From average weather, 2021 to 2025: days that are warm but not hot, with few rainy days, score highest. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
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. Val Gardena and Seceda
2 stops · 4.9 km
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
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 whenEarly 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.
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 whenLate 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.
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.
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. Everything today is outdoors, so swap this day with a drier one if you can.
Day 2. Val Gardena and Seceda, part 2
1 stop · 8.5 km
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
Travel from Santa Maddalena churchAbout 21 min by car or transit8.5 km
Where Day 1 ended.
1
EveningAn 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 whenEarly 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.
If it rains. Everything today is outdoors, so swap this day with a drier one if you can.
Day 3. The Tre Cime and the lakes and Cortina and the war mountains
4 stops · 67.7 km
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
Drive from OrtiseiAbout 45 min by car34.3 km
Where Day 2 ended.
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 whenFirst 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.
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 whenMidday, 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.
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 whenEarly 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.
If it rains. Everything today is outdoors, so swap this day with a drier one if you can.
Day 4. Cortina and the war mountains and the great passes
4 stops · 47.1 km
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
Travel from Cortina d'AmpezzoAbout 24 min by car or transit10.1 km
Where Day 3 ended.
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 whenMorning, 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.
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 whenMidday, 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.
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 33 min by car or transit18.5 km
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 whenMidday, 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.
If it rains. Everything today is outdoors, so swap this day with a drier one if you can.
Day 5. Brixen and the Plose and the great passes
4 stops · 69.1 km
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
Travel from Giau PassAbout 34 min by car or transit20.2 km
Where Day 4 ended.
1
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 whenMorning, 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.
A broad mountain above Brixen reached by a cable car, with a wide view over the Dolomites and the Alps beyond.
Go whenMorning, on a clear day.
Local tip A cable car from Brixen climbs to a broad mountain with a view of the Dolomites and the Alps beyond. Check ahead on the lift and the weather.
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 whenLate 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. Brixen is covered, so keep it. Move Gardena Pass, Plose and Sella Pass and the Sassolungo to a dry day if you can.
Day 6. The Alpe di Siusi and Bolzano
3 stops · 33.5 km
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
Travel from Sella Pass and the SassolungoAbout 28 min by car or transit12.1 km
Where Day 5 ended.
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 whenMorning, 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.
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 35 min by car or transit20.5 km
3
AfternoonWorth 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 whenAfternoon, 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.
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. South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology is covered, so keep it. Move Alpe di Siusi and Castelrotto to a dry day if you can.
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 6 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 4.9 to 49.0 kilometers between its stops, and 145.6 kilometers in all across 6 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
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 away
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
