or transit4.1 km - 3AfternoonWorth the time
Sella Pass and the Sassolungo
A pass at the foot of the Sassolungo, a massive wall of pale rock with a rounded peak and an enormous scree slope. The light is best late in the day. Take the lay-bys and keep clear of the road.
Go when Late afternoon, as the light turns the rock gold (about 9:03 PM).
Local tip Stop in a lay-by with the Sassolungo in front of you. The wall catches the last light, and the road is quieter after the day visitors.
- Dinner
Goulash
A rich beef stew with paprika, a legacy of the old Austrian empire, served with bread dumplings or polenta.
Local tip It is heavy after a long drive, so share it.
If it rains. The passes are open to cloud and rain, but the views are the point. Swap with another day, or drive the loop anyway and stop for a long lunch at a pass.
Day 4. Cortina and the war mountains
4 stops · 34.4 kmOver the pass to the other side of the Dolomites. A cable car to a high ridge with old tunnels from the First World War, five rock towers, a grassy pass and, at the end, the resort town of Cortina.
- Travel from Sella Pass and the SassolungoAbout 33 min by car or transit18.2 kmWhere Day 3 ended.
- Breakfast
Hot chocolate and a pastry
A cup of thick hot chocolate and a pastry before a long drive over the passes.
Local tip Buy water and a snack for the car.
- 1MorningWorth the time
Lagazuoi and the Falzarego Pass
A cable car from the Falzarego Pass climbs to a high ridge that was a front line in the First World War, with tunnels the soldiers dug through the rock. Visit with a torch and warm layers, treat it as a memorial and check ahead on opening.
Go when Morning, when the tunnels are cold and quiet.
Local tip Wear sturdy shoes and bring a torch for the tunnels. The ground is a front line from the First World War, so treat it with respect and stay on the marked paths.
Photo: kallerna, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons About 13 min by car or transit4.3 km - 2MiddayWorth the time
Cinque Torri
Five rock towers rising from a field of boulders, reached by a chairlift and a short walk. The ground around them holds trenches from the First World War. Check ahead on the lift and the trail.
Go when Midday, when the towers are lit.
Local tip The lift saves a climb, and a short path runs among the towers and the old trenches. Keep to the marked paths.
Photo: Luca Sartoni, CC BY-SA 2.0 on Wikimedia Commons - Lunch
Kaiserschmarrn
A shredded pancake torn into pieces, dusted with sugar and served with fruit compote. Sweet enough to be lunch on its own.
Local tip Share it, since it is big.
Photo: Takeaway, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons About 11 min by car or transit3.0 km - 3AfternoonWorth a short stop
Giau Pass
A high pass of grassy slopes below pale rock walls, with a big view down both sides. A calm place to stop for the light and the quiet.
Go when Afternoon, with the light low on the walls.
Local tip A good place for a quiet sit on the grass. Marmots live in the slopes, so listen for their whistles.
Photo by Veloce Bike Rentals on Unsplash About 21 min by car or transit8.8 km - 4EveningAn evening stop
Cortina d'Ampezzo
The old resort town of the Dolomites, with a pedestrian main street, a bell tower and peaks all around. It hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956. Walk the main street at dusk when the rocks turn pink.
Go when Early evening, as the rocks turn pink (about 9:03 PM).
Local tip Walk the main street and look up at the Tofane across the town. The rock glows pink at sunset, a glow the locals call enrosadira.
Photo: kallerna, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons - Dinner
Trout from a mountain stream
Fresh trout baked or grilled with butter and herbs, served with potatoes. A lighter dish after the passes.
Local tip Ask whether the trout is local.
Photo: Eric Engbretson for U.S.… on Wikimedia Commons
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If it rains. The war tunnels at Lagazuoi are good in rain, though the cable car can pause for cloud. Keep Cortina for the afternoon and skip the Giau Pass if the cloud is down.
Day 5. Braies, the Tre Cime and Misurina
3 stops · 40.8 kmA last day of lakes and the most famous peaks. A green lake with wooden boathouses, a walk at the foot of three rock towers and a calm lake with a mountain behind it.
- Travel from Cortina d'AmpezzoAbout 33 min by car or transit17.7 kmWhere Day 4 ended.
- 1MorningGo early
Lake Braies
A deep green lake among steep forest and rock, with a row of old wooden boathouses and a path around the shore. Go early, because it is very popular. Car access is restricted in the busy months, so check ahead for the rules and for shuttles.
Go when First thing in the morning, before the crowd.
Local tip Check the car and shuttle rules before you set out. Walk the path around the shore in the quiet hour, and keep off the boats unless you are ready for the cold water.
Photo: STirol, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons - Lunch
A picnic by the water
Bread, cheese and fruit from a village shop, eaten on a bench by the lake. Simple, and best early before the crowd.
Local tip Take your rubbish with you, since there are few bins.
About 33 min by car or transit18.5 km - 2MiddayWorth the time
Tre Cime di Lavaredo
Three tall rock towers that are the symbol of the Dolomites. A road leads to a hut at their base, and a loop path runs around the foot of the towers. The road is private and has a barrier, so check ahead for the rules and the weather.
Go when Midday, on a clear day.
Local tip Walk a short way along the loop path to see the towers from the side. The weather can change fast, so carry a rain jacket and check ahead on the road.
Photo: Tiia Monto, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons About 14 min by car or transit4.6 km - 3AfternoonWorth a short stop
Lake Misurina
A calm lake in a high valley with the Cadini peaks and the Sorapiss behind it, a gentle place to finish. A flat path runs around the shore.
Go when Afternoon, on the way back to Cortina.
Local tip A flat path circles the lake and the peaks reflect in it on a still day. A good place for a coffee after the high ground.
Photo: User Giampaolo.Trapasso o…, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons - Treat
Krapfen with jam
Fried doughnuts filled with apricot or plum jam and dusted with sugar. A warm treat on a cool afternoon.
Local tip Eat them hot, as they stale quickly.
- Dinner
A last plate of polenta and mushrooms
Soft polenta with sauteed forest mushrooms and cheese. An easy, warm farewell to the mountains.
Local tip Ask for the mushrooms of the day.
If it rains. Lake Braies is lovely in drizzle, with mist on the water, but the paths are slippery. Skip the Tre Cime in cloud and spend the time in Misurina and Cortina.
Departure day
After the last day. Mountain roads need slack, so keep the last morning simple.Details
- The drive out
- The roads from Cortina to Venice or to Innsbruck take most of a morning, with hairpins and traffic in the high season. Fill the tank in the valley and leave earlier than you think you need.
- Your flight
- Venice is about two and a half hours from Cortina, Innsbruck about three. Do not plan a big hike on the day you fly.
- If you have a few hours
- Walk the main street of Cortina in the morning light or sit by a lake with a coffee. Leave the last high lift for another trip.
Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Ortisei?
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, June to October are the most comfortable months for walking around Ortisei. This plan is built for early July, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
How many days does this plan cover?
It covers 5 days in Ortisei, planned for early July. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
Who is this plan for?
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
Is anything on this plan booked?
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Can I plan my own days like this?
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Can I change this plan?
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
How much walking is there?
Each day has about 11.0 to 23.1 kilometers between its stops, and 85.2 kilometers in all across 5 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
Keep exploring
Nearby trips
6 days in Innsbruck and the TyrolAbout 90 km awayAn easy add-on
3 days in VeniceAbout 130 km away
4 days in SalzburgAbout 170 km awayMore like this
Make this plan yours
Make it yours in a minute, then move days around and add what you want.
A trip idea · Updated November 2026
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