21 BEST Things To Do In The Dolomites (By An Expert!) 2024

Are you looking for the best things to do in the Dolomites?

These mountains are the perfect place to visit for nature lovers, even if you’re not up to hiking long distances.

We’ve visited the Dolomites many, many times, both in the summer and winter season and in off-seasons, that is, spring and autumn. So we’re very aware of the things you can do whenever you come to this corner of the world.

From hiking to snowboarding to soaking in the Spa – here are some of the best things to do in the Dolomites, our favourites and those on our bucket list.

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21 Things To Do In The Dolomites

The Dolomites, a mountain range in Northern Italy, have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009. They are one of the most beautiful mountains we have visited – which is why we’ve been coming back again and again.

And there are so many amazing things to do in the Dolomites!

One thing to be aware of, though, is that some of the activities, cable cars, and gondolas close in the shoulder seasons (for example, in November). But no worries, I’ve listed when they’re closed.

1. Hiking – one of the must do things in the Dolomites

Of course, hiking is my #1 thing to do. There are just so many nice trails to go on, whether you’re a beginner hiker or an expert.

If you’re visiting the Dolomites in the summer months, you must do a hike or two. In winter, it gets much more complicated because of the snow.

For example:

Tre Cime di Lavaredo hike

A circuit trail around the famous Three Peaks. In the beginning, if you go only to the main viewpoint and back, it’s quite an easy and short hike. Afterwards, if you follow on after the mountain hut, it gets a bit more complicated.

Take a warmer layer with you – we did this hike in August, and the temperature at the hut was quite low.

There’s a (quite expensive) toll road leading up to the parking lot at the trailhead if you want to drive up yourself.

Info: the parking is Rifugio Auronzo parking lot

Cadini di Misurina viewpoint

A hike that starts at the same parking lot as the Tre Cime di Lavaredo hike.

Cadini di Misurina viewpoint is another easy hike in the Dolomites, only 2km (3.2 miles) long and takes 1 to 2 hours to do. If you’re up for it, you can combine the two hikes even!

On the Cadini di Misurina trail, you get beautiful views all of the way.

Parking and trailhead: Rifugio Auronzo parking lot

Lago di Sorapis

The Lake Sorapis hike is moderate to hard, so you need to be in good shape for it. And it’s extremely popular, so expect crowds whenever you go.

And another thing to know is, that at times you need to do almost rock climbing and going up stairs. And you sometimes have to walk on just a narrow trail with a drop on one of your sides and a mountain wall on another.

So if you’re scared of heights, not exactly good for you.

Anyways, the whole hike, if you do it out and back, is just below 12km (7.2 miles), takes approximately 3-5 hours, and has a 460m elevation gain. There’s a loop option, too, which is longer and harder.

Parking and trailhead: close to hotel Passo Tre Croci, “Lago di Sorapis Hike Start point” on google maps.

2. Paraglide over the Dolomites

If you’d like to reach even higher altitudes, why not go paragliding?

Get a close-up view of places like Seceda from a paraglider, floating peacefully together with the birds. There are many places where you can do it, for example, Val Gardena or Alta Pusteria.

I personally did it from the Plan de Korones – Kronplatz mountain.

Find which are of the Dolomites you’d prefer to see from the top, and embark on one of the most unique things to do in these mountains!

Paragliding tours run both in the summer and winter, so you needn’t worry about missing them on your visit to the Dolomites. Just make sure to wear warm clothing, as it’s much colder up in the sky than it is on the ground.

The flight itself can last as little as 5 minutes and as much as 45.

And it’s ok even if you’re scared of heights – the seat in the paraglider is as comfy as one in a cinema, and the pilots are very knowledgeable so I felt very safe.

👉 Book your paragliding experience in the Dolomites here

3. Or go ziplining!

If a free fall is not your thing (it was not mine before, for sure), another great way to catch some adrenaline and see the Dolomites from unique angles is ziplining!

We went ziplining by the Cascate di Riva – with Fly-Line Wasserfall. It’s in Val Pusteria, in Campo Tures. To get to the beginning of the zipline, you have to hike all the way up to the 3rd waterfall. The hike takes about an hour, but is quite easy – even our 5-year-old daughter could do it.

The experience was definitely interesting, just sliding through the trees on a zipline. You could really hear and see the waterfalls just there nearby, although the only time you’d cross the torrents was at the very end.

If Campo Tures is not anywhere near you in the Dolomites, you can try some other ones. For example, the San Vigilio di Marebbe, which is considered Europe’s Longest Zipline.

