Summer in the Dolomites: a perfect 8-day road trip itinerary
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If you’ve been around Instagram for the past couple of years, you’ve probably come across the Dolomites. A breathtaking region in the northeast of Italy, the Dolomites are everything an adventure lover can dream of — especially in the summer.
Awe-inspiring landscapes, rugged peaks, scenic passes, and crystal-clear lakes are inviting you to disconnect from the day-to-day and enjoy every moment in this beautiful corner of the Earth.
This eight-day Dolomites summer road trip itinerary will guide you from the west to the east of the region. We’ll walk through panoramic trails, hike diverse alpine landscapes, and enjoy sunrises and sunsets at some of the most stunning lakes you have ever seen.
Table of Contents
What and where are the Dolomites?
A playground for outdoor lovers of all kinds, the Dolomites are a mountain range in the northeast of Italy. Made up of rocks as old as 250 million years, they form part of the Southern Limestone Alps.
The Dolomites stretch over five Italian provinces: South Tyrol (Alto Adige), Trentino, Belluno, Udine, and Pordenone. They include nine sub-areas, however, they are commonly divided into Western and Eastern Dolomites, split by the imaginary line of Val Badia — Campolongo Pass — Cordevolle Valley.
Since 2009, the mountains are part of UNESCO Natural World Heritage.
The Dolomites are full of hidden and not-so-hidden jewels
It isn’t uncommon for places in the Dolomites to have two, sometimes even three, names. While Italian is the official language of the country, this region has a considerable German-speaking population. Last but not least, some people speak Ladin — a 2000-year-old dialect and, together with the other two, an officially recognized language in South Tyrol.
Where to stay in the Dolomites?
As any major tourist destination, the Dolomites offer a range of accomodation options that suit all tastes and budgets. You’ll find hotels, B&Bs, wellness centres, as well as camping grounds scattered all around the region.
To keep the costs down and make things more adventurous, we opted for camping on this eight-day trip. For the first four days, we chose Camping Gamp in Chiusa (Klausen) as a base to explore the Western section of the Dolomites.
Combing Toblacher See in Toblach (Dobbiaco) was our home for the second four days, in which we traveled around Eastern Dolomites.
Day 1: Santa Maddalena Panorama Trail
🚶♀️ Hiking distance: 6-9 km depending on the trail you chose
⏱ Time needed: around 3:30 hours
⛰ Elevation gain/loss: 380 metres
Also known as Panoramaweg in German, the Santa Maddalena Panorama Trail connects the villages of Santa Maddalena and St. Peter in Val di Funes (Villnöß). It’s the perfect starting adventure for your summer in the Dolomites.
Walking it requires no more than an afternoon, and gives you a first glimpse of some of this region’s typical features: mountain valleys, old churches, and pretty villages.
Pro tip: Mark the trail you intend to walk on a map before you set off!
The village of Santa Maddalena is the starting point of today’s hike. Park your car and head to the first main spot: the Church of St. Maddalena, the tower of which dates back to the end of the 14th century! You can enter the church for free.
Follow Magdalenaweg and the Panoramaweg trail signs. There’s this one iconic St. Maddalena photo spot that is all the hype on the internet. But to be honest, if you look around and look back a little as you walk the trail, you can decide for yourself what composition you like best.
There’s no shortage of moments where the magnificent Geisler/Odle peaks create an impressive backdrop to both the Church of St. Maddalena, as well as the just-as-famous church of Ranui in the distance.
You can go up to Vikoler Jöchl and then back to Santa Maddalena via Sunnseitnweg. As the early evening approaches, get a first taste of South Tyrolean cuisine. My recommendation would be the typical dumplings.
The famous Church of Santa Maddalena photo
Can you spot the church of Ranui in the distance?
Day 2: Alpe di Siusi & Sciliar Plateau Day Hike
🚶♀️ Hiking distance: 20+ kilometres
⏱ Time needed: 8+ hours
⛰ Elevation gain/loss: 1100+ metres
Physical energy levels are still high at this point, so the second day will be spent hiking Europe’s largest high-altitude Alpine meadow, Alpe di Siusi, together with the impressive spine of the Sciliar (Schlern) Plateau.
