A couple of hours from Venice, the Dolomites offer many things to do in summer.
Many person from all over the world are discovering the Dolomites in the last years. Not only during the Winter Season for the snow and the sky, but also during summer season.
So I thought to offer you the opportunity to dream a little by telling you the things to do in the Dolomites during the summer.
As you may all know, I am not a mountain expert. So I thought to ask the help of Dolomiti Review and in particular of Valentina Ciprian that I met during an enjoyable experience at the Hotel Londra Palace a few years ago.
Dolomiti Photo by Giammarco Boscaro on Unsplash
I think many of us will want to be outdoors after these months of imprisonment during wintertime, and the mountain seems to be the ideal place because it immediately communicates the idea of good and clean air.
First of all, if you have a curiosity about the name and history of these mountains, I can refer you to check Dolomites on Wikipedia. So I asked Valentina some questions, obviously focusing on the Veneto Dolomites.
Venezia e le Dolomiti Photo by Antonio Rossi on Unsplash
Where would you recommend to go who wants to spend a weekend in the Dolomites and maybe not as well trained as me?
The Dolomites offer a massive variety of itineraries and the people: so it’s very easy to choose the most suitable ones for yourself, according to your preferences (and your training!).
In general, each valley offers the possibility of taking simple but very rewarding walks: often, in fact, it is not necessary to struggle to admire beautiful panoramas.
For example, an easy but pleasant walk is the one that leads to the Fuciade Refuge from the San Pellegrino Pass: it offers panoramas that will remain in your heart, I’m sure. Almost flat and suitable for everyone, it can be made in any season of the year.
Equally beautiful, but less known, is the nearby Valfredda. Not to mention all the high altitude destinations that can be easily reached with the ski lifts! The Lagazuoi refuge, for example, has the terrace with the most beautiful panorama of the Dolomites and can be reached directly by cable car from the Falzarego Pass
Which is the best place to stay is you want to visit the Veneto Dolomites?
Cortina d’Ampezzo is in a truly strategic position.
The Queen of the Dolomites has many points in her favor. First of all, the proximity of spectacular natural attractions: the Cinque Torri and Lake Sorapis, to name just a couple, are right in the Ampezzo Dolomites. From Cortina, then you can quickly reach Lake Misurina and the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.
And if the Belluno Dolomites were not enough, here there are other suggestions. Passing to walking the Dolomite peak (which alone would deserve the journey for the beauty of the landscape) you can reach Alta Badia or Alta Pusteria (Dobbiaco), thus trespassing the very near South Tyrol
Hard to say: there is more than one place I’m fond of and they make my choice difficult! I am particularly attached to Cortina and the Ampezzo valley, where I love hiking all year round.
But my heart is in Val di Zoldo, where my parents and grandparents were born. If I think of a Dolomite valley where I always feel at home, it is undoubtedly there, where my roots are. This small alpine valley framed by Pelmo and Civetta, in the heart of the UNESCO Dolomites, is part of the network of “Mountaineer Villages.” Uncrowded, on the edge of the most popular tourist routes, it allows you to immerse yourself in the authentic and genuine atmosphere of mountain life. Among the favorite places since my childhood, there is an excursion that I recommend: it is the one that leads to Lake Coldai, an emerald-colored body of water at over 2100 meters above sea level.
Lago Coldai (photo by Dolomiti Review)
Is there an experience, outside the traditional circuits, that you recommend to do even for those who already know the mountain well?
One suggestion that I would like to give is to live the mountain to the end: listen to nature in silence, discover the traditions of the places you frequent, be curious.
There are many experiences to do, whatever your interests are. In addition to outdoor excursions, you can visit a museum (there are many!) or taste the excellent typical dishes, participate in the many activities organized in the area. From fairy tales told in the woods to carriage rides, from meetings with the authors in high altitude mountain huts.
An experience that I also recommend is to take a guided tour with a local guide, to discover things from a new point of view. A geologist will explain to you how the Dolomites were formed, an alpine guide will make you familiar with new sport activity, a naturalistic guide will tell you about the most exciting aspects of our mountains.
If you need help, of course, ask for it, I will be happy to give you a hand to book the hotel or find the most suitable excursion for you. The rule that the more you tell me what you like, the better I can help you.
I also asked the daughter of a dear friend of mine, the young Marta Urbani, who has frequented the mountains since she was a child, to tell me about her place of the heart. She pointed out Lagole in Calalzo where in the Laghetto delle Tose you can bathe in the large tub natural thermal.
Lagole Calalzo (Credit Magico Veneto)
Time to pack and come to the Dolomites?
We wait you here.