Travel to the Dolomites

The experience of travel to the Dolomites allows you to discover a large territory that has been declared Heritage for its beauty and natural value. This group of mountains extends through several Italian provinces such as those of Trento, Bolzano, Udine or Verona. There is even a small area that belongs to Austria. It's about the Lienz Dolomites.

But, above all, traveling to the Dolomites means knowing one national park and nine natural parks, as well as a whole series of impressive gorges, gorges and other spectacular geological structures. As if all this were not enough, this part of the Alps makes up one of the largest ski areas in Europe and a real paradise for climbers. To help you organize your trip, we are going to explain everything you need to know about the Dolomites.

Geographic framework

As we told you, the Dolomites include a wide expanse of land that is delimited to the north by the Pusteria valley and the Rienza river and to the south by Fiemme valley and Brenta river. As for the west, they frame them the Isarcus and the Adige and, with respect to the east, the Cadore and Piave rivers. However, this delimitation is somewhat conventional, since there are areas of this mountain range that are outside of it.

The Dolomites receive their name from these compounds, above all, from dolomitic rock, that is, formed by magnesium and calcium carbonate. Its color is whitish, but both at sunrise and sunset the phenomenon known there as the enrosadira. Because of the sun, the stones acquire a beautiful reddish and sometimes even purple tone.

In a broad sense, this mountainous area is divided into two areas located north and south of the Cordevole River. Its highest point is the Marmolada, where 3343 meters of altitude are reached. Later we will tell you about what you can see and do during your trip to the Dolomites, but now we are going to focus on other important aspects.

The best time to travel to the Dolomites

This impressive area has a continental type climate, with pleasant summers and cold winters. As for rainfall, it is lower than in the rest of the Alps. All this means that its climate is the most benign of this entire mountain range.

Due, Any time is good to travel to the Dolomites. Choosing one or the other depends on the activities you want to do. Thus, summer is great for hiking or cycling routes, via ferrata or other outdoor activities. For its part, winter allows you to enjoy everything related to snow (known in the area with the poetic name of "Lady Bianca") in its many ski resorts. In addition, Christmas markets are held in many towns. As for spring, it is perfect for you to observe the green tones of its forests and slopes in all their splendor. And autumn is also ideal for you to marvel at its nature.

How to get to the Dolomites

It is also important that you know how to get to this beautiful set of mountains. If you want to travel by plane, the closest airport is the one from Bolzano, capital of the province of the same name. You can also choose others such as Verona, Bergamo, Milan and even Innsbruck in Austria. But we advise you venice airport because it combines good connections and closeness.

You can also choose the railway. The only line that crosses the mountain range is the one that connects Verona and Munich with stops, among other places, in Trento y Brenner. But it doesn't run every day and takes several hours to reach the Dolomites. Also, you can use the bus. There are two companies that operate this route even from the aforementioned airports. These are Terravisión and Fly Sky Shuttle. Once in the area, to move between the different ski resorts it works Dolomitibus.

Likewise, you can travel to the Dolomites in your own vehicle. In this case, you should know that the highway A-22 crosses all the Dolomites, as it unites the aforementioned Innsbruck y Verona. However, if you travel from Venice, the one you should take is the highway A-27 and then the local SS51. To get around the area you have other roads such as the SS50, the SS612 or the SS242.

Also, you have the option of rent a car at any of the arrival airports. It is a comfortable possibility to move around the mountain range. In addition, the price is similar to those in Spain. On the other hand, gasoline is somewhat more expensive and many of the Italian roads have tolls. For all these reasons, we advise you to calculate all these expenses well depending on the area of ​​the Dolomites you are going to.

Where to stay in the area

Another basic question when traveling to the Dolomites is deciding where to stay. Once again, we have to tell you that choosing it will depend on what you want to do there and the time of year you make the trip. Likewise, it will also depend on the type of establishment you are looking for, since you have hotels, campsites, rental apartments and even several mountain refuges, among other options.

