20 Unmissable Places To Visit In The Dolomites (With Map & Tips)

After several visits to the Dolomites, we’ve put together our favourite places to visit, including picturesque locations, the most beautiful villages and dramatic mountains.

We visit the Alps regularly, and after several weeks in Switzerland this year, we came to the conclusion that the Italian Dolomites are our number 1 hiking destination in the Alps.

The spiky peaks are unlike anywhere else.

Likewise, the lush alpine meadows, high mountain passes and cable cars will leave you speechless.

We’ve explored and written a lot about the Dolomites and had a hard time curating this list to just 20 amazing places, but we think it’s the best it offers.

For information on visiting, read our guide to the Italian Dolomites. To put it all together, our 1-week Dolomites road trip includes a day-to-day breakdown of exactly what we did.

MAP: THE DOLOMITES

The Dolomites are the eastern section of the northern Italian Alps, a mountain region made up of glaciers, lakes, forests, and mountains.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site covers an area of around 140,000 hectares. For details on how to get there, read our first-timer’s guide to the Dolomites.

Scenic Landscapes & Natural Wonders

The Dolomites are famed for their beautiful scenery. Here are our favourite places to experience a the variety of natural landscapes in the area.

1. VAL DI FUNES

Val di Funes is a beautiful valley in Val Gardena, which has become famous for a charming church nestled amongst rolling green meadows under jagged spires of rock.

But there’s so much more to do.

We hiked the Panoramaweg and Sunnseitenweg trails, which are two beautiful walks that start from the village of Santa Maddalena. They are both easy hikes with great views of the valley.

We also loved the more challenging Adolf Munkel Trail, which cuts under the jagged spires of the Puez-Odle group.

All the details are in our complete guide to visiting Val di Funes.

2. ALPE DI SIUSI

Alpe di Siusi is Europe’s largest alpine meadow, surrounded by towering peaks and soaring pinnacles. It’s one of the most spectacular destinations in the Dolomites.

The sweeping panoramic views make it a great place to hike in summer. One of the best trails is the Monte Pana hike, which is almost all downhill.

Our highlight at Alpe di Siusi was lunch in the Rifugios. Here are some of the best we found:

• Gostner Schwaige for traditional Dolomites dishes with refined twists
• Rauchhütte serves alpine food including their famous venison ragu and locally sourced steak, accompanied by a serious wine list.
• Gostner Schwaige provides a gourmet dining experience at 3,000 feet with locally sourced food from the alpine meadows. Don’t miss the Heublütensuppe – a soup made from hay, flowers, and herbs, served in bread.

Access to Alpe di Siusi by private vehicle is limited, so the best way to get to the meadow is via the cable car in Ortisei. We hired e-bikes from Bamby Bike Rental, which is a great way to see a lot more of the meadow while saving your legs.

3. CADINI DI MISURINA

The Cadini di Misurina viewpoint offers some of the best views of the spiky mountain peaks that make the Dolomites so distinctive.

There is a short hike to the viewpoint from the Rifugio Auronzo car park, which is where the Tre Cime di Lavaredo hike mentioned above starts.

From the car park, take trail 117 towards Rifugio Col de Varda and walk about 1.5 kilometres to reach the viewpoint.

There is a narrow trail on a grassy outcrop with dramatic views of the surrounding mountains.

4. LAGO DI BRAIES

Lago di Braies is a picture-perfect lake and one of the most recognisable images of the Italian Dolomites. The vibrant turquoise lake is surrounded by blonde-shingle beaches and backed by sheer rocky cliffs.

There are great photo opportunities from the shore, but the best way to see it is via one of the wooden-panelled row boats.

In order to maintain the ecosystem at Lago di Braies, both bus tickets and parking spaces must be booked in advance for visits between 10 July and 10 September.

All the details, including how to visit, are in our guide to visiting Lago di Braies.

5. PRATO PIAZZA

Prato Piazza is a wild alpine pasture set in the hills above Lago di Braies.

You can only drive to the top of Prato Piazza early in the morning (before they close the road) or if you are staying in the hotel at the top, Hotel Gaisl.

Otherwise, you can park at the large car park at the bottom and get the shuttle bus. More information is on our guide to Lago di Braies.

We stayed the night at the hotel and were treated to a magical sunrise over the mountains and meadows dotted with wooden huts. If you have the time, we highly recommend it.

6. LAGO DI CAREZZA

Lago di Carezza is a beautiful alpine lake whose emerald waters perfectly reflect the spiky Latemar mountains behind. The sunlight gracing its gentle waters has earned it the nickname “Lake of the Rainbow.”

The lake is fed by underground springs, so the water level rises and falls with the seasons. The best time to visit is in early spring when the snow melts and the lake rises.

Lago di Carezza is 26 kilometres southeast of Bolzano (about a 40-minute drive) on the Great Dolomite Road. This is a large visitor centre with toilets and plenty of parking on site.

