An Adventure Girl’s Guide to Hiking in the Italian Dolomites: Cortina D’Ampezzo

Following her own hiking holiday, Travelista contributor Ana Pinho shares her guide to hiking in the Dolomites, including things to know, what to pack, where to stay and 5 of the very best hikes she discovered in the region. 

The Dolomites, or Dolomiti, is a mountain range in northeastern Italy and part of the Southern Limestone Alps. The mountains are a United Nations World Heritage site since 2009 and attract visitors from across the world every year. It is the perfect place for an adventure, and filled with people who are ready to go hiking in the Italian Dolomites.

With its rugged landscapes, snowy mountains and blue lakes, heading to the Dolomites was an easy decision for us when it came to pick a European hiking holiday destination. 

Overview

• Key things to know about hiking in the Italian Dolomites
• What to pack for hiking holiday in the Italian Dolomites
• 5 amazing hikes in Cortina D’Ampezzo, Dolomites
• Where to stay in Cortina D’Ampezzo region

Key things to know about hiking in the Italian Dolomites

• The closest (and most convenient) airport is Venice Marco Polo, roughly 2 hours away by car. You could also fly to Innsbruck in Austria which is roughly 1.5 hours’ drive away. However, flight prices to Innsbruck are considerably more expensive. Check out flights to Venice Marco Polo here.
• Hiring a car is a must if you’re hiking in the Italian Dolomites and have multiple hikes planned as they are quite spread out. Simply hire a car to collect and drop off at your chosen airport to avoid the need for any support transfers. I recommend searching the cheapest prices for car hire via booking.com.
• The weather in the Dolomites is unpredictable. The day may start with sunshine and end up with a thunderstorm so pack for all seasons. Also be prepared to change plans if the weather is particularly bad and the trails are closed.
• Some trails have free parking while others require a ticket. Not all trails are open all year round so do your research to ensure the trails you want to do are open. I would also recommend starting your hiking day early as the trails can get busy pretty quickly.
• If you’re already planning a trip to Venice, hiking in the Dolomites is an amazing addition that could convert your time in Italy into a two-part trip. There are lots of great guided hiking tours with transport available from Venice via GetYourGuide.

What to pack for hiking holiday in the Italian Dolomites

• Comfortable hiking boots
• Backpack for hands-free hiking
• Blister plasters
• Refillable water bottle
• Compact and packable puffa jacket and waterproof coat
• Battery power bank
• Suncream – the UV rays are stronger up in the mountains
• Comfortable active wear
• Sunglasses and baseball cap

5 amazing hikes in Cortina D’Ampezzo, Dolomites

1. Tre Cime di Lavaredo 

If you’re hiking in the Italian Dolomites, the Tre Cime di Lavaredo is one of the most popular hikes in the Dolomites. We started and ended the hike at Rifugio Auronzo, where we parked. There is a fee of €30 to enter the car park which, despite having the space for hundreds of vehicles, can fill up by 9.30am during the summer. 

The hike itself is stunning. It loops around the famous three peaks, giving you panoramic views of the mountains along the way. There are a few mountain huts too for a break or refreshment. I recommend doing the hike anticlockwise. The view to the three peaks opens up as you walk up in this direction. Follow the #101 route up to Rifugio Locatelli, then the #105 from there towards Lange Alm/Rifugio Auronzo.

Once you are back at Rifugio Auronzo, you can either head back to the car park and finish your hike here or you can hike up to the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint. And since this was a hiking holiday, we obviously picked the latter! The views from the viewpoint are incredible and well worth the extra 2 hour hike! For the viewpoint, follow the #117 trail which starts across from the rifugio’s terrace. 

2. Lago Federa

This was undoubtedly the hardest, yet most fulfilling and amazing hike we did! It starts off with a climb through the woods and to the beautiful Lake Federa before picking up the elevation again to reach the summit and finishing with a challenging descent back into the forest. 

This was the least busy hike we did, and it took us about 6 hours. It is a moderate to strenuous trail with the highest elevation at 2,475 metres so I would not recommend doing it with kids or if you have any injuries. 