👉Book the Fly-line wasserfall zipline or the San Vigilio one!

4. Go chasing waterfalls!

Kind of connected to the previous thing to do in the Dolomites – if you don’t want to zipline by them, explore the waterfalls in other ways!

The best time to catch waterfalls in the Dolomites is in June when the snow is melting. We went in the middle to the end of June 2024, and most of the rivers and waterfalls were really full of water!

On our trip to the Dolomites in April, we went to Cascate di Fanes and the gorge called Forra del Forizon. There was very little to no water, as the melting hadn’t really started yet. So we recommend to go in middle or late June.

And there are quite a few of waterfalls in the Dolomites that you can enjoy, for example, Cascata del lago di Dobbiaco or Cascate del Pisciadù. Others that we checked out in June were Cascate Val de Mezdi (which are basically next to the Cascate del Pisciadu), Cascate di Riva (we ziplined next to them!), and so many more which don’t have names. June is great for waterfalls!

5. Admire the Odle/Geisler peaks from different sides

The Odle/Geisler Mountain group is located between the valleys of Val di Funes and Val Gardena, in the heart of the Puez-Odle Nature Park. It’s one of the most famous views of the Dolomites, so I’m sure you’ve seen it before.

There are actually more ways to enjoy these peaks, though!

From Santa Maddalena di Funes

You definitely know this view – a charming little church with impressive mountain peaks in the background.

It’s actually quite easy to reach the viewpoint for it – the hike is not that strenuous.

Park your car in the town of Santa Maddalena and follow the signs for the photo spot. It took Michal less than 30 minutes to go all the way and take pictures.

Don’t just stop at the Santa Maddalena church! The real viewpoint is a bit further away. If you go around the sunset time, you’ll definitely see a lot of photographers where the best viewpoint is.

From Seceda

Another one of the typical Instagram pics which you’ll see if you search for “Dolomites”. One of the best things about Seceda is that it’s reachable easily – just by taking cable cars. Once you get out of the cable car on the Seceda mountain, you are already greeted by the views all over the Puez-Odle nature park.

The main viewpoint from Seceda is some 10 minutes from the cable car. It’s a bit of an uphill hike, but even Emma managed to do it.

Don’t just go to the viewpoint and back – go towards the ridgeline, where you can enjoy views of the Funes Valley.

We can recommend having lunch at the Seceda restaurant Sofie, too – it was surprisingly tasty and normally priced. Afterwards, go to the sunbeds and enjoy the views of the mountains around you!

Be aware that the cable car stop doesn’t work for some time in the shoulder seasons. The working times depend on the weather, so check the website to see the up-to-date open times.

With the church of San Giovanni in Ranui in the foreground

The small church of San Giovanni (St. John), surrounded by green meadows with the Odle/Geisler mountains in the background, might be one of the most photographed spots in the Dolomites.

There are parking spots almost by the photo spot for the church, as well as a bit further away. We chose the further parking, as it was cheaper, and then walked less than 10 minutes to get that picture.

6. Go to the largest high Alpine meadow in Europe – Alpe di Siusi

Alpe di Siusi – known as Seiser Alm in German – is the largest high-elevation Alpine meadow in Europe. It’s a very idyllic place, with rolling hills, cute little huts, and hotels that really work in the landscape, not against it. And of course, the Sassolungo group in the background.

The area of Alpe di Siusi is almost car-free, only allowing visitors who stay in the hotels to go there at specific times of the day. Day trippers are not allowed at all.

Even with all that, it’s easy to reach Alpe di Siusi with a cable car which leaves from Ortisei or Siusi or by bus.

We went by cable car and found it quite convenient – you go straight up to the mountains. There’s a café there with a view of the meadow and mountains. And the trailhead for the Alpe di Siusi Meadows Circuit trail is there, too.

Michal hiked the trail, while me and Emma did a bit of the hike and returned to the cafe next to the gondola station to have an apfelstrudel and cocoa with a view. It’s easily one of the most beautiful places that I have ever visited. One of my bucket list items is staying in the Adler Lodge in the Alpe di Siusi.

As with Seceda, check when the cable car runs on the website.

7. Visit the mountain passes to get great views of the valleys

One of our favorite activities in the Dolomites is enjoying the views from its multiple mountain passes. If you’re not up to hiking, this might be the best way to see the nicest views, actually.

And for hikers, many of the trails start at the mountain passes – luckily, there are usually parking lots available.

