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Italy: The Dolomites

Walks in The Italian Dolomites

Trip code: W07DL

Average customer rating 4.9 / 5(70 verified reviews)

Self-Guided Walking
7 nights single centre
Moderate
Flights available
CO₂ rating 1/5
Headwater Navigation app

Trip highlights

World-famous Tre Cime – symbol of the Dolomites and UNESCO World Heritage Site

Breathtaking natural landscapes: jagged limestone peaks, shimmering turquoise lakes, emerald-green slopes

1000kms+ of walking trails; excellent bird-spotting; stunning flowers; unrivalled Alpine views

Explore charming villages and hamlets; superb mountain transport system

Beautiful 4 star family-run hotel with spa, pool, sauna and steam room; deluxe rooms for all Headwater customers

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Trip details

In the heart of the northern Italian Dolomites, close to the border with Austria and
dominated by the famous Tre Cime (Three Peaks), is the beautiful Tyrolean village
of Dobbiaco. A week’s self guided walking in the Dolomites allows you to discover the beauty and
sheer magnificence of the majestic Alta Pusteria Valley.

What's included

Included

  • 7 nights in 4-star accommodation
  • All breakfasts and all evening meals
  • Briefing at the start of your holiday
  • Headwater navigation app
  • 7 day Mobil Card

Not included

  • Flights
  • Local taxes/fees
  • Travel insurance

Travel options

Flights

Our air prices include standard flights and transfers.

Itinerary

Route map, with each night's stop marked
The full route, night by night. Select the map to view it full screen.

Day 1 · —Arrive at Dobbiaco

Arrive at Dobbiaco

Arrive at your hotel in Dobbiaco.

You stay at Park Hotel Bellevue

Parkhotel Bellevue
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Park Hotel Bellevue

Dobbiaco

  • Shops

You will spend 7 nights in the beautiful 4-star Park Hotel Bellevue. It combines old-world charm with good old-fashioned hospitality. Facilities include a luxurious spa with sauna, steam room, swimming pool, massage/beauty treatments; there’s also a cosy lounge to curl up in with a book, or take an aperitivo in the relaxing bar.

Day 2 · 14km/8.7miChapels and Churches Walk

Chapels and Churches Walk

From the hotel, you ascend gently along peaceful country lanes, through picture-perfect Tyrolean villages and hamlets dotted across the hillside – each boasting a lovely chapel or church offering stunning views and decorated with frescoes. At Stadlern, take time over a picnic to soak up the mountain panorama before returning to Dobbiaco alongside the bubbling Rienza River.

Elevation

Chapels and Churches Walk elevation profile

Day 3 · 15km/9.3mi or 17km/10.6miNemes Alp Walk

Nemes Alp Walk

There’s a short bus ride before a spectacular gondola ride this morning to the high Rotwand pastures (1,914m), just below the mighty Croda Rossa limestone peaks. From here it’s a gentle descent along pretty pine-scented forest trails to the ancient Kreuzbergpass, south Tyrol’s most easterly mountain pass. You then head up to the refuge of Malga Nemes, a fabulous panoramic spot for lunch, with marmots foraging in the open sunny pastures, before descending along a wide woodland track to the Tyrolean village of Moos where you pick up the bus back to Dobbiaco.

Elevation

Nemes Alp Walk elevation profile

Day 4 · 19km/11.8miLago di Braies, Grunwald Valley and the Hochalm (with shorter, easier options)

Lago di Braies, Grunwald Valley and the Hochalm (with shorter, easier options)

Enjoy truly spectacular scenery on one of our favourite trails in the Dolomites. It’s a fantastic full-day hike with ascents and descents of around 800m for unrivalled views. First an easy stroll along the shores of the turquoise Lago di Braies and then ascend via the Alte Kaser pastures to the idyllic mountain bowl of Hochalm for lunch. Your descent is through a deeply carved valley below colossal peaks and impressively striated cliffs.

Elevation

Lago di Braies, Grunwald Valley and the Hochalm (with shorter, easier options) elevation profile

Day 5 · 16km/9.9miHigh Mountain Pastures and Rifugio Ra Stua Walk

High Mountain Pastures and Rifugio Ra Stua Walk

Today you’ll head into the heart of the Ampezzo National Park in the italian-speaking Veneto region. Setting off from Cimabanche along a disused railway line, you’ll head up through the Gotres Valley on an old military road to reach the high mountain pasture of Forcella Lerosa. You descend to the idyllic meadows of Rifugio Ra Stua and follow a narrow forest footpath towards Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Elevation

High Mountain Pastures and Rifugio Ra Stua Walk elevation profile

Day 6 · 14km/8.7miMount Elmo and the Klammbachutte Walk

Mount Elmo and the Klammbachutte Walk

This fabulous walk takes you along the impressive crest of the Carniche Alps. You start the day with a bus then cable car ascent (payable locally) up towards Mount Elmo (2,041m). From there, an old military supply route takes you to the refuge Sillianer Hutte (in Austria). This ridge forms a border between Italy and Austria and gives you spectacular views across the Austrian Alps. Your descent is on a less well defined rocky path that crosses the pretty mountain pastures of the Klammbachalm to arrive at the picturesque Klammbachhutte, before the forest track back down to the village of Moos.

Elevation

Mount Elmo and the Klammbachutte Walk elevation profile

Day 7 · 10km/6.2mi or 15km/9.3miTre Cime (Three Peaks)

Tre Cime (Three Peaks)

A tremendous finale to your week awaits as you head by bus to the high-altitude Rifugio Auronzo at the foot of the world-famous Tre Cime di Lavaredo (2,999m at the top). These enormous freestanding limestone towers have been so popular with walkers that they’ve naturally become the symbol of the Dolomites. You follow a wide mountain trail constructed by soldiers during the First World War, which provides the finest perspective of these three immense columns.