Alpe di Siusi gives the word “vastness” a whole new meaning. It stretches over 52 km2, with altitudes varying between 1680 and 2350 metres above sea level. Just for comparison, the size of Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is 32 km2.
The vastness of Alpe di Siussi is hard to capture in photos
Located high above Val Gardena, you can only get there by car before 9 AM or after 5 PM. The road is closed to private vehicles between 9 AM and 5 PM. Leave your car at P2 in Compaccio (Compatsch). The parking fee is between €20-30 per car. Alternatively, you can use the Alpe di Siusi Aerial Cableway from Siusi allo Sciliar (Seis am Schlern).
Today’s hike is the toughest one of the trip. Not so much for its technical difficulty, but more so for its length. Start at Compatsch and hike your way across the meadow to Saltner Hütte. This is the place to warm up with coffee and gather some energy in the form of a quick snack before the long and strenuous ascent to Rifugio Bolzano on the Sciliar Plateau.
Ascent towards Rifugio Bolzano
Little house on Alpe di Siusi
Catch your breath and slowly start traversing the Sciliar Altiplano towards Rifugio Alpe di Tires. From the moment you first spot the rifugio in the distance, you still have a long way ahead. The trail is narrow and at times exposed, but in good condition. This makes for quite an adventurous walk.
After passing Rifugio Alpe di Tires, you’ll make your way down back to Alpe di Siusi. The trails can be slippery, especially if it hasn’t rained for some time. Having hiking poles for support can really come in handy.
For a more detailed description of this day hike, I recommend checking out this guide from Moon & Honey Travel.
When the sun rays are in a perfect position
Rifugio Alpe di Tires in the distance
Day 3: Hiking the Adolf Munkel Trail
🚶♀️ Hiking distance: around 9 kilometres
⏱ Time needed: between 3 and 4 hours
⛰ Elevation gain/loss: 370 metres
Not far from the village of Santa Maddalena is the Zannes (Zans) car park — the starting point of today’s hike. With its relatively short distance and small elevation gain/loss, the Adolf Munkel Trail is great for beginners.
You’ll be taken through all kinds of landscapes and flora without much physical exertion. Think forest, heath, as well as alpine meadows and pastures.
Starting at Zanseralm, make your way through the forest towards Duslerhütte and then to Geisler Alm. This will take about an hour and a half.
As you’re now halfway through the hike, Geisler Alm is the perfect place to take a break. Not only because the wooden chairs on the meadow in front of the hut are extremely inviting and offer amazing views of the Odler/Geisler peaks. Also because their Kaiserchmarrn is simply delicious.
Perfect moment for a pit stop
Have you really been to the Dolomites if you haven’t tried Kaiserschmarrn?
Make your way across the alpine pasture towards Gschnagenhardt Alm. Here you’ll connect onto the actual Adolf Munkel Weg (trail 35) and later on to trail 36 which will take you back to the parking lot. This part is truly picturesque, leading you down a winding path through a forest, with some spectacular openings to see the peaks above you.
Many choose to walk the trail clockwise, going from Zannes directly on the Adolf Munkel Weg and then via Geisler Alm and Duslerhütte. However, if you follow the route described above (counterclockwise), you’ll be directly facing the impressive Odler/Geisler peaks.
As you drive back down from Zannes to your place of accommodation, don’t forget to stop by the small church of St. John of Nepomuk in Ranui, a symbol of this region’s beauty which has taken Instagram by storm.
Facing the Odle/Geisler peaks on the Adolf Munkel Weg
Church of St. John of Nepomuk in Ranui
Day 4: Seceda & Sunset at Lago di Carezza
🚶♀️ Hiking distance: around 9 kilometres
⏱ Time needed: 3:30-4 hours
⛰ Elevation gain/loss: 500+ metres
🚗 Driving distance: 55 kilometres from Ortisei to Lago di Carezza
Seceda ridgeline pierces the sky at an altitude of 2500 metres. Being part of the Odle group (meaning needle in Ladin language), its jagged peaks loom above the villages of Ortisei, St. Christina, and Selva.
The iconic peaks of Seceda ridgeline
Enjoy the views every step of the way
The mountain top is reachable by cable car from Ortisei. Many come here just to enjoy the views, picnic, or have a cup of coffee at the local restaurant. However, it would be a shame not to explore the landscape a little more in-depth. The circuit hike via Rifugio Firenze can be comfortably completed in three to four hours.