Here are some of the most beautiful ones:

Passo Giau (2236m)

Passo Giau is one of the most impressive mountain passes in the Dolomites. The main feature of it is the huge rocky cliff called Ra Gusela. This pass connects Selva di Cadore to Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Passo Gardena (2136m)

As the name suggests, on one side of the Gardena Pass there’s Val Gardena. On the other side there is Val Badia. The view that you get from Passo Gardena is incredible.

Funnily, we were planning to cross it on our way to Santa Cristina di Val Gardena, but while we were driving, a rock fall happened so we couldn’t. To get to our hotel – which was some 15 minutes from the top of Gardena pass -, we had to go back through Alta Badia, Bressaone, which took us more than an hour.

Passo Falzarego (2105m)

Funny thing – each time we visited the Falzarego pass, we couldn’t really see anything. The first time, there was a thunderstorm covering everything, and the other, we went there during dusk so we didn’t exactly get the best views.

But anyways, this pass connects the Cortina d’Ampezzo to the territory of Agordo. If you have time, go up the Lagazuoi cable car for some beautiful scenery.

Passo Sella (2218m)

I think passo Sella has one of the best views of the Italian Alps. We saw them in November covered in snow, and it was quite a magical view.

Sella pass connects Val Gardena in South Tyrol with Val di Fassa in Trentino Val Gardena in South Tyrol with Val di Fassa in Trentino.

Passo Pordoi (2239m)

Passo Pordoi is located between the Sella group in the north and the Marmolada group in the south and it connects Arabba and Canazei.

You can get some great views of Piz Boe and Marmolada from here. And the winding roads with little huts and mountains look very cute.

8. Explore the (numerous) valleys

Each valley in the Dolomites is beautiful in its own way. All of them have something similar, but at the same time unique!

Honestly, for each of the valleys, I wanted to write “this is the most beautiful one!” And that’s because each of them has something that is just incredible.

Val Pusteria

Val Pusteria encompasses some of the most famous views and things to do in the Dolomites. Here you’ll find, as an example, the Fanes-Senes-Braies (Fannes-Sennes-Prags) Nature Park where Lake Braies (Pragser Wildsee) and Tre Cime di Lavaredo are located.

Val Gardena

Honestly, one of the most beautiful valleys in the Dolomites. Here you’ll find easy access to Seceda, Alpe di Siusi, and a number (a big number) of hiking trails. Spend the day exploring the endless possibilities and in the evening, relax in a wellness and enjoy the incredible cuisine.

Val di Fassa

In Val di Fassa, you’ll find the Sella group, Sassolungo, and Catinaccio mountains, including Marmolada. And one of the most beautiful lakes in the Dolomites is here – the Carezza lake.

9. Marvel at the lakes

It wouldn’t be a trip to the Dolomites without checking out at least some of the lakes. There are many, many of them, all beautiful, and many of them easily accessible by car.

Lake Braies

The jewel of the Dolomites, lake Braies, also known as Lago di Braies or Toblacher See is one of the most Instagram-famous lakes in the Dolomites. There’s a boathouse where you’ll definitely see a lot of people taking professional photos.

You can rent one of the boats to ride on the lake, do a hike around it (~4km/2.3 miles), or just enjoy the view from one of the restaurants.

There’s a hotel right on the lake where you can spend a night, even. The sunrise on lake Braies is beautiful.

Lake Dobbiaco

Although Lago di Braies is, arguably, the most famous lake in the Dolomites, my favourite one is Lake Dobbiaco near the town of the same name. Located just a few kilometres out of Dobbiaco, the lake is what I consider to be the perfect Alpine lake.

There’s a hotel there that’s on my bucket list – SkyView Chalets. It’s just as it sounds – chalets with a window on the ceiling where you can see stars (weather permitting) straight from your bed.

And there are multiple trails that you can walk, including to the Dobbiaco waterfall.

Lake Landro

Lago di Landro is part of the Three Peaks Nature park, and it’s honestly a hidden gem. Located just next to the road, not many people stop here and, honestly, they miss a nice view.

Emerald green in colour and with beautiful mountains surrounding it, you should definitely visit Lake Landro – especially since it doesn’t take really any effort.

Lake Misurina

Lake Misurina is that famous lake with a huge building on the other side of it. There’s a parking lot next to it, as well as a number of restaurants and shops. And a hotel!

Lake Carezza

Lago di Carezza is called also the rainbow lake because of the colours of the water. It’s a small lake – there’s a trail around it which can be done in 20 minutes. Unless you go with a kiddo in winter – it took us more than an hour to get around it.

