4 days in the Dolomites

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. 1
   MorningWorth 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.

   

   About 14 min by car or transit4.9 km
2. 2
   MiddayWorth 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.

   

3. 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.

4. 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.

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. Drive from Santa Maddalena churchAbout 41 min by car28.5 km

   Where Day 1 ended.
2. 1
   MorningGo 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.

   

   About 33 min by car or transit18.5 km
3. 2
   MiddayWorth 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.

   

4. 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 14 min by car or transit4.6 km
5. 3
   AfternoonWorth 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.

   

   About 24 min by car or transit10.3 km
6. 4
   EveningAn 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.

   

7. 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.

   

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. Travel from Cortina d'AmpezzoAbout 24 min by car or transit10.1 km

   Where Day 2 ended.
2. 1
   MorningWorth 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.

   

   About 31 min by car or transit15.1 km
3. 2
   MorningWorth 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.

   

4. 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 34 min by car or transit19.2 km
5. 3
   MiddayWorth 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.

   

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. Drive from Cinque TorriAbout 44 min by car33.5 km

   Where Day 3 ended.
2. 1
   MorningWorth 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.

   

   About 31 min by car or transit16.1 km
3. 2
   MiddayWorth 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.

   

   About 13 min by car or transit4.1 km
4. 3
   AfternoonWorth 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.

5. 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.