Visiting the Dolomites had been on my bucket list for a couple of years, but the daunting task of planning a trip to the Dolomites was a huge deterrent. There are a total of nine nature parks in the Dolomites, each with their own challenging hikes and magnificent views. And while it’s impossible to see all of them at once, a little knowledge goes along way to making a successful trip to Italy’s most famous mountain peaks. Here are some essential tips you need when visiting the Dolomites.
Where to stay
The biggest gripe with planning a trip to the Dolomites was choosing accommodations. Though people generally zone in on a couple of centrally located towns like Cortina d’Ampezzo and Ortisei, there are an infinite number of places to stay. The most popular choices are usually booked up far in advance or are prohibitively expensive. So choosing accommodations is a bit of an arduous task.
Map out your trip and then decide where to stay
The first thing you need to do before booking a hotel is deciding what you want to see in the Dolomites. Make a list of all the hikes and lakes and mountains you want to visit and then map them to see where they fall in the area. I recommend not being farther than 30-45 minutes’ drive to anything, because otherwise you’ll spend the majority of your trip in the car.
It will probably be beneficial to stay in different areas
You’ll notice that some of the most popular attractions like Seceda and Tre Cime are more than 2 hours away from each other. As much as I love to unpack for the week and stay in the same place, the long driving distances make it very inconvenient to stay in only one area unless you don’t plan to explore much outside of that area. So I recommend splitting your time between 2 or 3 different places depending on how long your trip is.
Stay along a main artery
It will save you driving time to stay along a main road that gives you easy access to more remote places. For example, SS48, the main east-west road through the Dolomites; SS242, which connects the major towns of Val Gardena including Ortisei and Santa Cristina; SR48, connecting to Alta Badia and Corvana; SS51/SS52, closest to Tre Cime and Cortina d’Ampezzo. If you stay somewhere too deep in the mountains, you will have to take winding and congested roads in and out of your accommodation when you go anywhere.
You can save time and money by avoiding the popular hubs
The great thing about visiting the Dolomites, especially if you have a car, is that you have endless options for accommodations, and you absolutely don’t have to stay in the most popular towns. In fact, I advise against it. There are plenty of interesting and comfortable accommodations within driving distance of a lot of the main sights in the Dolomites in small relatively unknown towns that are surprisingly gorgeous. For instance, we stayed on a family-owned vineyard (Tanovinum Apartments) in Villandro, just 30 minutes to Seceda and a small farm in Val di Casies (Stegerhof), about 30 minutes to Lago di Braies. Both were “out of the way” but located close enough to a small town with good food and still a relatively convenient drive.
Another good reason to stay outside of the most recommended towns in the Dolomites is that there will be a lot of traffic in and out of those areas. For instance, if you stay in Ortisei, you’ll be close to Seceda, but every time you want to leave the area, you’ll be hitting traffic from people going to and from Seceda. By staying farther out of these hubs, you’ll save time on your excursions.
Book in advance during peak season
The Dolomites have two peak seasons in summer and winter. So if you’re traveling there between June and September or December and April, you’ll want to start looking for accommodation between 4 to 8 months ahead of time. This will give you the greatest amount of options and best prices. If you wait until last minute, prices for whatever is left will be highly inflated.
You can have luxury on a budget
The Dolomites are well-known for its luxury alpine stays and amazing wellness facilites, but if you can’t afford €800 a night, you can still get a little slice of luxury by looking for highly-rated independent accommodations. We had a pool at one of our apartments and a private sauna in the other, and we paid less than €170 per night. So in between driving around and hiking, we were able to enjoy some R&R.
Planning your hikes
There are some parts of the Dolomites that are restricted during peak season
If you think you can just roll up to any parking lot in the Dolomites at any time of day, you are sorely mistaken. There are certain areas that are either restricted by time of day or require prebooking to access. The most restricted area is the parking lot at Tre Cime di Lavaredo, which requires a prebooked €40 toll to access at any time of day.
You also need to prebook parking between 9:30 am and 4 pm at Lago di Braies, although it’s possible to bypass this by coming before or after this time. Parking at the Alpe di Siusi plateau is also not possible after 9 am unless you have a hotel reservation. Another parking restriction is the closest parking lot to Prato Piazza, which is closed between 9:30 am and 3 pm.
Even if there are no hard closures or restrictions, it’s likely that parking lots will be full by about 9 am at most high-traffic areas like the Adolf Munkel trail or Seceda cable car. At that point, your only option will be to arrive by shuttle or bus.
