Dolomites In Summer: Best Things To Do & Itineraries [2026]

The Dolomites are hands down one of my favorite places in the world. I went hiking here to unwind and reflect on my life when I faced many changes… and I fell in love with these mountains so much that I actually moved here. So, I’m writing this article to you from my Dolomites’ home base apartment.

Over the past 2 years, I got to visit multiple places, lakes, do hundreds of hiking trips, and stay in some of the most epic rifugios.

So, in this post, I’ll give you all the information you need to visit the Dolomites in summer as a local. Ready to explore some of the most beautiful parts of Italy? Let’s dive in together!

16 Best Things To Do In The Dolomites In Summer

First things first, there are the things I suggest you do and explore in the Dolomites during summer. It’s best if you can fit them all into 1 itinerary, as they’re all super fascinating:

1. Hike Around 3 Peaks Of The Dolomites
2. Trek Alta Via 1 (Hut-To-Hut Hiking)
3. Stay In Mountain Huts (Rifugios)
4. Make An Excursion To Sass Pordoi
5. Drive Through The Mountain Passes
6. Visit Stunning Lakes
7. Spend Time In Ortisei & Val Gardena
8. Go E-Biking In Alpe Di Siusi
9. Enjoy A Picnic With Easy Walks At Alpe Di Siusi
10. Visit Seceda
11. Taste Local Specialities
12. Run Through Armentola Meadows
13. Take A 1-Person Cable Car Above Rocks
14. Visit Local Towns
15. Follow The Trenches From WWII.
16. Make Daily Hikes & Enjoy Epic Sunrises & Sunsets

👉 LET ME GUIDE YOU IN THE DOLOMITES: Are you visiting the Dolomites and would like me to accompany you? Hire me as your personal guide – I can take you to the most beautiful mountain excursions, places and mountain huts, e-biking in Alpe di Siusi, without you having to hustle and figure out the logistics. Contact me: [email protected] Or book this 1-on-1 travel chat (consultation) with me and I’ll help you plan.

1. Hike Around 3 Peaks Of The Dolomites

You’ve probably heard about the 3 Cime – famous 3 peaks, as they pop up in almost every other picture when you search the term ‘Dolomites’. I was afraid it was going to be too touristy as it’s so popular. But I was positively surprised. Even though there were many tourists, they kind of spread out, and it didn’t feel so touristy as I was hiking around.

You’ll start your trip in Rifugio Auronzo (drive/take a bus from Cortina), and from there, hike a 3 Cime loop around the peaks. I also suggest walking towards the rifugio for the best views. It’s such a beautiful day trip from Cortina d’Ampezzo.

If you have a little extra time, you can also hike to the famous Misurina viewing point with epic views.

2. Trek Alta Via 1 (Hut-To-Hut Hiking)

I hiked the Alta Via 1, and I can say with confidence that it was one of my favorite hiking experiences of my life. You’ll start in Lake Braies and hike for about 8 – 10 days across the entire Dolomites’ range until you reach Belluno town.

You’ll sleep in rifugios (local mountain huts) on the way, enjoy breathtaking sunsets and sunrise, meet like-minded people, and just get some time for yourself to reflect and relax as you walk.

Officially, there are 10 Alta Via hiking routes; the first one is considered one of the easiest, as you don’t need any climbing equipment. Other routes also follow Via Ferratas, which then require further equipment or even a guide.

NOTE: The mountain huts book out very fast, so start organizing your trip at least 6 months in advance. If you need help planning this hike, contact me at [email protected]. I’ll gladly help you with the logistics and answer questions.

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3. Stay In Mountain Huts (Rifugios)

Staying in the rifugios is one of my absolute favorite things to do in the Dolomites, whether it’s summer or winter. The authenticity, being so high up in the mountains, away from crowds, with breathtaking views, and delicious food – what else do you need?

You’ll need to book a stay at the rifugios on their official website. You’ve got breakfast and dinner included in the rate (and the food is great – I mean, you’re in Italy).

Some rifugios have showers, some don’t (most of them do). Or they have a shower token, so you can use it for a few minutes. The higher the rifugio, the more basic the facilities, but also the better the experience.

Here are some of my favorite rifugios in the Dolomites I recommend for your stay:

📍 Rifugio Alpe di Tires – close to Alpe di Siusi
📍 Schlernhaus – close to Alpe di Siusi
📍 Rifugio Capanna Piz Fassa – on the top of Piz Boe close to Val Gardena & Alta Badia – my all time favorite – already stept here twice 😀
📍 Rifugio Nuvolau – close to Cortina d’Ampezzo
📍 Rifugio Lagazuoi – close to Cortina d’Ampezzo
📍 Rifugio Averau – close to Cortina d’Ampezzo
📍 Rifugio Lavarella – close to Val Pusteria
📍 Drei Zinnen Hütte – close to Cortina d’Ampezzo & Val Pusteria

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4. Make An Excursion To Sass Pordoi

I feel like not many people know about this excursion. For me, it’s one of the most amazing ones, mainly thanks to the views. I mean, you’re in the middle of the Dolomites and will get to see it all from here.