Parking is on the road, next to the trail sign. The trail starts there, and you will walk through the pine forest with a few climbs. When you get to the junction, follow the path for the #434 trail. Once the trail starts to go downhill, you are close to the lake. There is a hut by the lake, Rifugio Palmieri which wasn’t open when we went but there are plenty of spots around the lake you can sit and enjoy a packed lunch.

At this point, you can walk back through the same path you took here, or you can continue to the full Croda da Lago Circuit. 

From the lake, it is a steady uphill hike and the views change dramatically. I stopped multiple times to take pictures (I also needed to catch my breath!). The hike gets harder and steeper but once you reach Forcella Ambrizzola, the views are indescribable! Start the descent following route #435. This is a challenging part of the hike where you will be scrambling through rocks going downhill until you reach the forest again and the end of the trail.

3. Lago di Braies & Lago di Dobbiaco

After the challenging hike to and from Lago Federa, we decided to take it easy and visit Lago di Braies. This is one of the most popular (if not the most popular) lakes in the Dolomites for its crystal clear water and mountainous backdrop. The loop around the lake is flat, making it a perfect trail for families. 

There are several car parks near the lake but some are restricted to hotels nearby. We parked at P3 which is a 5 minute walk from the lake. There is also a small fee to park here. 

You can do the loop around the lake in both clockwise and anticlockwise directions. We chose to start to the left (clockwise). If you arrive early enough, you will see the rowboats lined up at the dock, perfect to snatch a picture. 

The loop around Lago di Braies is short (roughly 2 hours) so we then headed to Lago di Dobbiaco, only 40 minutes’ drive away. 

The walk around Lago di Dobbiaco is flat and very quiet compared to Lago di Braies. Simply follow the path around the lake and enjoy a lovely coffee at the café and restaurant at the end of the trail.

4. Cinque Torri

Cinque Torri is another popular hiking and rock climbing trail in the Dolomites. It got its name from the 5 (cinque) main pillars you see as you climb up however, as you get closer, you notice that there are more smaller pillars around it. 

This is also where the open-air war museum is located with trenches and bunkers from World War I. This is a great trail for families. 

To hike Cinque Torri you can either take the chairlift or you can hike. The hike up is a little strenuous and steep and takes around 1 hour, so if you are visiting with kids, I would recommend taking the chairlift. We hiked up to Rifugio Scoiatolli and around the rock formation, stopping at the various open-air museum spots. You can add Rifugio Averau and/or Rifugio Nuvolau for an extended hike and higher views of the mountains but we decided to skip them this time. 

There is a car park at Cinque Torri too. 

5. Lago di Sorapis

Lago di Sorapis was the last hike of our trip and my second favourite. 

There are different trails you can take to the lake, some easier than others. Typically, people tend to hike to the lake and back, following the #215 trail which starts off flat with some steep sections.

There is another trail you can take to turn the hike into a loop, which is what we did. We followed the #217 trail which interestingly starts on the #215 trail. The #217 trail is steep, challenging and includes scrambling up large rocks. The views during the climb are mesmerising though but not for the faint hearted as you will be quite high and close to the edge of the cliff! 

Once you get to the lake, walk around it, admire its milky blue water and enjoy a relaxed lunch – we packed ours! 

On our way back, we picked a different path that follows a cliff (again, not for those afraid of heights!) that then leads back into the forest and the end of the trail. 

For this hike, you can park on the gravel car park on the road. 

Where to stay in Cortina D’Ampezzo region

Looking for the perfect place to stay when you’re hiking in the Italian Dolomites? If all your hikes are in the Cortina D’Ampezzo region, I would recommend you stay in this area. This will reduce the amount of driving between places and Cortina also offers a variety of restaurants. 

Browse all hotels in Cortina D’Ampezzo

We stayed a little further out at Hotel Markushoff in Valdaora, and while this meant more driving, the hotel was stunning and in a lovely area too with small hikes around it. It has a typical alpine décor, large garden, mountain view, spa and incredible food. They even decorated our dinner table to celebrate Dan’s birthday so I can’t recommend them enough! 

Browse all hotels in Valdaora.

All in all, this was an amazing holiday! Was it physically challenging? Yes! But it was equally (or more!) inspiring and rewarding. Not only for the jaw dropping landscapes, but also for the feeling of accomplishment after each hike! 

Read more articles from Ana Pinho.