Hiking in Dolomites

The Dolomites are the visual shorthand for the whole idea of the Alps — pale limestone towers that turn rose-pink at sunset and stand so sheer they look staged. You don't need a multi-day expedition to get among them: a good day hike from one of the high trailheads, linking a refuge or two, drops you straight into the heart of the scenery.

This kind of loop starts already high, around 2,300 metres, and keeps you in the alpine zone the whole way — meadows, larch, and those unmistakable rock walls on every side, with mountain huts along the route for a plate of pasta or a coffee. It's a modest few hours of walking with a wildly outsized payoff.

The refuges take bookings and keep set seasons, roughly late June to late September, so plan around them. Come on a settled day, start reasonably early to beat the afternoon cloud build-up, and let the rock do the rest — few day hikes anywhere deliver this much for so little effort.

A road delivers you to 2,320 m; the loop has no technical sections and several refuges for food.

Pre-book the Auronzo toll-road slot (or the reservation-only shuttle) up to Rifugio Auronzo at 2,320 m, then follow the signed loop. RE-CHECK ANNUALLY: since 2025 the toll road requires a timed slot (car fee €40 for 2026) and can stay shut into mid-June in heavy snow years.