Drive to the Passo Pordoi mountain pass. Leave your car there and take the cable car up. There is a restaurant (delicious desserts). And walking around there feels like being on the moon, seriously.

5. Drive Through The Mountain Passes

Another highlight is just driving through the mountain passes. There are over 30 of them in the Dolomites, so you can get lost. People explore them on buses, by car, motorcycle, and bike. So choose your mode of transportation and off you go.

My recommendation is to rent a car and drive through many, while staying in local guest houses or rifugios on the way. I can help you create a little road trip through the Dolomites if you like.

The most stunning mountain passes are: Passo Sella, Passo Gardena, Passo Pordoi, Passo Giau, Passo Fedaia, and Passo Falzarego.

6. Visit Stunning Lakes

The lakes here are just next level. With the crystal-clear water and mountains reflected in it, you can spend the entire day just staring. And of course, you can swim in them – I did it with a friend. The water is freezing cold, but how great you feel after! Do it, 100%!

Some of the most beautiful lakes in the Dolomites are: Lake Misurina, Lake Dobbiaco, Lake Braies, Lake Sorapis, Lake Carezza, Lake Federa, and Lake Armentara.

Definitely incorporate some of them into your itinerary.

7. Spend Time In Ortisei & Val Gardena

Val Gardena must be one of my absolute favorite spots. It’s the combination of stunning meadows full of flowers, unique mountain peaks, excursions, and endless activities that it offers. And its welcoming and warm hospitality makes you feel like you don’t want to leave anymore.

Val Gardena has 3 main towns: Ortisei, Santa Cristina, and Selva. I recommend staying in Selva as it has the nicest hotels and views.

And I think Ortisei is the most charming town in the area. If I were to decide where to base myself to explore the most beautiful parts of the Dolomites, it would be Val Gardena.

8. Go E-Biking In Alpe Di Siusi

When I visited Alpe di Siusi for the first time, my mind was blown away. I don’t think I’ve felt so peaceful and seen such beauty in my life anywhere else, I’m not joking. I love returning to this place and just sitting down and reflecting.

These are the highest located alpine meadows in Europe. And the best way to explore them in a day or two is on E-Bikes.

Rent them in Ortisei, take a cable car up, and drive through its winding roads, stopping in someiconic huts for food and drinks (Edlweiss and Malga Sanon).

9. Enjoy A Picnic With Easy Walks At Alpe Di Siusi

If you’re not a biker, you can also just walk through the meadows and take it easy. Buy some food like cheese, prosciutto, grapes (that’s what I always do), and fresh bread in town, take the cable car up, and enjoy a picnic while sitting on the grass overlooking the spectacular mountains.

I’ve done this so many times with my soulmate and my friends, or even alone, and I haven’t gotten tired of it yet. It’s amazing!

10. Visit Seceda

Seceda is one of the most beautiful mountain views in the Dolomites. You’ll need to take 2 cable cars from Ortisei. And then just watch your and other people’s jaws open as the steep peaks open up in front of you.

You can do a loop and hike around as the views change. It’s one of the most popular things to do among tourists, so I recommend you start early in the morning to avoid crowds.

Then stop in one of the mountain huts for lunch or a delicious apple strudel with vanilla sauce.

11. Taste Local Specialities

We are in Italy, so you can expect the food to be… excellent! Anywhere you go, everything is fresh and prepared with so much love and pride.

Try local dishes such as speck, dumplings (spinach, cheese, speck), ravioli with spinach and ricotta, red beet ravioli, polenta with cheese, pork ribs, apple strudel, tiramisu, or Kaiserschmarrn.

And don’t forget to eat a lot of cheese! What I love to do is buy different types of cheese in a store and then have a tasting in the mountains.

12. Run Through Armentola Meadows

Apart from Alpe di Siusi, there is another hidden gem, which is less crowded. It’s located in the Alta Badia region. If you want to take stunning pictures of meadows full of blooming flowers, come to Armentola.

13. Take A 1-Person Cable Car Above Rocks

When I first discovered this cable car, my eyes started tearing up. You get to hop on this tiny cabin and as it shakes, you’re being taken up to the rocky mountains. I’ve never seen a cable car like this in my life. It’s so much fun!

