Hiking in the Dolomites

The Dolomites, UNESCO World Heritage since 2009, are arguably the most iconic massif of the Eastern Alps. Across 142,000 hectares they present a landscape unique in the world: dolomite towers and spires that shift colour from pink to orange at sunset, green high-altitude meadows, turquoise lakes (Lago di Sorapis, Lago di Braies). The Marmolada (3,343 m) is the rooftop, followed by Civetta, the Tre Cime di Lavaredo and Sassolungo. The Alte Vie ("high routes" 1 to 10) are the great multi-day itineraries.

Cortina d'Ampezzo, Bolzano and Trento are the main bases. Cortina is accessible by bus from Venice Mestre (2h30) or Calalzo (nearest train station). Resort villages like Selva, Corvara or Canazei are deep in the Dolomites.

Best season: mid-June to late September. High-altitude trails open from mid-June, and the season extends to late September with spectacular autumn colours on the larches. Watch for near-daily afternoon thunderstorms in July-August — start early and descend before 2 p.m.

This area is under construction on Isomaps. Feel free to contribute your own tracks to enrich our Dolomites map.