The Dolomites
The Dolomites are a range of pale limestone towers across Italy's northeast - Belluno, Trentino and South Tyrol - and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The rock was a coral reef once, and at dawn and dusk the peaks still flush pink, a glow the Ladin locals call enrosadira. It is a corner of Italy that answers to two languages, where a good day means a high trail, a rifugio lunch, a turquoise lake, and those pale walls turning rose as the light goes.
Dolomites Hut to Hut: Which Trek Fits Your Days?
Hut-to-hut hiking in the Dolomites: six treks compared by days and fixed cables, from the Alta Via 1 and 2 to four-day loops, and how to book the huts.
Alta Via 1, Dolomites: Booked Months Ahead, Walked in Summer
Twelve stages from Lago di Braies to Belluno, and a booking puzzle before the first step: which Alta Via 1 huts to book, when, and what a night costs.
Skiing in Cortina: Across Town and Back
Skiing in Cortina d'Ampezzo starts with the side of town you sleep on. Then how Tofana and Faloria connect, the one-way Armentarola day, the pass and runs.
Val Gardena Skiing: Three Villages, One Sellaronda
Val Gardena skiing starts with the village: Selva sits on the Sellaronda, Ortisei has La Longia and the Alpe di Siusi. Then pick the pass, runs and rules.
Dolomites in Winter: A Different Trip, Skis or Not
The Dolomites in winter run on their lifts, early December to early April. Pick the weeks, then the village, and a group where only some ski gets one trip.
Dolomites Map: How the Range Fits Together
A map of the Dolomites - nine mountain systems in five provinces, bases in three of them - and the four things it does not show that break trips.
Hiking the Dolomites: Pick a Side Before You Pick a Hike
The range splits in two, west and east, and the crossing costs a full travel day. How to pick your side, your base, your month and the days you need.
Alpe di Siusi (Seiser Alm): The 09:00 Gate and Which Lift
Europe's largest alpine meadow, and the road up shuts 09:00 to 17:00. Which lift to take, what it costs, and the walks worth giving a full day.
Val di Funes: Santa Maddalena and the Hike Under the Peaks
The Santa Maddalena photo is not taken at the church. Where the Dolomites viewpoint is, what €4 buys at Ranui, and the 2026 barrier that parks you below.
Lago di Sorapis: How to Hike to the Turquoise Lake
The Lago di Sorapis hike takes 5 - 6 hours, not the four you will see quoted: cabled ledges, the wait on them, parking gone by 08:00, and the summer bus.
Seceda: Which Way Up, and When 'Go Early' Fails
Two lifts reach the ridge from two villages, and the cheap one costs an hour on foot. Which door, which timeslot, and why 'go early' backfires in summer.
Cortina d'Ampezzo: A Summer Hiking Base in the Dolomites
Cortina d'Ampezzo is the Dolomites' best summer hiking base. Pick day-hikes like Cinque Torri and Sorapis by crowd and cost, and time the lifts and storms.
How to Get to the Dolomites From Venice, Milan or Innsbruck
How to get to the Dolomites: which airport to fly into, whether to rent a car, and the car-free routes that actually work from Venice, Milan or Innsbruck.
Tre Cime di Lavaredo: Beat the Gate, Find the View
The famous faces aren't at the parking lot. How to win the timed-entry gate, reach Tre Cime di Lavaredo with or without a car, and walk the loop right.
Lago di Braies: Worth It, If You Beat the Road Closure
How to visit Lago di Braies in the Dolomites: the summer road closure, parking reservations, buses, boats, and the best time to skip the crowds.