Italy Travel Guide

Trekking in the Dolomites

• How long does it take to hike the Dolomites?

  Our "Highlights of the Dolomites" trip will show you all the best bits of the Dolomites in 7 days with 5 days of trekking. This includes hotel accommodation in Cortina d'Ampezzo before and after your trek. 
  

• When should I visit the Dolomites?

  You can hike in the Dolomites from April to October.  The summer months of July and August see greater numbers of tourists and even in the mountains it can get very hot. In the spring you could find winter conditions prevent you from venturing too high but the trails are quiet and the weather cool. By September the busy season is coming to an end and the temperature is starting to fall. This can be a nice time to enjoy the mountains without the crowds or high temperatures while on your hiking adventure in Italy.
  

• What is the difference between the Dolomites and the Alps?

  The Dolomites form part of the Southern Limestone Alps, so technically they are part of the greater European Alps Range. The scenery and composition of the rock are quite different to the Western Alps where you can find peaks such as Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn. The Southern Limestone Alps cover parts of Austria, Italy and Slovenia.
  

• What is the closest airport to the Dolomites?

  Our adventures in the Dolomites start in Cortina D’Ampezzo, the enarest airport to this is Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE). Other nearby airports include Verona and Venice Treviso. 
  

• Are the Dolomites expensive?

  Yes, in comparison the rest of Italy the Dolomites is an expensive place to travel. However, prices are not as high as you find in other parts of the Alps. Apart from airport transfers, our adventures in the Dolomites include all your transportation, all your accommodation and almost all of your meals so there should not be too much more you need to pay for.  
  

• Where should I hike in the Dolomites?

  We highly recommend hiking to the amazing Tre Cima di Lavaredo. These three giant monoliths have been enticing trekkers and rock climbers for over 100 years and it is easy to see why. Cima Grande, the highest point at 2999m is flanked by Cima Ovest on one side and Cima Piccola on the other. The main peak was first climbed in 1869 but it was not until 1933 that the mighty north face of Cima Grande was first scaled by Emilio Comici. This is still considered by modern mountaineers to be one of the great north faces of the Alps.
  

• How difficult is hiking in the Dolomites?

  The terrain can be steep and rocky and you will be hiking for 5 days consecutively.  In some months the weather can be very hot and the sun intense, which adds to the difficulty of the hiking. You should be in good physical condition with recent experience of hiking for several days in row with over 1000m of ascent and descent in a day.
  

• Where do I fly into for the Dolomites?

  The closest airport to Cortina D'Ampezzo is Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE).
  

  
  

  For those traveling from the UK, Easy Jet have direct flights from London Luton, Manchester, Bristol and Liverpool. British Airways also have direct flights from Gatwick and KLM provide convenient flights via Amsterdam from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Leeds.
  

  
  

  If you are travelling from the USA, American Airlines fly direct to Venice from Philadelphia and Delta fly direct from New York.
  

  Swiss Air have convenient flights via Zurich from San Francisco and Alitalia have the best flights from Los Angeles with a short stop in Rome.