However, we are going to tell you about some places to base yourself in the Dolomites. If you want to have peace of mind, one of the best places is Arabba. It is a small town that belongs to the municipality of Livinallongo del Col di Lana, next to the Pordoi pass, which connects the regions of Veneto and Trentino Alto-Adige.

If this town is beautiful, it is even more so Alleghe, located next to the lake that gives it its name. It is also very quiet and is also close to the Civetta ski area, so it is a good place to stay in winter. More famous than the previous ones is Cortina d'Ampezzo, one of the most touristic cities in the province of Belluno, which is also located in the central area of ​​the Dolomites. As if that were not enough, it is a good starting point to visit lakes such as those of Carezza, Sorapis and Braies, as well as to discover the Three Peaks of Lavaredo. Anyway, Brunico It is perfect to get to know the north of the mountain range and High Bay for skiing and via ferrata. Among those you can find are the Tridentina, the Schuster or the Trincee.

What to do in the Dolomites?

Precisely, these routes are one of the activities that you can do on your trip to the Dolomites. But, if you don't want to make so much effort, you also have several hiking trails in the area that allow you to discover large lakes, impressive green valleys and dizzying mountains. Among them, we can mention the one that goes up to the Marmolada, with several peaks and even a glacier.

You can also perform the route to the Five Towers, a set of mountainous needles located in the Ampezzo area. Finally, another very famous one is the route to the aforementioned Three Peaks of Lavaredo. It allows you to discover these crenellated mountains and the beautiful Sorapis lake, framed by a mountainous amphitheater.

If you decide to take one of the many mountain routes that the area offers, you will be able to discover other wonderful places such as the Forra del Cellino canyon, which is crossed by a small train; he Val Montanaia Campanile, an emblem of mountaineering renamed "the Stone Scream"; he Funes Valley, surrounded by the impressive Odle Mountains, or the Sciliar massif, with its alpine cabins.

But the great activity you can do when traveling to the Dolomites is el esqui. There are many stations that it offers you. Not in vain, with its more than twelve hundred kilometers of slopes and four hundred and fifty lifts, it is one of the best areas in Europe to practice this sport.

This ski complex has been named Dolomiti Siperski and includes no less than twelve stations. Among them, there are some as famous as that of Cortina d'Ampezzo, known as "the Queen of the Dolomites"; that of Kronplatz, ideal for the whole family; that of High Bay, which allows access to the Sellaronda ski route, or the Val Gardena, which includes the World Championship track Saslong.

What to see in the Dolomites?

You also have several beautiful towns to discover when traveling to the Dolomites. For example, we advise you to visit the beautiful Bolzano, which embodies all the beauty of South Tyrol. Be sure to see places like Walter and Erbe squares or Via del Portici. Also, visit your cathedral from the XNUMXth century and look at its peculiar roof adorned with polychrome drawings. And also the dominican church and the South Tyrol Archeology Museum, which houses the mummy of Otzi, "the snowman." Finally, he discovers the castles of Roncolo and Mareccio.

Even more beautiful is the city of Trento, capital of the Trentino region. In its case, two are the most emblematic monuments. It's about the St. Virgil's Cathedral and the Buonconsiglio castle. The latter is a spectacular fortress built between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries with Venetian Gothic elements. Currently, it is home to a historical museum. As for the no less impressive cathedral, construction began in the XNUMXth century, although the bell tower dates from the XNUMXth century, and combines Romanesque and Gothic elements.

Even the little one Feltre It has an impressive monumental heritage in which the Raggiones Palace, built in the XNUMXth century; the San Pedro Cathedral, with Renaissance features; the Imperial Gate or monastery of Santa María de los Ángeles.

In conclusion, we have explained everything you need to know to travel to the Dolomites. If you do, you can also visit cities that are relatively close, such as the incomparable Venice y Verona, But also Vicenza, Ferrara and even Bolonia. Dare to discover the wonder of nature that constitutes this area of ​​Italy.