You can avoid unpleasant heat and crowds by having an early morning
Many of the hikes in the Dolomites are unshaded since they’re in mountainous terrain or open valleys. That relentless sun in the middle of the day is exhausting and dehydrating. Midday is also when most people will make their way to major attractions in the Dolomites, and not just people, but buses and buses of crowds. So the trails are both crowded and scorching in the middle of the day. You can avoid both of these issues by starting the day early. We arrived at all of the Dolomites’ most popular sites between 6:30 am and 8 am, and had no traffic, ample parking, and the scenery to ourselves most of the time.
Want to read more tips on accessing specific hikes? Read more about our visit to the Seceda viewpoint, Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Adolf Munkel trail, and Lago di Braies.
There are often rainstorms in the afternoon
An important thing to consider when planning long hikes in the Dolomites is the weather. The warm air heating the mountainous terrain all day often forms clouds and rain in the afternoon and evening. Rainy weather can make certain hikes slippery and dangerous, so if you want to maximize the chance of getting good weather, you should plan your hikes for the morning. In the afternoon, the Dolomites often see torrential rain and thunderstorms. Because weather is unpredictable, it’s not a bad idea to bring a rain jacket.
Driving in the Dolomites
I’m from Miami, so I’m used to Fast and Furious driving and I’ve always rolled my eyes at everything I’ve heard about driving in Italy. But driving in Italy is, indeed, fucked up.
There are speed cameras everywhere
Italy is one place in Europe where you want to follow the speed limit because there are speed cameras every 100 meters. Some show up on Google Maps, but some do not. In fact, we even saw a speed camera set up in a temporary construction zone. The problem with these is that sometimes the speed limit is comically low, so it’s very easy to go over the limit. And yes, you will get a ticket even if you’re just a couple of kilometers over the limit.
Italians drive fast
You know the saying that the safest speed is the speed everyone else is going at? Well, the speed everyone is going at is over the limit. Italians (or foreigners with Italian rentals) in the Dolomites don’t give a single fuck about the speed limit. So you either follow the speed limit or drive with everyone else, but it’s impossible to do both. Pick your poison.
It’s not uncommon to get tickets many months later
The automated ticketing system might be instant but Italian authorities take forever to actually issue a ticket… but rest assured, you will get one. By law, you’re not required to pay a ticket issued a year after the incident, but don’t be surprised if you get a bill 6-8 months after your trip. And yes, even if you don’t live in Italy or in Europe, the car rental company who gets the ticket on your behalf will be sure to track you down.
Everything has two names
The Dolomites are in South Tyrol, a region that is culturally both Austrian and Italian even if it technically lies within Italy’s borders. Navigating around the area is a bit confusing because almost everything is in both German and Italian, and navigation apps don’t always match with signage on the road. So even if Google Maps is navigating you to Lago di Braies, don’t be surprised if the street signs point only to Pragser Wildsee.
Other tips for visiting the Dolomites
There are castles everywhere
It’s a testament to the incredible natural beauty of the Dolomites that no one ever talks about the castles and castle ruins that dot the mountainous landscape. Many of these castles are perched on a rocky outcrop with expansive views of the area. So if you’re looking for a change of pace, check out some of the impressive fortifications in the area like Tyrol Castle, Buonconsiglio Castle, Trostburg, and Churburg. There are also some beautiful monasteries in the Dolomites including Monastero di Sabiona and Abbazia di Novacella.
The food is not Italian but Tyrolean
Given its geographical location, you will find a variety of dishes that blend Austrian and Italian cuisine. So you’ll find pizza and pasta but also cheese dumplings and schnitzel. Embrace the experience. Try the Tyrolean tris dumplings or the hearty meat and potato dish, Gröstl, or the shredded pancake, Kaiserschmarrn. South Tyrol is also known for its vineyards so make sure to sample the local wines.
It’s a good idea to have cash on hand
Cash is essential in the Dolomites because not all parking lots take credit cards, and many bathrooms are accessible only with coins. We were surprised to find that even after paying a €40 fee to access and park at Rifugio Auronzo for Tre Cime, every rifugio within hiking distance had only paid restrooms that were cash only.
The Dolomites require a lot of planning, but they’re worth it
This is not a vacation for wingers. All the best experiences in the Dolomites require careful planning to avoid traffic, long lines and crowding, or missed opportunities. And I will say, pretty much all the top locations in the Dolomites are absolutely worth the hype. But if you don’t plan ahead, you’ll likely miss out. But when you’re staring in awe at the Odle Mountains or the Seceda ridgeline, you’ll be glad you put in the effort.
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