Due to its increasing popularity we recommend booking the Tre Cime shuttle service in advance.

Elevation

Tre Cime (Three Peaks) elevation profile

Day 8 · —Leave Dobbiaco

Leave Dobbiaco

Extending your holiday

Giulietta e Romeo, Verona

Giulietta e Romeo

Verona

  • Air conditioning
  • American Express
  • ATM
  • Bank
  • Hairdryers
  • Market
  • Mastercard
  • Minibar
  • Other email access
  • Safe

The Giulietta e Romeo hotel, named after the town’s most famous lovers, lies in a quiet side street just yards from the Arena. The hotel is fairly modern in style and very comfortable. There is a large lobby area, which leads onto the breakfast room, which is decorated in white with subtle lighting and art deco friezes on the windows.

The rooms are all carpeted and traditionally decorated in blue and red decor with cherry wood furniture. They are all en-suite and have double-glazing so there is little noise from the street. A couple of rooms even have the famous Juliet style balcony if you fancy a re-inaction!

Parents of under 10 year olds should be aware that some rooms at the Hotel Giulietta e Romeo have a balcony with a step up.

HOTEL KETTE, VENICE (4 STAR)

Hotel Kette

Venice

  • Air conditioning
  • American Express
  • ATM
  • Bank
  • Hairdryers
  • Mastercard
  • Minibar
  • Other email access
  • Safe
  • Shops

The Hotel Kette is set in the heart of Venice, a short distance from Teatro La Fenice, from via XXII marzo, the elegant shopping street, 2 minutes from piazza San Marco and only 10 minutes from Ponte di Rialto. So this is an excellent base for exploring the many delights Venice has in store.

The 63 en suite rooms are immaculately furnished and are fully worthy of the four-star rating.

It is possible to reserve a non-smoking room (please contact us and we will request this for you).

What our travellers say

An excellent holiday with all the arrangements working like clockwork. The notes for walks were very well prepared. We had a most enjoyable time.

Mr Keeley

Our visit visit to the Dolomites, it won’t be our last. Lovely area and first class support all round.

Mr Saunders

I thought the hotel was excellent and Dobbiaco was a good base for exploring the north eastern Dolomites. The walks were interesting and well-described. The best walks required public transport which I found to be convenient and reliable though sometimes crowded.

Mr Dyer

The Dolomites are a spectacular walking destination and there are a range of different walks on offer. The notes for each are extremely detailed and all information os provided, even down to exactly which bus to take and where to get off. The descriptions en-route are very detailed and the local signage is great. The scenery is superb and the range of walks is excellent – I would definitely recommend this self-guided trip with Headwater to anyone wishing to walk in the Dolomites. Gondolas are an additional cost. Returning to the Parkhotel Bellevue every day is a treat. This family run hotel provides extremely attentive service, the food is quite simply delicious! And relaxing in the spa helps ease those tired muscles or sore feet. If you are thinking of the Dolomites then I would definitely recommend this trip and this hotel. Headwater were extremely helpful in planning our itinerary given we were travelling from different locations and adding on our own independent stay in Italy. It was no hassle to consider the different flight options available to us. All information communicated was detailed, relevant and reliable. Headwater are extremely competent and professional and put together great itineraries.

Miss Cowan

Very well organised with comprehensive walking guides and maps, more walking options than days which was good, walking guides may benefit from a diagrammatic form of ascent and descent.

Mrs Lester

Headwater were very accommodating to us, helping us to arrange our walking holiday to slot in between our plans to visit other areas in the same country during an extended stay. It was all very easy and everything worked very well. The hotel was lovely and in a great location. Our holiday was well organised and we had a very enjoyable time.

Mrs Chapman

This was our first hiking holiday with Headwater and we thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. Despite the changing weather, we were able to choose a suitable hike for each day because of the range of hiking notes supplied by Headwater. The Park Hotel Bellevue was excellent – friendly and helpful staff, comfortable rooms, convenient location (especially for trains and buses) and amazing food. We paired this holiday with a cycling trip (Dolomites to Lake Garda), which started in the adjacent town. This gave us an extra day of hiking as our transfer between hotels took about 10 minutes by taxi. We would highly recommend this holiday.

Mrs Mcnamara

A brilliant service. Absolutely stunning.
The fine detail of choosing the hotels is excellent. Your website is easy to navigate and find fine details of holidays on offer.
I would throughly my reccoment Headwater to anyone wanting a specialist holiday.

Mr Clayton

Spectacular part of the world. Excellent walking with very accurate route notes. Hotel was perfect – great service and brilliant food every night, with a great choice of wines ( including local wines). We will definitely return as there are many more walks.

Mr Kennedy

Excellent holiday. Stunning scenery and great walks. Every day seemed to offer something different. Challenging at times but nothing over and above the ratings provided. Excellent, detailed and easy to follow route instructions.

Mr Riddell
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Positive impact

Carbon score for this trip

19.0

Kg CO₂e

per person, per night

Relative to other Headwater trips

We measure emissions from the parts of the holiday we organise — including accommodation, in-trip transport, meals and activities — and express them as CO₂e per person, per night. Our label doesn’t include your travel to and from the start of the trip. As a Certified B Corp, Headwater is committed to reducing this figure and to positively impacting local communities, the local environment and our staff. Learn more

From£1,419per person