Exploring The Dolomites in 3 days
The Dolomites, located in the North East of Italy are renowned for their dramatic and breathtaking peaks and have been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009. Landscapes in the Dolomites are diverse, ranging from craggy peaks to picturesque alpine meadows, and stunning lakes.
I spent 3 days in The Dolomites in the Summer, and I was blown away by the impressive beauty. The area covered by the Dolomites is large, approximately 550 square miles, stretching across several provinces including South Tyrol and Trentino. Therefore, if you are planning a trip it is important that you plan well, as it will be very difficult to see everything.
In this guide, I will share the locations I visited during my trip, including travel times and distances between each location. Hopefully, this will give you some tips and ideas to help you plan your trip to the beautiful Dolomites.
How to get to The Dolomites:
There are a few options available when choosing which airport to arrive at:
Bolzano Airport: Located in South Tyrol, this airport offers domestic flights within Italy, as well as some limited international connections.
Treviso Airport: Situated near Venice, Treviso offers domestic and international flights, including low-cost carriers.
Marco Polo Airport: This international airport near Venice offers a wide range of international flights.
Verona Villafranca Airport: Located in Verona this airport offers both domestic and international flights.
As I was arriving from the UK and spending a few days in Venice beforehand, I opted for Marco Polo Airport where I also rented a car to travel the 190km (118 miles) to Bolzano, which took around 3 hours. There are train links to The Dolomites, and options for public transport whilst you are in the area, but as I had a specific agenda that included some very early starts, I opted for a rental car which gave me more freedom in terms of the locations I was able to visit.
After the journey, I arrived in San Sigismondo, Bolzano where I would be staying for three days, and had a wander to explore the area and find some dinner. I stumbled across a restaurant called Pizzeria Petra which served, you guessed it, delicious pizza and wine. The main languages spoken in The Dolomites are Italian and German, and so luckily I had remembered enough of my A-Level German to order and pay with relative ease! After dinner, it was an early night, ready for 3 busy days exploring the Dolomites.
Day 1:
Lago di Braies / Pragser Wildsee:
The first day started with a wake-up call at 4 am in order to drive the 40 minutes from San Sigsimundo to Lago di Braies in time for the sunrise. Lago di Braies is a breathtaking emerald-green alpine lake surrounded by rocky mountains and is the largest natural lake in The Dolomites. There is plenty of parking just a short walk from the lake and even has some campervan parking if you would prefer to spend a night in the shadow of the stunning mountains.
Once you are there, you have the option to rent a boat and row out onto the middle of the lake. The boat rental is available from 9.30 am - 5 pm in the months of June through to September and costs around 25 Euros for one hour. There is also a circular walk that loops around the whole of Lago di Braies. The walk takes between one and two hours and offers some alternative perspectives, that are just as breathtaking.
After I had spent some time watching the sunrise over the lake and marvelling at the golden light hitting the mountains, I opted for the loop walk, stopping off at the viewpoints along the way observing the impressive colour and capturing photos of both Lago di Braies and the well-known chapel that stands at the edge of the water.
The morning was so peaceful with the water lapping on the shore and the sounds of birds all around. However, once the boat house opened, plenty of visitors began to arrive and so if you are planning a visit to Lago di Braies I would advise to arrive there early and leave before the crowds arrive.
Lago Dobbiaco / Toblacher See:
Next up on the agenda was another beautiful lake, Lago Dobbiaco, or Toblacher See. Located only 19km (around 20 minutes drive) from Lago Di Braies, I couldn’t say no to visiting this stunning location. There is a car park located a short walk from the lake and as we arrived early in the morning it was practically empty.
If you are looking for accommodation options, there is a campsite and chalet situated on the lake with fantastic views of the surrounding mountains. There is also a lakeside restaurant where I stopped for breakfast and coffee.
After refuelling, I had a little wander along the gravel path that ran around the lake taking in the impressive scenery, before it was time to move on to the next location.
Earth Pyramids:
The Earth Pyramids are impressive structures made of clay and stone and formed through the continuous cycle of rain and drought, which erodes the soft ground away, leaving the hard ground behind in the form of pyramids.
Only a 25 km (around 25 minutes) drive from Lago Dobbiaco, the Earth Pyramids were not to be missed. I parked in Perca and followed the signs for the pyramids. The route was paved and fairly easy, although there were some steps and slight elevation. The walk took around 45 minutes, through cool forests and sweeping mountain vistas. After a busy morning, I was glad to find that there were plenty of spots along the route to stop for a picnic lunch and nap with a view.
Cadini Misurina & Tre Cime di Lavaredo / Drei Zinnen
In the afternoon I rested and grabbed an early dinner in San Sigismondo, before heading to the final stop of the day - the epic Cadini Misurina and Tre Cime di Lavaredo / Drei Zinnen, also known as the Three Peaks. This stop was slightly further away at almost 50km (around an hour’s drive) but I was keen to visit during the early evening when it would be a little cooler. Parking is available at the top of a winding mountain road in the Summer months between 8 am and 6 pm and costs around 30 Euros per day for a car. Campervans are also welcome to stay overnight at a cost of around 45 Euros.
