I had been postponing my trip to Dolomites for years. Instead, I visited breathtaking mountains and national parks of New Zealand, Canada or Alaska. And yet the same beauty, if no bigger, can be literally found just behind the corner – in ITALY! Italian Dolomites took my breath away at their first glance and I can say without any further hesitation that it was love at first sight.
In this article I will provide you with my itinerary across Dolomites, information about the camping spots and a day trip to ferrata and my budget.
DOLOMITES ITINERARY
Vipiteno – Santa Maddalena – mountain cottages around St. Maddalena – Lagos Braies/Sorapis – Cortina – Cinque Torri loop – Seceda
EXTRA ITINERARY
Lago di Garda (Torbole & Riva del Garda) – Peschiera del Garda – Verona – Grado
HIKES in THE DOLOMITES
HIKE n. 1 SANTA MADDALENA
One of my highlights was a visit of a charming village Santa Maddalena and its surrounding. After you find a parking there (€4 per day), go and explore its short hiking trails with breathtaking viewpoints over the Dolomites.
Then take a local bus to Zanser Alm cottage and start a breathtaking hike back to Santa Maddalena while visiting other mountains cottages surrounded by the Dolomites such as Malga Glatschalm or Gschnagenhardt Alm-Malga Casnago. I think the best pictures from the Dolomites were made at these places. As an addition, you can have your lunch or drinks at these cottages.
The whole way back from Zanser Alm to Santa Maddalena was around 11km and 800m of descend.
HIKE n. 2 LAGO di SORAPIS
Sorapis lake is a pretty popular spot in the Dolomites but I believe worth visiting. Find a free parking spot at Passo Tre Croci parking lot (or on a side of the road) and take around 6km one way trail to Sorapis Lake. The total elevation of one way is around 444m of ascend and 300m of descend, while returning you can do a loop and take another path, a bit more difficult though. Use mapy.cz app for the exact navigation.
The lake itself was crowded, yet ineffably beautiful surrounded by the rocks with snowy peaks. And the colour of the lake reminded me of the Canadian lakes. Simply waaw.
HIKE n. 3 CINQUE TORRI
Cinque Torri loop was definitely my favourite hike in the Dolomites. Find your free parking spot at Passo Giau (close to the Berghotel Passo Giau) and start this amazing hike via easy via ferrata of difficulty A (we didn’t carry any climbing equipment) all the way to Rifugio Nuvolau which is located around 2570m above sea elevation. It was the last day of May and there was still plenty of snow, yet it was hot and sunny day.
From Rifugio Nuvolau head towards Rifugio Scoiattoli from where you can observe that famous rock formation called Cinque Torri. You can have a lunch break here and then continue back to your car via different route.
It´s a nice 9km hike loop with a total ascend and descend around 550m.
HIKE n. 4 SECEDA
Seceda is considered to be one of the most famous and unique places of the Dolomites (besides Tre Cime which we skipped on purpose – too touristy and busy and overcrowded).
To be perfectly clear, we didn’t hike up to Seceda but we took a cable car instead. The price of the cable car return ticket was €52 and you can take it from the small town called St. Ulrich (the cheapest parking we found was for 8 euro a day).
Once at the top, go and explore its little trails and the views which took my breath away. We could even see where we had been the first day (the cottages around Santa Maddalena area).
I definitely recommend to get breakfast/lunch at the mountain cottage Troier Hutte and sit there for some time to absorb all the beauty and the vibes.
ACCOMMODATION AND CAMPS
We spent the first night in a nice AirBnB apartment with a view over the castle in the village Tassullo. The apartment “Casa Vacanze Pie di Castello” cost us €76 per night and it offered peace and comfort much needed after the whole day traveling.
The second night was spent next to a small cottage/restaurant called Utia Cir at the altitude of around 2000meters. It wasn’t an official camp but the owners of the cottage let us stay overnight in our tents and left the toilet open for us the whole night. It was very nice of them, moreover, they prepared us delicious homemade pasta dinner. The only disadvantage was the cold weather (around 4 degrees at night) because of the altitude we were at.
The third night was finally spent at the official camping site called Olimpia located close to Cortina town. We paid €52 euro per 3 people. This camp was already at the beginning of June fully packed but it was perfectly equipped. Hot showers, clean toilets and a cozy restaurant available for breakfast, too.
We spent the fourth night at the campsite Miravalle in a Campitello di Fassa village and we paid €69,50 per 3 people for 1 night. This was the most expensive camp but the most beautiful and empty. We had a huge camping spot just for ourselves with ineffable views over the Dolomites.
The fifth night was spent in the campsite Riviera not far away from a town Trento, officially not a part of the Dolomites. Here we paid only 30 €euro and we were located next to a beautiful lake Laghetto Fie where we ate our dinner and played some card game.
The sixth night was spent next to Lago di Garda at the campsite Al Porte in a Torbole town. The price was €51,50 per night. It was 5 minute walk from the lake itself.
We spent the last night in VERONA – another love at first sight and my recommendation is to stay in an apartment “Limehome Verona La Vigna in Citta” for €79 a night. It was a beautiful, clean and spacious apartment in the perfect location of Verona.
THE TOTAL BUDGET FOR ACCOMMODATION WAS €134 PER PERSON PER 8 NIGHTS. Including the last night spent in Austrian Graz on the way home.
BUDGET
We spent five days in the Dolomites, then two extra days around the Lago di Garda, one day in Verona and one day in Grado on the beach. Within 9 days I spent around €650. The fees for gas, highways, parking and camps were equally split among the three of us.
Accommodation: €134 per person
Gas: €99 per person
Highway fees: €20,50 per person
Parking: €16,50 per person
Cable car Seceda & Verona: €55 per person
Food and others: €325
TOTAL: €650 euro
A BONUS TIP – FERRATA ANELLI delle ANGUANE
In this article I would love to recommend you a bonus place to visit – a village San Petro Valdastico. It´s not an official part of the Dolomites but it´s located nearby, maybe an hour from the famous Lago di Garda. If you love bit of adrenaline, do a ferrata Anelli delle Anguane – you will find various levels of difficulties and the cherry at the top in a 25m suspended bridge/ladder reminding me the one in Austria called Stairs to Heaven.
The best part of this ferrata is that you can choose which path you want to take, either the easier ones (such as A, B or C) or the most challenging ones (D&E). Or you can avoid them and hike up there, too.
The whole ferrata took us approximately 2 hours, the exit time was around 30 mins.
CONCLUSION
In a nutshell I must say that the trip to the Dolomites exceeded my expectations and it was the love at first sight. I am 100% that I will return to this marvellous place which stole my heart sooner than later.
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