Tips
- We stayed in two different places: near Toblach and near Ortisei, to be close to various different hotspots in the Dolomites.
- Be early: as always, be early to avoid the big crowds, and to secure a parking space!
- Use the MeteoBlue app to plan your hikes according to the weather.
- The clouds usually cleared up in the late morning, but rain did start in the late afternoon/evening.
- Try Maccheroni al Pastora, a delicious pasta.
Hikes we did
Lago di Sorapiss
Very beautiful hike, with free parking at the bottom.
Lago di Braies
This is a very popular spot. There is not really a “hike”, but more of a walk around the lake, which was fun to do. Be early though, since the road towards the hike is closed between 9 and 17 every day to prevent excess traffic. We bought a parking ticket in advance for the P3 parking lot. This was €8 for a whole day, which was cheaper than the P4 (the closest) parking lot, and was right next to it, only a 2 minute walk to the lake.
Lago di Landro
This is one of the few “swimming lakes” in the area. We went here in the afternoon after visiting Lago di Braies, and went for a swim. The water was very cold, and the ground was mostly clay.
Cinque Torri
A very popular spot. We parked at the Passo Falzarego, 615 Parking, which was free. It was a short walk to the 5-Torri chairlift, which we booked in advance online. The hike around the 5 Torri starts right at the top of the lift, where the is a Refugio, and already a great view. There are some WWI trenches on the left-hand side of the 5 Torri, as seen from the rifugio, including informative signs about the area during the first world war. After the hike around the 5 Torri, we also hiked up the (very steep) path to Rifugio Nuvolau.
Tre Cime
This hike is very popular. We went there on a day with very poor weather, and even then the parking was near full at noon when we went back. The toll gate seems to open at ~7AM, but even that early you may be stuck in traffic trying to get up to the toll gate. Despite the bad weather, we still got a glimpse of the this popular sight, and we even saw marmots on the way!
We attempted to go to the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint as well, but unfortunately, the viewpoint was engulfed in clouds, making for a disappointing view, though still giving some nice views along the way! This hike starts across the road from the Tre Cime hike, and seemed far less well-known.
The Church of Santa Maddalena
At this point we moved to the western part of the Dolomites, attempting to see a popular viewpoint of the church in Santa Maddalena. This was just a short walk up a hill past the church. The view was great, though it is more spectacular if the peaks are not hidden in the clouds.
The Adolf-Munkel Trial and the Geisler Alm
The next day we went to the Adolf Munkel Weg, a 10km hike up to the Geisler alm. We parked at the Zanser Alm, where we ate some pasta and started the hike.
Lago di Carezza
This was a very touristy spot. Very pretty, but really just a parking space next to a lake. We walked around the lake, but I am not sure if there are really any hikes to do around there.
Seceda Ridgeline
Also a very popular spot. The lift was pretty expensive. We parked next to the lift station in Ortisei, but it may be cheaper to just park at the “City Center” parking lot, and walking the few minutes up to the lift. Not just the well-known viewpoint is pretty, but the entire valley is amazing!
The Seiser Alm
Very pretty area. We parked at the P2 parking lot, which was the same price as a lift ticket for a single person. Very nice views. You may even see the Seceda Ridgeline in the distance if it is not cloudy.