Read more about Lake Carezza

Lake Sorapis

Lago di Sorapis, as I mentioned already, requires quite a hike to reach it, but if you’re in the right physical shape, believe me, it’s worth it.

A milky-blue lake with mountains all around it?

Yes, please!

On the way, there’s a rifugio where you can spend a night or just have a drink or lunch. But we recommend packing a picnic – it’s so great to have a picnic in a beautiful location!

Here are some more beautiful lakes in the Dolomites

10. Wander through the cute little towns

There are a lot of cute little towns in the Dolomites that you can explore!

Some of our favourites are Cortina d’Ampezzo, Ortisei, Santa Cristina di Val Gardena, and Dobbiaco.

These small towns encompass the mountain spirit – they have cobblestone streets, beautiful churches, and the typical houses with wooden balconies and flower boxes. We’re more nature people than town/city people, but even we found these little fairytale towns enchanting.

Spend some time wandering around the streets, get a gelato or a drink, and just soak in the atmosphere.

Most of the towns I mentioned actually make a great base for staying in the Dolomites. They’re well connected, have good restaurants, hotels, and shops, and are fairytale-like.

11. Get a view of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo without hiking

A trip to the Dolomites wouldn’t be complete without seeing the Tre Cime di Lavaredo – or Drei Zinnen, as it’s known in German.

I know it’s one of the most popular hikes in the Dolomites, but if you don’t want to pay for the parking and you’re not up to hiking the trail, there are still ways to see the three peaks.

One of the easiest is the “Tre Cime di Lavaredo” viewpoint between the towns of Cortina d’Ampezzo and Dobbiaco. There’s paid parking (you can pay at the machine or using the EasyPark app) from which you can already see the Tre Cime, but the “proper” viewpoint is just a short walk further.

We used this viewpoint in April when I visited the Dolomites with my friend – the initial plan to go up and hike the trail was thwarted by snow.

12. Enjoy the food – Austrian, Italian, or Ladin

One of the most interesting things about the Dolomites is that the region has an incredible Austrian influence – especially in the South Tyrol. That means that in addition to the typical Italian pasta you get to enjoy sauerkraut and schnitzel!

The cuisine in the Dolomites is rather meat heavy so it’s not exactly a great place for vegans, although vegetarians will find quite a few options.

Some typical things are polenta (cornmeal), knodel (dumplings made with speck, cheese, or spinach), bread with fennel, and deer meat.

And you can find these things in so many places – from malga (alpine hut, sometimes called Alm or Baita) to rifugios to Michelin-starred restaurants.

13. Relax in a spa and wellness

So many of the hotels in the Dolomites have spa and wellness areas that it would be a shame if you didn’t get to enjoy one of them.

Relaxing in a sauna or a hot tub after a long day of exploring the mountains is heavenly – let your muscles relax and just enjoy the moment.

Another good reason for visiting a spa in the Dolomites? Weather. We’re generally lucky and usually have pleasant weather during our visits, but it’s the mountains so rainy days can happen. So when on one of our stays the day was very rainy, it was nice just sitting in a warm relaxation room in the hotel and looking at the rain outside.

14. Don’t miss Enrosadira – when the mountains turn pink during sunset or sunrise

Enrosadira literally means “turning pink” in the Ladin language. The phenomenon, also known as Alpenglow, according to scientists, happens because of the specific mineral makeup of the Dolomite rocks. When the sun sets, it colours the mountains in different shades of red, yellow, pink, and orange. And when it rises, you get to see the peaks in colours from soft purple to bright orange.

If you’re lucky – like we were – you can see Enrosadira from your hotel room.

Or, there are tours that you can take to enjoy the Alpenglow in all its glory on different famous peaks or ranges in the Dolomites.

15. Go up the Marmolada

Marmolada, known also as the Queen of the Dolomites, is the highest mountain and mountain range in the Dolomites. The two highest peaks are Punta Penìa (3343m) and Punta Rocca (3265m), and you can actually go all the way up on the latter with a cable car.

The main reasons to visit Marmolada?

One is the Marmolada glacier, the largest one in the Dolomites. It’s actually possible to touch the glacier by taking a lift down to it.

And another one is 360-degree panoramic view of the most popular places in the Dolomites: the Catinaccio group, the Pale di San Martino, Croda da Lago peaks of the Ampezzo Valley and Alta Badia, and so much more.

Marmolada has rock climbing and via ferrata routes for those who are more adventurous.

It’s also a historically important place, where Italians and Austrians fought during WW1. There’s a museum – Museum of the Great War in Marmolada (Marmolada Grande Guerra) which is the highest museum in Europe, located at 3000mt.