Go to Passo Sella mountain pass and you’ll see it. It’s pretty special as it only operates in the summer, and it’s 100% worth the trip.

NOTE: You can fit in 2 people actually, I only call it a 1-person cable car as it’s so slim. 😀

14. Visit Local Towns

Apart from the mountains, the Dolomites have a special culture, and you can definitely feel it in their local towns. The buildings are so cute and colorful, some have a lot of animal stalls, wooden apartments, and just a special vibe.

So, as you are exploring, take some time to spend in the towns, exploring local culture.

Some of the most charming towns in the Dolomites are: Ortisei, Castelrotto, Corvara, San Candido, Bruneck, Santa Magdalena, Selva di Val Gardena, or Tiers.

15. Follow The Trenches From WWII.

The Dolomites and the entire South Tyrol region in Italy are famous for harsh wars and battles during World War II. This region used to be part of Austria, which is why German is still widely spoken around. As the Italians and Austrians were fighting against each other in these mountains, they built many trenches.

They’re visible, especially in the 5 Torri area (near Cortina). It’s another great thing to explore. Take a chair lift up to 5 Torri, and walk through the trenches, while learning more about the history. Then continue to Passo Falzarego and Lagazuio, and visit the local museums.

You can even do a driving route called ‘Grande Guerra’ that follows the history of WWII. Here you can learn more about it as you drive through different places and visit some museums on the way.

16. Make Daily Hikes & Enjoy Epic Sunrises & Sunsets

Let’s be honest – you come to the Dolomites mainly to enjoy nature and go hiking. I’ve hiked across so many regions, and here are my favorite day hikes I recommend you follow:

🔅 Lake Sorapis
🔅 3 Cime Loop
🔅 Misurina
🔅 Cinque Torri & Lagazuoi
🔅 Piz Boe
🔅 Rifugio Puez via Vallunga
🔅 Resciesa
🔅 Compatsch – Schlernhaus – Rifugio Alpe di Tires – Compatsch
🔅 Passo Sella – Sassolungo – Rifugio Vicenza – Rifugio Comici – Passo Sella
🔅 Armentarola
🔅 Lago di Braies – Sennes
🔅 Rifugio Pederu – Rifugio Fannes

There are not so many places in the world where you get to see a pink sunset and sunrise, almost guaranteed!

That’s something special about the Dolomites – the colors here are surreal when the sun is setting or rising. So, definitely go and sleep in a mountain hut as high up as you can, and wake up for the sunrise, it’s one of the coolest experiences you can have here.

Best Places To Visit In The Dolomites In Summer

There are so many amazing places to visit. So my recommendation is to make a road trip and hit as many spots as possible.

Here is what I suggest you see:

📍 Ortisei
📍 Seceda
📍 Alpe di Siusi
📍 Passo Sella
📍 Sass Pordoi
📍 Lake Carezza
📍 Passo Fedaia
📍 Marmolada
📍 Passo Giau
📍 Passo Falzarego
📍 5 Torri
📍 Rifugio Lagazuoi
📍 Armentola
📍 Cortina d’Ampezzo
📍 3 Cime
📍 Lake Misurina
📍 Lake Dobbiaco
📍 Bruneck
📍 San Candido

Dolomites Itinerary: 5 Unforgettable Days

I’ve created a full 5-day itinerary through the Dolomites, so you can explore the highlights. It’s designed as a road trip, but you can also do it (even as a solo traveller) with local buses.

Click on the image below and follow my full itinerary – enjoy!

Practical Tips For Visiting Dolomites In Summer

Here are some practical tips for your visit to the Dolomites, if you need more help planning.

Dolomites & Areas To Explore With Map

There are 8 main areas of the Dolomites you can explore. All of them are interconnected via roads and some even via cable cars/chair lifts. So you can easily either explore them on foot (hiking), or by car/bike,/morotcycle.

These are the main 8 areas:

📍 Val Gardena
📍 Alpe di Siusi
📍 Alta Badia
📍 Val di Fassa
📍 Val di Funes
📍 Cortina d’Ampezzo
📍 Val Pusteria
📍 San Martino di Castrozza

How To Get To The Dolomites

The closest and easiest way to access the Dolomites is to fly to Venice. Rent a car there and drive for about 2 hours to Cortina d’Ampezzo and start exploring there. You can also take a local bus that will take you from Venice Mestre train station to Cortina within 2.5 hours.

Alternatively, you can also fly to Milan and from there, get via Bolzano to Val Gardena (Ortisei). Or fly to Munich, and also get to Val Gardena via Bolzano, or via Bruneck to Val Pusteria (where Lago di Braies is).

