Italian Alps: Hiking in the Dolomites

Day 1

Benvenuto in Italia! Mountain peaks and alpine lakes, plus some of Europe’s most picturesque valleys. Get excited for an unforgettable eight days reveling in the Dolomites! We kick off our adventure in Bolzano, head to Canazei and then hop on a gondola up to Col Rodella. Our first hike is the iconic Sasso Piatto loop, with Sassolungo Massif and Marmolada Glacier looming majestically in the distance. The incredible scenery is just a taste of what’s to come.

Then it’s off to San Cassiano, a mountain village in Alta Badia at the foot of the magnificent La Varella. San Cassiano is known for its shops and first-class hotels and restaurants. It’s also a center of Ladin culture, an ethnic group indigenous to this pocket of northeastern Italy dating back to the Roman Empire. While only a few thousand people still speak Ladin—related to Swiss Romansh and Friulian languages—its cultural and gastronomic traditions run deep here. We’ll freshen up and reconvene for a traditional welcome feast at La Majun. It’s the perfect intro to the Dolomites.

Day 1: 10 miles, 6 hours, 2,657′ gain, 2,788′ loss

Day 2

Wake up to refreshing alpine air and mountain vistas as far as the eye can see. Keeping La Majun as our homebase, we’ll transfer for our hike today to Passo Falzarego. We’ll make our way up the winding pass, steadily revealing towering crags like stone daggers in the sky. The mountain pass is our jumping-off point for Cinque Torri (Five Towers). Our trail ambles through beautiful meadows carpeted in verdant grass and wildflowers, with heart-stopping views of the jagged massifs, Marmolada and Cortina glaciers, and of Val Badia and Val Gardena, two of South Tyrol’s spectacular river valleys.

Dinner tonight is at your leisure back in San Cassiano. Whether you feel like a low-key meal or elevated Michelin-starred dining, this scenic mountain village has it all.

Day 2: 7.4 miles, 5 hours, 2,769′ gain, 2,651′ loss

Day 3

Today’s hike is in the Sella group, a cluster of plateau-shaped mountains—or, as the French call it, a massif—between the four Ladin valleys of Badia, Gherdëina, Fascia and Fodom. After a transfer to Passo Pordoi, we’ll traverse the Val Badia, a visual wonderland known for its rich Ladin culture, framed by the region’s most photogenic dolomite peaks. We’ll wander through dreamy alpine pastures, skirting past staggering peaks and capturing astounding views of Piz Boè (10,341 ft), the giant fortress of rock in the heart of the Dolomites.

Our picnic lunch is set among the mighty mountains; after lunch, our descent takes us along wild streams and through alpine meadows and back down to the luminous Val Badia. Dinner tonight is at La Majun, where we’ll revel in the tastes of Ladin cuisine the San Cassiano way.

Day 3: 7.4 miles, 4 hours, 1,965′ gain, 1,922′ loss

Day 4

We say ciao to San Cassiano and continue on to La Valle, just on the other side of the Gruppo di Fanes. Much of this impressive mountain group is part of the strongly protected Fanes-Sennes-Braies nature park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with untouched land, towering rock walls, lush meadows, and serene alpine lakes. Its geological, botanical, and ecological diversity make the park a must-see for any Dolomites hiker, and we’ll experience it to the fullest, gazing at the impressive and towering Sasso Croce peak.

Our home for the night is Lavarella Mountain Lodge, a simple mountain hut that’s been a cozy alpine escape for generations. We’ll have dinner here before resting up for another hiking day tomorrow.

Day 4: 8.5 miles, 6 hours, 4,192′ gain, 1,847′ loss

Day 5

One of the best parts about staying in Fanes-Sennes-Braies is that our trail starts, quite literally, at our doorstep! This morning we’ll lace up our boots and head out on the Lavarella Loop via Ju d’la Crusc, holding to a steep wooded hillside that skirts the Fanes Plateau. The lunar expanse here is crossed by mighty rock walls and dotted with austere caverns. In the distance, the drama is only heightened by the valley’s incredible vastness.

If you’re up for it, we’ll continue up to L’Ciaval peak for even more soaring views; it’s one of the most beautiful hikes in the Dolomites, untouched except by nature, with vertical walls soaring skywards. Or skip the optional 1.9-mile ascent if our mountain hut and a cold beer or a glass of wine are calling your name—we won’t blame you. Either way, we’ll celebrate together tonight with traditional Ladin flavors and sleep soundly in our mountain serenity.

Day 5: 8.7 miles, 5 hours, 3,280′ gain, 3,280′ loss; optional 1.9 mile / 1.5 hour hike to L’Ciaval

Day 6

After a short hike from Lavarella to Pederù, we’ll make our way towards Cortina. Called the “Queen of the Dolomites,” Cortina is the Italian Alps destination and home to the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics—so they know a thing or two about sporting and resorting.

We’ll take a break from hiking this afternoon. Instead we’ll explore the deep-rooted traditions of South Tyrol, and have the rare opportunity to immerse ourselves in Ladin culture on a visit to a local farm in the small mountain village of San Vigilio. We’ll meet the farmers, learn their old-world methods, and discover how the Alta Badia region has earned its reputation as a premier gastronomic destination. We’ll enjoy a hands-on cooking experience here as we learn to make traditional pastries. This evening we’re free to explore the beautiful village of Cortina on our own, relax at our sumptuous five-star mountain hotel, and maybe enjoy a spa treatment.

Day 6: 3.9 miles, 3 hours, 492′ gain, 2,165′ loss

Day 7

It’s our last full day in the Dolomites, and the choice is yours to make: rest and relax at our glorious hotel, or challenge yourself with a rock-climbing adventure at Ferrata Fusetti, a former military outpost on the southwest face of Sasso di Stria (8,126 ft). In 2018 a new route was established by Italian Alpini (mountain) soldiers. It was no easy feat, and still isn’t, which is why it’s a hotspot for spectacular rock climbing. We’ll gear up with an expert guide and tackle these non-technical routes with marvelous mountain panoramas. 

We’ll reconvene in the afternoon at the Michelin-starred SanBrite farm and restaurant. In the local dialect san means ‘health’ and brite is a mountain hut—a healthy farmhouse with a traditional kitchen, in this case run by Chef Riccardo Gaspari and his sommelier wife, Ludovica Rubbini. It’s the last building before the fields and forest, with farm animals and a traditional dairy. We’ll meet the owners and roll up our sleeves, assisting in the cheese-making process—the perfect appetizer for our farewell dinner tonight with Riccardo and Ludovica, who will lead us on a culinary journey capturing the traditions, heritage and true flavors of this unforgettable region.

Day 8

Savor one last look at the soaring walls of the Dolomites, the plunging valley slopes, and the quaint villages we’ve called home for the past week. Our time in this picturesque part of Italy has come to an end, but will stay with us forever. After packing up in the morning, we’ll transfer to the Venice airport for our departing flights. As the Ladin say, A s’udëi! Until next time.