16. Learn the history of the Dolomites

If museums and history is your thing, there’s no better place to visit than the Messner Mountain Museum (MMM). There are actually six of them in South Tyrol, each with a bit of a different focus. One in Corones focuses on mountaineering; Firmian near Bolzano – on the history of the mountains; and so on. Learn more about them on the website of Messner Mountain Museums.

Things To Do In The Dolomites In Winter

Winter is a great time to visit the Dolomites to enjoy the snow and snowy landscapes.

In winter, the Dolomites transform into a paradise for those who enjoy the typical winter activities, such as skiing.

17. Hit the slopes

The Dolomites is the perfect place to hit the slopes, whether you’re a complete beginner or a pro. The Dolomiti Superski area, which is spread over an area of 3000m2, will have a slope for everyone, whether you’re skiing or snowboarding.

We went on a ski holiday in the Carezza area, and it was perfect for both Emma and me – I’m a beginner snowboarder and she skis rather well for her age. There are many ski and snowboard schools available which offer both private and group lessons.

18. …or go cross-country skiing

If you’re uncomfortable with going down a slope, another great option to explore the great outdoors is going cross-country skiing.

There are over 1280km of cross-country ski tracks in the Dolomites, so I’m sure you’ll be able to find the correct one for you. Whether it’s Val Gardena or the 3 Zinnen trail, I’m sure it will be just beautiful.

19. Rush down the mountain on a tobbogan

This was one of the coolest things we did!

When we visited Carezza in February, we went on a 2km long toboggan ride. It. Was. Amazing!

You go up on the mountain with a gondola, and then ride down for 2 km. It’s as fast as you’d like it to be – use your legs for steering and braking.

My recommendation is to go in the morning hours, until lunchtime, as in the afternoon, the track is so destroyed that it goes from “exciting” to “scary”.

20. Embark on a road trip

Since in the winter months – and the ones near winter – the Dolomites become all about winter activities, one of the best things to do if you’re not a skier is a road trip.

This way, you can still enjoy quite a few views and see many of the lakes (most of them covered in snow, though) and especially the mountain passes. Most of the hiking trails are closed so really, a road trip is the best way to enjoy the Dolomites in winter.

I love road tripping in the Dolomites in all the seasons, actually. I’ve done several, each of them completely different. My first Dolomites Road trip was from Lake Garda to Venice in November, another was done in April, where my friend and I did trips in the Eastern Dolomites, and then some more shorter trips.

21. Go snowshoeing

A bit of a more unique thing to do in winter – go snowshoeing! It’s a great way how to explore the Dolomites which are covered in snow, especially if you’re not a skier. If you embark on a snowshoeing tour, you get to enjoy the area covered in white powdery snow.

Some hotels even offer tours and loan equipment out for free, such as the hotel we stayed at in Carezza, Alpenrose. Unfortunately, though, we didn’t get a chance to try it out because of scheduling conflicts with other planned activities.

I’d recommend going on a tour, as some places might get dangerous and in others, walking is not permitted.

How To Get Around

There are two ways to get around the Dolomites: public transportation and a car.

The bus connections are not that reliable, but if you do need to use public transport, we recommend staying in the Val Gardena area.

Our recommendation, though, is renting a car for your trip to the Dolomites (or driving your own car if you live close enough, as we do it. There are highways all around the Dolomites, so it’s quite convenient to reach them). It just gives more freedom and you don’t have to be worried about catching the bus when exploring somewhere interesting.

Where to stay

The Dolomites are huge! And generally, they are divided into the Eastern and Western ones. Depending on how many days you have available, you might want to spend a few of them on one side and the rest – on the other.

My recommendation is: in the Eastern part, base yourself in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Dobbiaco or San Vito di Cadore (blue on the map), and in the western, somewhere in Val Gardena (Selva di Val Gardena or Ortisei, for example) or Canazei (green on the map). Those are some of the main towns in the Dolomites, so they have everything you might need, such as hotels for every budget, restaurants, stores etc. Especially if it’s your first trip to these lovely mountains.

Another interesting area is Alta Badia (red on the map), although usually it’s more luxury hotels, thus more expensive.

And if you can afford it, definitely stay in one of the many wellness hotels – not just because of the “wellness” part, but also for something relaxing to do on rainy days.

Final thoughts…

These pale mountains in the Northeastern Italy have stolen my heart.

And there are just so many amazing and interesting things to do in the Dolomites! We’re returning again and again, and the list is still long.

Which activities went to your itinerary? Let me know in the comments or drop me an email!

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