The ideal road trip through the Dolomites
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If you love incredible hikes, beautiful lakes, and delicious Italian or Austrian food, then a road trip through the Dolomites is truly a vacation you won't want to miss. The Dolomites are a mountain range in Northern Italy (including South Tyrol) and have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2009. The mountain range is known for its steep peaks and rugged rocks — a magnificent sight!
A large part of the Dolomites lies in South Tyrol, which was part of Austria until 1919. You will therefore notice that a lot of German is still spoken in this area and that many places have two names: an Italian and an Austrian one. This can be a bit confusing at first.
The Dolomites form a large area that can be reached by both car and plane. We drove to South Tyrol ourselves and started our journey in the city of Bolzano. For us, it was the perfect place to start the ideal road trip through the Dolomites. After a few days, we drove on to Cortina d'Ampezzo.
If you are traveling by plane, I recommend flying to Bolzano and starting your road trip there. However, it is advisable to rent a car at the airport, as you really need one in this area. The distances are too great to walk or cycle, and public transport is limited. With a (rental) car, you are flexible and can stop at the most beautiful spots along the way — and you are guaranteed to come across them!
Bolzano
Bolzano is a nice city to stay in for a few nights. You can enjoy delicious food, good shopping, and visit the Archaeological Museum of South Tyrol. This museum is definitely worth a visit, as you will learn more about Ötzi the Iceman here: a mummy who was found in the ice in South Tyrol in 1991, after about 5,000 years.
From Bolzano, you can take various day trips to beautiful places in the surrounding area, but you can also choose to stay overnight closer to nature. We did several day trips ourselves. Seiser Alm and Seceda are about a 45-minute drive away and are both perfect destinations for a day trip. Lago di Carezza is also nearby, about a 30-minute drive away.
Cortina d'Ampezzo
After a few days in Bolzano (or the surrounding area), I recommend traveling on to Cortina d'Ampezzo. We stayed just outside this town in a beautiful apartment with a kitchen, so we could cook our own dinners — ideal after an extensive lunch during the day.
From this region, too, you can once again take plenty of day trips. One of the most famous places is Lago di Braies: a beautiful lake with impressive mountains in the background, where you can rent a boat.
Additionally, Tre Cime di Lavaredo is highly recommended. Do set aside a full day for this, especially if you combine this hike with the shorter walk to Cadini di Misurina. They are located close to each other and are perfect to do together.
Our personal favorite is Lago di Sorapis. The starting point of this beautiful hike is about a 20-minute drive from Cortina d'Ampezzo. The walk itself is amazing, but the endpoint really tops it off: bright, milky blue water with impressive mountains in the background. Definitely worth it!
How long to stay?
For both regions in the Dolomites, we recommend staying at least three nights. This will give you enough time to discover the most important hikes and sights.
Do you want to take things a bit slower and also take time to relax, for example at your accommodation or in the sun? Then feel free to extend the number of nights at each location. In total, you need about a week to see the highlights, but staying longer is certainly no punishment.
Can I combine the Dolomites with other places in Italy?
That is certainly possible! After our stay in the Dolomites, we drove on to Venice to stay there for a few more days. From Cortina d'Ampezzo, it is about a 2-hour drive, so it is perfectly doable.
You can also take a day trip to Verona from Bolzano. The travel time is approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, making it quite feasible. Additionally, you could consider spending a few days in Milan or Lake Como. From Bolzano, this is about a 3-hour drive, making it a nice addition to your trip.
In short: the Dolomites are not only a beautiful destination in themselves, but also a perfect base to discover more of Northern Italy.
