Our Dolomites guide: Val Gardena, Alta Badia or Cortina, lift seasons, Tre Cime and Lago di Braies booking rules, getting there and driving the passes.
For a first trip to the Dolomites, stay four or five nights split between two bases: Val Gardena (Ortisei or Selva) or Alta Badia (Corvara or La Villa) for the lifts, Seceda and the Alpe di Siusi, then Cortina d'Ampezzo for the Tre Cime and Lago di Braies. Go between late June and late September, when the lifts, mountain huts and buses all run; the ski season runs from about early December to early April. The nearest airports are Venice, Verona, Innsbruck and Munich, and the train reaches Bolzano, an hour from the valleys.
We plan the Dolomites as part of Italian lakes and mountains trips, for hikers, families and travelers who simply want the views from a terrace. This guide explains the valleys, the 2026 access rules for the Tre Cime toll road, Lago di Braies and the Alpe di Siusi, the lift seasons, and how to get around with or without a car.
| Where | northeast Italy, across South Tyrol, Trentino and the Veneto; a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2009 |
| Best bases | Val Gardena, Alta Badia, Cortina d'Ampezzo |
| Nights we suggest | 4 to 5, ideally in two bases |
| Summer lifts | roughly mid-May or June to October, depending on the lift |
| Ski season | about early December to early April (Dolomiti Superski) |
| Gateways | Venice and Verona airports, Bolzano by train, Innsbruck and Munich |
| Languages | Italian, German and Ladin; place names come in two or three versions |
| Base | Choose it for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Ortisei, Val Gardena | Seceda and Alpe di Siusi lifts from town, a real village center, buses from Bolzano | busy in August, traffic on the Gardena pass |
| Selva, Val Gardena | the Sella group and Sellaronda at the door, ski in winter | more resort than village |
| Corvara or La Villa, Alta Badia | food (several starred restaurants), quiet, the passes to Cortina | fewer public transport links from outside |
| Cortina d'Ampezzo | a lively town, shopping, Tre Cime and Braies within an hour | more expensive, a long drive to Val Gardena |
| Alpe di Siusi | hotels on the high pasture itself, walking from the door | road closed by day in season, few evening options |
Val Gardena is where most first-time visitors should start. Ortisei has lifts up to Seceda and the Alpe di Siusi from the center, a pedestrian street and good buses to Bolzano. Alta Badia, over the Gardena or Campolongo pass, is quieter and known for its food and its Ladin culture. Cortina d'Ampezzo, in the Veneto, hosted the 2026 Winter Olympics with Milan; it is the most glamorous town in the range and the natural base for the eastern Dolomites. For a five-night trip, we often suggest three nights in Val Gardena or Alta Badia and two in Cortina.
Seceda. The jagged ridge above Ortisei, at about 2,500 m (8,200 ft), is reached by the Ortisei to Furnes cable car and the Furnes to Seceda cable car. In 2026, both lifts ran from May 22 to November 2. From the top station, a short uphill walk leads to the viewpoint over the Odle peaks. Go early: by mid-morning in July and August the lift lines are long.
Alpe di Siusi. Europe's largest high-alpine pasture is the easiest walking in the Dolomites, with gentle paths and huts for lunch. While the cable car runs (May 22 to November 2 in summer 2026, and again in winter), the road up from Siusi is closed to private cars from 9 am to 5 pm, and since June 29, 2026 parking at Compatsch requires an online booking, even to drive up before 9 am or after 5 pm. We use the cable car from Siusi or the lift from Ortisei.
Tre Cime di Lavaredo. The three towers are the icon of the eastern Dolomites. A toll road climbs from Misurina to the Rifugio Auronzo; in 2026 it could be driven only with an online booking, at €40 (about $46) per car, valid for 12 hours. From the hut, the loop around the peaks is about 10 km (6 miles) and three to four hours of walking, with the first section to the Lavaredo hut almost level. We book the slot as soon as the dates are fixed.
Lago di Braies. The lake with the wooden rowboats is about 50 minutes from Cortina. From July 1 to September 15, 2026, cars could drive into the valley between 9 am and 4 pm only with an online reservation; the combined ticket cost €44 (about $51) and included the transit permit, a guaranteed parking spot and a €22 voucher for local restaurants and shops. The buses from Dobbiaco and Monguelfo also had to be booked online. From September 16 there were no restrictions, and the rules are expected again in summer 2027. The best time is before 8 am, when the lake is calm and nearly empty.