Starting from the Seceda Mountain Station and Panorama Point, make your way via trails 1 and 2B past Pieralongia, eventually turning right to follow trails 13B and 13 towards Rifugio Firenze (Regensburger Hütte). This is the most picturesque part of the hike. The winding trail will have you descending through the valley around some impressive rocky formations.
Giant rocks on the way from Seceda to Rifugio Firenze
You’ll find many picturesque spots on this hike
After enjoying some refreshment in the hut, begin your ascent back to the Seceda Mountain Station via trail 1, passing Lech da Iman and Baita Troier on the way. While the distance is not huge, the steepness of the ascent can take you by surprise — so be prepared.
Take the cable car back down to Ortisei and hop in the car. It’s time to head south to discover one of the Dolomites’ most precious gems — Lago di Carezza. Just a brisk 250-metre walk from the lake’s parking lot is a sunset view like no other, painted with all colours of the rainbow — a mirror-like reflection of the Latemar massif in the emerald water below.
You can spend the night at the parking lot. Just make sure you double-check the parking fees, leave no trash behind, and leave early enough before a night at the parking lot becomes more expensive than a night at a hotel.
Sunset at Lago di Carezza
Day 5: Sunrise at Lago di Carezza & Drive to Toblach
🚶♀️ Hiking distance: less than 2 kilometres
⏱ Time needed: 20 minutes
⛰ Elevation gain/loss: pretty much 0 metres
🚗 Driving distance: 117 kilometres from Lago di Carezza to Dobbiaco (Toblach)
While sunset at Lago di Carezza (also known as Karersee) is a play of orange and pink hues, the sunrise brings out the emerald and turquoise shades of the lake. But it’s not just the colour spectacle and an impressive mountain backdrop that make the lake an absolute fairytale.
Quiet morning at Lago di Carezza
As the story goes, there was once upon a time a mermaid living in the waters of Lago di Carezza. She was very beautiful and wizard Masaré fell in love with her. To help him seduce the mermaid, a witch suggested he dress up as a jewel merchant and throw a rainbow between Mt. Catinaccio and Mt. Latemar.
The wizard threw the rainbow but forgot to put on his disguise. Realising it was the wizard, the mermaid disappeared into the lake never to be seen again. In his anger, the wizard threw the rainbow as well as all the jewels into the water. That’s how the lake got its beautiful rainbow colours.
The Latemar forest surrounding the lake is home to hazel spruce. A special kind of spruce, the wood of which is highly suitable for making musical instruments.
You can easily walk around the lake on a flat circular path. The lake itself is surrounded by a wooden fence. It’s there for a reason, so please don’t be one of those people who feel the need to disrespect nature just to get a better shot for Instagram. The lake is beautiful enough when seen from places where you are actually allowed to be.
In the afternoon, you’ll be moving yet again. This time we’re heading towards Cortina d’Ampezzo and Dobbiaco (Toblach) to explore some of the most popular spots in the eastern part of the Dolomites.
Looking for new perspectives
Spruce grows all around the lake
Day 6: Tre Cime di Lavaredo Circuit Trail
🚶♀️ Hiking distance: 9.5 kilometres
⏱ Time needed: 4 hours
⛰ Elevation gain/loss: 430 metres
In what is a pretty easy day hike, the Tre Cime di Lavaredo (also known as Drei Zinnen) circuit trail will give you a first taste of the Eastern Dolomites, which are characterised by relatively smaller, more compact mountain groups and fewer rock slides, making them suitable for climbing.
Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Three Peaks of Lavaredo) with their distinct shape
To start the Tre Cime loop, you’ll need to drive up to Rifugio Auronzo via a toll road. The fee is €30 per car or €45 for a camper van.
The later in the morning you start driving, the higher the chances that you’ll have to wait in a queue of cars. If the parking up on the mountain is full, you’ll have to wait for other cars to leave before you can enter the road.
Already at the parking lot, you get a first glimpse of the three iconic peaks. Gather your gear and start walking counterclockwise around the Tre Cime towards Rifugio Lavaredo and onto Forcella Lavaredo. There are a few nice photo spots on the way.