Getting Around The Dolomites

The best way to explore the Dolomites is by car for extra flexibility. However, the first time I visited, I only had a backpack and took local buses. So, if you don’t have a car, it’s 100% possible to explore on public transportation.

The Southtyrolean buses will take you to all the places – everything is well- connected. Download the South Tyrolean Mobility App and check the timetable. If you stay in Val Pusteria and Val Gardena, you can even use your guest card as a transportation ticket that will get you anywhere.

Dolomiti Supersummer Card

If you want to visit many mountains and take many cable cars during your trip, it might be worth buying the Dolomiti Supersummer Card. It’s like a pass that will get you to any cable car within the whole Dolomites range.

An individual cable car ride can cost between 20 and 55 EUR, and the more rides you make, the more worth this card will be.

There is also a Val Gardena Card; if you only want to explore the Val Gardena region, it might be worth purchasing this to cover all your mountain trips.

Best Time To Visit The Dolomites In The Summer

The end of June and the beginning of July are the best times to visit the Dolomites throughout the summer. Everything is lush green, rivers are full of fresh water from melting snow/glaciers, and meadows are full of blooming flowers.

This season is unlike any other. And I also found it less crowded in June than it is later in July and August.

Dolomites In Summer: Weather

The weather is amazing. It might rain, as the weather in the mountains is unpredictable. But the average temperature ranges around 20°C – 25°C (68°F – 77°F), which is perfect for exploring.

Take a light windproof jacket, light hiking leggings. But otherwise, you can just walk around in short-sleeve clothes.

Where To Stay In The Dolomites: Best Hotels & Areas

The Dolomites are renowned for amazing, mountain-style hotels with stylish wooden furniture. It’s such a vibe to stay here.

And the hospitality is next level. You can treat yourself to some of the remote hotels overlooking mountains with a spa and quietness. Or stay in a town, simple yet efficient B&B hotel.

I’ve written a full article about where to stay in the Dolomites. I’ve divided it into 8 sections based on the 8 regions. It will help you understand each area, things you can do there, and I’ve also recommended my favorite hotels in each region.

So check it out and book your favorite hotel.

How Many Days In Dolomites Is Enough?

7 – 10 days in the Dolomites is the perfect time. 7 is the bare minimum. I would even recommend adding in a bit of extra rest days, where you can just relax and enjoy, or just in case the weather is bad.

So, overall, 2 weeks would be ideal.

What To Pack For Your Trip To The Dolomites?

Pack sporty clothes like short-sleeve T-Shirts, with 1 long-sleeve sweater, hiking leggings, a windproof jacket, hiking boots with sneakers, and that’s it. Pack it all into a 40L – 50L backpack, and you’re ready to go. You don’t need much.

Which Languages Do Locals Speak In The Dolomites?

There are 3 official languages in the Dolomites: German, Italian, and Ladin. Italian as they’re in Italy, German, because this region used to be part of Austria before WWII., and Ladin as an ancient language that has been spoken here for ages.

However, English is widely spoken, so you don’t have to be afraid and can get by with only English.

FAQs

I’ve also answered some of the frequently asked questions about the Dolomites in summer, so check my answers below:

What Is The Most Beautiful Town In The Dolomites?

Ortisei, Santa Magdalena, and Castelrotto are the most beautiful towns in the Dolomites, with Ortisei being the nicest one.

When To Avoid The Dolomites?

April and November are the 2 months to avoid visiting the Dolomites. It’s a shoulder season, so everything is closed – hotels, cable cars – as they are preparing for the summer after winter or for the winter after summer.

You can drive through and might be lucky to find a few hotels open, but most of the things are closed, and the nature is also not as beautiful as during other seasons.

Is It Cold In The Dolomites In July?

No, it’s not cold in July in the Dolomites. Average temperatures range between 20°C – 25°C (68°F – 77°F), so it’s pretty hot.

Are The Dolomites Good In The Summer?

Yes, the Dolomites are perfect to visit in the summer, it’s one of the best seasons when everything is open, beautiful, and you’ll get to experience the authentic vibe here.

WRAP-UP: Dolomites In Summer

These are the Dolomites in summer in their full beauty. If you’re still hesitant, don’t be! I already know it’s going to be the vacation of your life if you spend some time here. They are touching the hearts of us travelers deeply. As I told you, they had such an impact on me that I literally moved here. So, I know you’ll love it here.

If you have any questions about visiting the Dolomites, contact me at info@voicesoftravel. Or I can also help you plan the perfect travel itinerary for your stay here. You can also book this 1-on-1 travel chat (consultation) with me, and I’ll help you plan and answer all your questions in real-time. I’m so excited to talk to you.

Enjoy the Dolomites!

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