7. VAL GENOVA

Val Genova is a narrow, forested valley sometimes called the valley of waterfalls, thanks to the multitude of waterfalls hidden among the trees.

Two of the best waterfalls are Cascate Nardis and Cascate Di Laris, and they are easily reached via a short walk from the parking lot.

The whole valley is a gentle and peaceful place that feels a world away from the surrounding rugged mountain scenery.  

There is parking at Ponte Verde in Lower Val Genova, which is open from 8 am to 5:30 pm. From here, it’s easy to explore the area on foot.

8. LAGAZUOI

The Lagazuoi Cable Car climbs to Rifugio Lagazoui (2,753m) at the top of Falzarego Pass. Set on the side of the mountain, this “castle of rock” is peppered with spires and turrets, offering a dramatic view of the Dolomites.

Lagazoui was the front line between the Italian and Austrian forces during World War I, and you can still see some of the remnants of war today. There are fortified trenches, gun turrets and bunkers.

Numerous excellent hikes start from the Rifugio. Check the latest cable car opening times and prices on the official Lagazuoi website.

9. SASS PORDOI

The Sass Pordoi Cable Car whisks you up to a 2,950-metre-high rocky wilderness in just a few minutes. It leaves from the top of the Passo Pordoi, and the views are as good as anywhere in the Dolomites.

The Sella Massif is like a massive sheer-sided boulder, and the three peaks of Sassolungo lie just across the valley.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can hike across the rocky desolation of Piz Boe, but it’s a great destination to soak up the views with minimal effort.

We cover more of this area in our guide to Val Gardena.

Hiking & Adventure Trails

We’ve hiked in some great destinations all over the world, but it’s still hard to go past the Dolomites. The trails are well-mainted, the facilities are excellent and the scenery is unbelievable. Here are the best hikes to try:

10. SASSOLUNGO

The Sassolungo Circuit is one of our favourite places in the Dolomites. It’s a stunning mountain range with 3 towering peaks, dramatically positioned rifugios and views of sweeping meadows.

You can see it on a full-day hike, which is one of our favourites in the area. We have all the details on our hiking the Sassolungo circuit guide.

If you’re not up for the whole hike, you can get the cable car from Selva or Santa Cristina to Campioni, which is the starting point for the hike. At the cable car stations, there’s a restaurant where you can take in the views without doing the hike.

The views from Col Rodella are also amazing. Take the cable car from just outside Canazei, then the short walk to the top of Col Rodella.

11. TRE CIME DI LAVAREDO

Possibly the finest hike in the entire Italian Dolomites, the Tre Cime di Lavaredo loop offers stunning views of the three distinctive rocky peaks rising above a sea of barren rock.

Numerous rifugios on the route provide wonderful breaks with stunning views and hearty Italian cooking. The trail is easy to follow, with several scenic rest stops along the way.

All the details are in our guide to hiking Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

12. LAGO DI SORAPIS

Lago di Sorapis is a stunning high alpine lake on a secluded ledge surrounded by the rugged slopes of Mount Sorapis (3,200 m).

The lake is reached via a moderately challenging hike, including forested trails, narrow ledges, and breathtaking views overlooking Tre Cime.

During the summer months, there’s a wonderful return route that heads over a dramatic high pass.

All the details, including how to get there, are in our guide to hiking to Lago di Sorapis.  

13. SECEDA & THE PUEZ-ODLE GROUP

The Seceda summit would have to be one of our favourite viewpoints anywhere in the world.

It’s also very accessible via the cable car from Ortisei (the Furnes-Seceda Cable Car), which is only 100 metres from the viewpoint. So, there is hardly any walking to get to this incredible Dolomites location.

We had a great day out by going up via the Furnes-Seceda Cable Car to the viewpoint, strolling downhill to have lunch at Baita Troier Hutte, and then walking down to Col Raiser to get the cable car to Santa Cristina.

There’s a bus between Santa Cristina and Oritisei to get back to where you started.

Seceda is one of the top things to do in Val Gardena – this guide has more details.

14. VAJOLET TOWERS

The Vajolet Towers are 6 dramatic peaks in the Catinaccio group and possibly the most photographed peaks in the Dolomites.

It’s a popular destination for a very serious Via Ferrata (Ferrata Santner) and rock climbing for people with far more ability than us.

But if you’d like to experience a unique side of the Dolomites, there’s a medium-length but fairly challenging hike to the base of the towers.

The hike starts from Malga Frommer Alm.

15. BRENTA DOLOMITES

The Brenta Dolomites is a remote area in the Western Dolomites with vertical walls and rocky summits.

The best way to see the area is a hike down to the town of Madonna di Campiglio, which we loved.

We took the Grostè Gondola Lift, then walked southwest via path 316 to Rifiguio Tuckett.

From here, we walked down to Rifugio Brentei on path 328, then took a steep descent down to Rifugio Vallisnella.

There is a bus from Rifugio Vallisnella to Madonna di Campiglio every 20 or 30 minutes.