View of Tre Cime from Langalm
Fresh mountain air
Continue towards Drei-Zinnen-Hütte. From here, you’ll descend into the valley full of cows and hike back up to Langalm. They make delicious homemade soups or pies to warm you up before you make your way back to the parking lot.
As you drive back to your accommodation, stop by Lago di Misurina — the largest natural lake in the Cadore region. Many also recommend hiking up to Cadini di Misurina for sunset. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to do that on this trip.
Cobalt blues of the montains, deep greens of the trees, grey and ivory colours of the rugged terrain create the perfect colour combinations
Day 7: Hike to Lago di Sorapis
🚶♀️ Hiking distance: 5.5 kilometres one way
⏱ Time needed: about 2 hours one way
⛰ Elevation gain/loss: 725 metres
The hike to Lago di Sorapis is a moderately difficult one — but also one of the most beautiful. This milky blue lake was probably my favourite of the whole trip. Maybe it’s because, unlike with the other lakes, you have to work for it to be able to see it.
The starting point of the hike is at Passo Tre Croci. You can simply park your car at a suitable spot on the side of the road. As always, it pays off to be one of the first hikers to arrive. Especially when visiting in peak tourist season.
Getting up to the lake is pretty straightforward. You just follow trail 215 which you can also take to return. It takes about 2-3 hours to reach the lake, which is undoubtedly one of the most stunning places in all of Dolomites.
One of the most adventurous hikes on this trip
Out of this world
You will have to go through some narrow, half-exposed passages as you make your way up to the lake. These are mostly secured with cables. The trail can get busy but don’t let that rush you — if you need to take things slow to be extra cautious, do it.
On the day of our hike, the weather made for some pretty spectacular images, but was less than ideal for hiking. Visibility was low and the trail was wet from the rain. In those circumstances, it pays off to wear proper hiking shoes with good grip, pack a waterproof jacket, and be extra mindful of where you step.
Portion of the hike goes through a forest
Incredible conditions for photography — not so much for hiking
The first moment you lay your eyes on the lake is unforgettable. The magnificent Dito di Dio (God’s finger) peak looms large above the milky blue water of the lake. When shrouded in thin clouds, it lends the place an ethereal atmosphere.
Walk around the lake to enjoy its beauty from all angles and refuel at the local mountain hut before walking back down to the car.
Dito di Dio shrouded in clouds
Ethereal atmosphere of Lago di Sorapis
Day 8: Visit Lago di Braies
Save the best for last, they say. The so-called Pearl of the Alps is the perfect finale for your adventures in the Dolomites.
It is no secret that Lago di Braies is extremely popular. Chances are you’ve seen it on Instagram (or on TV) at least a few times already. However, the place is so gorgeous that it totally lives up to its hype.
The trick is to arrive as early in the day as possible. Parking lots leading up to the lake fill up quickly and you’ll want to enjoy a bit of that morning peace before the place starts buzzing with tourists.
Soak in the magical atmosphere and take some pictures before hopping on one of the row boats. It costs 35 euros to rent one for an hour. If you’re with a group of people, the price is very manageable and, in my opinion, worth the experience.
Get to the rental place about 15 minutes before they open. That way, you can get one of the first boats and have the lake all to yourself — even if just for a brief moment.
For us, that one brief morning moment was perfect. The water was calm, a mix of blue and emerald green. The sun was slowly rising above the impressive mountain tops. The clouds lazily lifted; a whole spectacle of light making way for a new day. For a moment, there was no one around. Just water, mountains, and us.
Despite the crowds, the tranquility of Lago di Braies invites you to take things slowly. Take your time strolling around the lake, enjoy some cake in the restaurant, or take a little dip in the crystal clear water if you’re feeling brave. After all, this is the last day of your trip.
A peaceful morning
Lago di Braies in all its beauty
From Western to Eastern Dolomites, an eight-day summer road trip is a great way to discover some of the region’s countless gems.
While the hikes of varying difficulties are a great way to see the diverse landscapes on foot, the magnificent lakes give you a sense of tranquility and a moment to catch your breath before the next adventure.
Which one of these places are you most excited to see? Is there anything you’d add to the summer in the Dolomites itinerary? Share your thoughts below! 👇