Both the Cadini Misurina view and Tre Cime di Lavaredo hike can be accessed from the same starting point, the Rifugio Auronzo route located near the car park. The Tre Cime di Lavaredo hike is a moderately easy route, with some elevation gain, and should take around 3.5 hours, with plenty of rest stops on the way. The Cadini Misurina view is a shorter walk at around 40 minutes. I opted to head towards the Misurina viewpoint as the evening was quickly drawing in, but I was not at all disappointed by my choice, with epic mountain views all around.
If you are keen to complete the Tre Cime di Lavaredo hike, I would recommend arriving early to do so before the sun gets too hot, or alternatively, if you are able to rent a campervan and spend the night you can wake to the towering allure of the Three Peaks from your bedroom window.
After a jam-packed first day, I headed back to San Sigismondo to rest before another day exploring The Dolomites.
Day 2
Santa Magdalena
The iconic church in Val di Funes was the first stop during day 2 in The Dolomites and only 39km (around 35 minutes) from San Sigismondo. Parking is available for a small fee, and it also costs a little to enter the meadow where the church is located, so be sure to arrive prepared with some change. At certain times of the year, wildflowers bloom in the meadow, however, I visited too early in the year to witness this, and the meadow was also sectioned off in order to discourage anyone from trampling the wildflower seeds before they bloomed. With a stunning mountain backdrop and views of the epic valley on the drive, this made a fantastic first stop of the day.
St Jakob’s Church
The next stop of the day was an unplanned stop, which turned out to be one of my favourite activities of the day. Whilst looking on my map, I noticed a church, and after investigating further, I saw that this church was sitting in front of a mountain backdrop that looked just beautiful, so decided to spontaneously pay it a visit. The church is located at the top of quite a steep path and takes around 30 minutes to an hour to reach the top, but the views both on the journey up and once you have reached the top are worth the walk!
There is a water fountain at the top to refill a water bottle and cool off, and plenty of shade under the trees to rest. The path also continues away from the church. I had a rest in the shade before continuing on the route, which takes you along beautiful fields in front of the mountains and past an idyllic farm. Only around an 4km (10 minutes) drive from the town of Ortisei, this church was well worth a visit.
Ortisei
Ortisei is a town in the South Tyrol province of the Dolomites, with plenty of available walking routes starting from here, as well as lifts that transport you to the Seceda mountains and Alpe di Siusi, a beautiful alpine meadow.
I had a wander around this picturesque town and decided to grab some dinner in one of the restaurants that lined the main stretch, in order to be energised for the rest of my day.
Seceda
Seceda is a stunning mountain range that can be reached by taking a cable car from the town of Ortisei and offers a walking route along dramatic peaks framed by luscious grass. The cable car costs around 35 Euros per person, and there is also a restaurant at the top where you can refuel. Unfortunately, I was unable to take the cable car from Ortisei town during this day, so was unable to visit my final planned stop of the day. However, I do believe this would have made for a fantastic spot to relax and watch the sunset at the end of a busy second day exploring The Dolomites.
Day 3
Lago Carezza / Karersee
The third and final day started off with a visit to the incredible scenic Lago Carezza. As this spot was around an 80km (1 hour and 10 minutes) drive from San Sigisimundo, that meant another early start as I was keen to visit the lake in time for the sunrise. Unfortunately, the sun had other ideas that day, and the sky was covered with a layer of grey clouds. Nonetheless, Lago Carezza took my breath away with its beauty, the mountains reflecting in the glass water, and the immense quiet all around.
A gravel path leads you all around the lake, winding through fir trees that muffle the already peaceful sounds that can be heard. Similarly to Lago di Braies, this stunning lake can get busy with visitors, and although it is not surprising, I was keen to avoid crowds, so would definitely recommend arriving early to experience the peace and quiet of the lake during the early morning.
Val di Ultimo
Located a slightly longer distance away, at 80km (around an hour and 30 minute drive), the second stop of the day was a beautiful valley with a trickling stream running through, and a fantastic restaurant Kuppelwies serving delicious meals.
After lunch I spent a good few hours relaxing and sunbathing as the afternoon passed by, and even had a little paddle in the fresh water to cool off.
Alpe di Siusi / Seiser Alm
Commonly known as the largest high-altitude alpine meadow in Europe, Alpe di Siusi or Seiser Alm was a perfect way to finish off the third and final day exploring The Dolomites. I was keen to visit for sunset to witness the golden light hitting the mountains. There are two options for travelling to Alpe di Siusi. The first is to take a lift from the town of Ortisei, or alternatively, you can drive to Compatsch and park in the car park, taking the 20-minute walk to reach the meadow. The road that leads up to this car park is off limits between 9 - 5 for visitors unless you are staying in any of the accommodation surrounding the meadow so it is best to plan ahead for your visit and arrive early for sunrise, or after 5pm to view the sunset.
In certain months the meadow is covered in wildflowers, but unfortunately, I timed my visit a few weeks too late, but I was still in awe of the epic expansiveness of the beautiful spot, with alpine huts dotted around the meadow and the mountains looming over.
I spent a few hours sitting and observing the way the golden light chased across the field and changed on the mountains as the sun dropped. Overall this was a fantastic evening, and a view not to be missed when you are exploring The Dolomites.
The Dolomites is such a varied and immense landscape with so much to offer, and 3 days are simply not enough time to explore everything. I hope that this guide has helped you to plan your trip or inspired you to pay a visit to some of the epic locations here. This was one of my most memorable trips, and I will definitely be back to explore The Dolomites even further in the future.
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