All the details are in our best hikes in the Dolomites guide, but here is the summary:

• Distance – 18 kilometres
• Duration – 6 hours
• Difficulty – 200 metres of ascent; 1,300 metres of descent.

The Brenta Dolomites are a stunning landscape, as you can see from the photos below. We highly recommend making the trip out here if you have the time.

Cultural & Historical Towns

The Dolomites has a unique Alpine culture with both Austrian and Italian influences. Here are just a few of the main areas to see a different side to the area.

16. TRENTO

Trento is a charming, picturesque city in the Trentino-Alto Adige region, with beautiful streets adorned with medieval and Renaissance-era buildings.

It’s a wonderful place to visit in the Italian Dolomites, adding great variety to the dramatic mountain scenery.

Here are a few ideas for things to do in Trento:

• Piazza Duomo: A vibrant square surrounded by historic buildings and charming cafes.
• Castello del Buonconsiglio and Gardens: A medieval castle consisting of several buildings, each reflecting different historical periods.
• Museo delle Scienze (MUSE): An innovative and interactive museum that explores various scientific and natural topics.
• Palazzo delle Albere: A unique Renaissance-style palace with contemporary art exhibitions.
• Sardagna Cable Car: Take the cable car to Sardagna for breathtaking views.

17. MADONNA DI CAMPIGLIO

The town of Madonna di Campiglio is a wonderful year-round destination in the Dolomites.

In summer, it has hiking, mountain biking, climbing, and paragliding, while in winter, it’s a lively ski resort.

There is an extensive network of well-groomed slopes and modern ski lifts, so it’s good for beginners through to experienced skiers. It also has a great après-ski scene with vibrant nightlife, local restaurants, and elegant dining options.

Set beneath the Brenta Dolomites, Madonna di Campiglio has a cosy atmosphere, chalet-style architecture, and charming streets lined with boutiques.

18. CORTINA D’AMPEZZO

Cortina d’Ampezzo is the central hub of the Eastern Dolomites. It’s a beautiful village framed by mountains with high-end accommodation, upmarket shopping, and top-quality restaurants.

During the summer, there are many wonderful things to do in Cortina, some of which involve hiking, while others are easy-to-get-to scenic viewpoints.

It’s an excellent base for exploring the Eastern section of the Dolomites with highlights such as Tre Cime and Lago di Braies on your doorstep.

We have written a detailed guide about visiting Cortina d’Ampezzo, which has more useful information.

Scenic Drives

This is a fantastic destination for a road trip, which was the basis of our 1-week itinerary for the Dolomites. Here are a few places we suggest you see if you’re looking for a scenic drive.

19. TRENTINO VALLEY

The Trento Valley is a beautiful wine-growing area where small family-owned wineries mainly do production. The chilly alpine climate is excellent for cultivating cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir.

Most wine is sold locally with minimal exports so visiting the local vineyards while in the Dolomites is a great thing to do.

Here are a few we recommend:

Ferrari Trentino // The opulent 16th-century villa at Ferrari Trentino is stunning. Lunch and wine tasting can be booked, ranging from €85 to €265.

Cantina Tramin // Set in a stunning location, Cantina Tramin is a celebration of art, design, architecture, and wine. Guided tours with wine tasting can be booked starting from €17.

Cantina Rotari // Cantina Rotari maximise the unique mountain climate of Trentino to produce sparkling wines from Chardonnay and Pinot grapes.

Alois Lageder Paradeis // This family-run winery uses classical grape varieties to produce wines in harmony with the natural elements of the area. We had lunch here and it was top-notch.

20. GREAT DOLOMITE ROAD

The final section of the Great Dolomite Road opened in 1909, connecting towns in the Dolomites that were previously inaccessible thanks to the high mountains. The route runs from Bolzano to Cortina, collecting all the major Dolomites peaks in 110 kilometres of driving.

Here is a quick driving itinerary for the Great Dolomite Road, which includes many of the highlights:

• Lago di Carezza – Beautiful Alpine Lake.
• Val di Fassa – A valley with striking alpine meadows.
• Passo Pordoi – One of the four passes on the Great Dolomites Road with 28 hairpin bends.
• Passo Falzarego – For the cable car to Rifugio Lagazuoi, used during WW1.
• Cortina d’Ampezzo – Read more in our Cortina guide.

MORE ITALY GUIDES

• Here are the best things to do in Siena.
• Discover the orange city with our guide to Bologna.
• Visit the beautiful Val di Funes in the Dolomites
• Read our top things to do in Florence.
• Our guide to the best things to do in Rome is perfect for first timers.
• Plan your trip with our 3-day Rome itinerary.
• Here are the best places to visit in the Dolomites.
• How to spend a day in San Gimignano.
• How to avoid the queues at the Vatican & St Peters.
• See Lake Como via boat (rental tips & routes).
• See Tuscany on these great day trips from Florence.
• Read our guide to the Italian Dolomites.