The great passes. The Sella, Pordoi, Gardena, Campolongo, Falzarego and Giau passes link the valleys with hairpin roads and wide views. They are part of the experience, but in July and August they are busy with cars, cyclists and motorbikes.
| Season | What is open | Our view |
|---|---|---|
| Late June to mid-September | all lifts, huts and buses | the best time for hiking; book early for August |
| Mid-September to mid-October | most lifts until early or mid-October, larches turn gold | our favorite: quieter, crisp light |
| Late October to November | most lifts and huts closed | quiet, limited; good for drives and spas |
| December to early April | ski lifts, Christmas markets, winter huts | skiing, snowshoeing, sleigh rides |
| Mid-April to early June | lifts mostly closed, snow on the high trails | low season; valley walks only |
Lift dates vary from one lift to the next, so we check each one before we fix a hiking day. Our best time to visit tool has the month-by-month detail.
Our usual plan is to arrive by train in Bolzano and continue with a private driver, or to collect a rental car in Bolzano rather than at a big airport.
A car gives you freedom: early starts at Braies, a picnic on the Giau pass, the Tre Cime toll road. Distances look short, but mountain roads are slow: Ortisei to Corvara is 28 km (17 miles), about 45 minutes to an hour over the Gardena pass; Cortina to Ortisei is 65 km (40 miles), about an hour and a half. In summer, hairpins, cyclists and parking at the trailheads add time.
Without a car, the Dolomites still work. Regional buses in South Tyrol and the Veneto connect the main valleys and passes in summer, and lifts do the climbing. Many South Tyrol hotels give guests a mobility card for local public transport; we confirm it for each hotel. For the Tre Cime and Braies, a private driver solves the booking and parking puzzle in one go.
Dolomiti Superski is one ski pass for about 1,200 km (745 miles) of slopes in 12 ski areas, from Cortina to Val Gardena and the Kronplatz. For winter 2026/27, a one-day adult pass costs €89 (about $103) in high season and a six-day pass €453 (about $525). The ski areas open in stages from late November and early December, depending on the snow. The Sellaronda, a circuit of linked lifts and runs around the Sella massif, is the classic day for intermediate skiers.
Non-skiers have plenty to do: winter walking and snowshoeing on the Alpe di Siusi, sleigh rides, spas and the Christmas markets in Bolzano and Bressanone, which we describe in our Italy Christmas markets guide.
The Dolomites are more accessible than they look. Many modern cable cars, including the Alpe di Siusi cable car, have step-free boarding, and the Alpe di Siusi has wide, gentle paths. The first section of the Tre Cime trail, from the Auronzo hut to the Lavaredo hut, is a broad gravel track that some travelers with limited mobility can manage with help. We choose hotels with lifts and level access, and confirm each cable car's access before the trip.
Our Dolomites and Italian Lakes trip spends ten days between the Dolomites and the lakes. See all our mountains and lakes trips, read our Lake Como travel guide for the lake that pairs best with the mountains, or our Italy and Switzerland lakes and mountains itinerary.
Tell us when you want to go and how much you want to walk, and our travel designers will send you a custom Dolomites plan with prices.
More guides: Places and regionsMonth by month
For a first visit, Val Gardena, especially Ortisei, is the easiest base: lifts to Seceda and the Alpe di Siusi leave from town and buses run to Bolzano. Alta Badia suits food lovers and travelers who want quiet, and Cortina d'Ampezzo is best for the Tre Cime and Lago di Braies. With five nights, we split the stay between Val Gardena or Alta Badia and Cortina.
Not necessarily. Regional buses connect the main valleys and passes in summer, lifts do the climbing, and many South Tyrol hotels include a local transport card. A car helps for early starts and the eastern lakes, but the Tre Cime road and Lago di Braies require online bookings in summer. A private driver for transfers and one or two touring days is often the easiest solution.
Most summer lifts run from late May or June to early or mid-October, with each lift setting its own dates; in 2026 the Seceda lifts and the Alpe di Siusi cable car ran from May 22 to November 2. Winter lifts open in stages from late November and early December and close around early April.
In summer, yes, if you drive. From July 1 to September 15, 2026, cars could enter the valley between 9 am and 4 pm only with an online reservation, and the buses also had to be booked. Outside those hours and dates, access was free. The rules are expected again in summer 2027, with details published in spring.
In 2026 the toll road from Misurina to the Rifugio Auronzo cost €40 (about $46) per car, with an online booking required in advance and the ticket valid for 12 hours. Motorbikes and campervans pay different rates. The road usually opens in late May and closes in autumn, depending on snow.
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