Italian Dolomites Road Trip: My Complete Itinerary

The Dolomites are one of my all-time favourite places in the world to explore – and these breathtaking mountains make the perfect road trip. They’re full of razor-edge peaks, mirror-still lakes, and roads that switch back on themselves all the way up into the clouds.

This route runs one way, from Cortina d’Ampezzo in the east to the Alpe di Siusi and Bolzano side in the west. It covers the big names, Tre Cime and Lago di Braies included, but it also makes room for a couple of quieter stops that are easy to skip if you’re not looking for them.

A few of the most popular spots have introduced new booking and access rules for 2026, so I’ve flagged those as we go. It’s worth reading before you set off, since some of them affect how early you’ll need to start the day.

This post contains affiliate links.

🗺️ Route at a glance

📍 Start: Cortina d’Ampezzo – a stylish base in the mountains

Cortina is the unofficial capital of the eastern Dolomites, and it’s the natural place to start. It’s got designer shops and the odd fur coat, sure, but it’s also ringed by some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in Italy.

💡 Before hitting the road:

• Ride the Freccia nel Cielo cable car up to Tofana di Mezzo if the skies are clear – it’s a 30-minute journey in three stages, up to 3,244m.
• Get a coffee and people-watch on Corso Italia.
• Stock up on snacks. Mountain driving makes you hungrier than you’d expect.

I’d treat Cortina as an overnight base rather than a quick stop, especially if you want an early start on Tre Cime the next morning.

🍝 Where to eat: Ristorante Tivoli.

📍 Stop 2: Tre Cime di Lavaredo – iconic, and still worth the queue

From Cortina, head north to Tre Cime di Lavaredo, about 23km and 40 minutes including the toll road up to Rifugio Auronzo. These are arguably the most photographed peaks in the Dolomites, and yes, they’re busy, but they earn it.

💡 Key tips:

• Book your parking slot as early as you can – reservations fill quickly in July and August.
• Do the full loop trail around the peaks (about 10km, and manageable for most fitness levels).
• If you’ve got an extra hour, walk to the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint from the same car park. It’s about 45 minutes each way and shows you a completely different, jagged side of the range.
• Bring layers. Weather turns quickly up here, even in July.

🍝 Where to eat: Rifugio Lavaredo or Rifugio Locatelli, both on the loop trail.

📍 Bonus detour: Val Fiscalina – quiet, and easy to have almost to yourself

After Tre Cime, most people head straight west. If you’ve got the time, go northeast instead, towards Sesto and Val Fiscalina (around 30-40 minutes from Misurina).

It’s a short, gentle valley walk from Hotel Dolomitenhof, and it gets you the same spiky-peaks-and-green-pastures drama as Tre Cime with a fraction of the people. 

📍 Stop 3: Lago di Braies – beautiful, busy, and worth planning around

It’s hard to visit the Dolomites without seeing Lago di Braies, the glassy emerald green lake with the wooden boathouse everyone photographs. From Val Fiscalina, it’s another 30-40 minutes back west.

🚗 Drive: take the scenic route towards Val di Funes

From Braies, most people cut west through the busy Val Pusteria. If you can, take the longer way via Passo delle Erbe instead – quieter roads, better views, and you’ll dodge the worst of the valley traffic in summer.

📍 Stop 4: Val di Funes – picture-book, and still worth it in person

Val di Funes is about an hour from Braies via Passo delle Erbe. Rolling meadows, jagged peaks, and the little church of Santa Maddalena that’s been photographed a thousand times over but still catches you off guard.

💡 A few hours is enough here:

• If you want to walk the Adolf Munkel Trail to Geisleralm, set aside the best part of a day. While it’s relatively easy, there’s a fair amount of uphill and some bumpy, uneven ground. With a stop at the beautiful Geisleralm for lunch, it took us close to five hours in total.
• Get lunch in San Pietro, or pack a picnic – this valley is made for lingering over one.
• The viewpoint near the Chiesetta di San Giovanni in Ranui is worth the short walk, ideally around golden hour.

🍝 Where to eat: Restaurant Pitzock – or Geisleralm if you’re doing the Adolf Munkel trail.

📍 Stop 5: Ortisei & Seceda – a working village, and one of the best ridgelines in the Dolomites

From Val di Funes, it’s about 30-40 minutes south to Ortisei, the main village in Val Gardena. It’s a good base in its own right, with more of a lived-in feel than a purpose-built resort, but the real draw is the cable car up to Seceda.

💡 Once you’re up there:

• Most people photograph the ridgeline and leave. Walk on towards Pieralongia instead – it thins the crowds out fast and the views keep going.
• Have lunch at Baita Sofie if you can get a table.
• If you’ve got a spare half day and want more driving, Passo Gardena and the Sella Pass connect Val Gardena to Alta Badia and are some of the best scenic driving in the whole region.

🍝 Where to eat: Turonda, Tubladel or Restaurant Concordia in Ortisei; Baita Sofie up on the mountain.

📍 Stop 6: Alpe di Siusi – open skies after a lot of drama

From Ortisei, it’s about 25 minutes to Alpe di Siusi, Europe’s largest high-altitude alpine meadow. After several days of sharp peaks and switchbacks, this is a deliberately gentler stop.

💡 Once you’re up there:

• Rent e-bikes or just walk. The trails are wide, gentle, and endlessly scenic.
• Stop at a mountain hut for lunch – Gostner Schwaige or Malga Sanon are both good, and both do excellent homemade food.
• The views towards Sassolungo and Sassopiatto are the ones you’ll want your camera for.

📍 Stop 7: Lago di Carezza – small, still, and easy to fit in

The final stop, about 40 minutes south from the Alpe di Siusi area via Passo di Costalunga.

Lago di Carezza is smaller than Braies and needs a fraction of the planning, but the turquoise water and its reflection of the Latemar peaks are just as striking.

💡 Good to know:

• 30 to 60 minutes is plenty.
• Morning is best – the water’s calmer and the reflections are sharper before the wind picks up.
• Franzin Alm or Laurins Lounge Carezza are both right by the lake if you want to stop for lunch.

From here, Bolzano is under an hour away if that’s where you’re flying out from.

🏨 Where to stay along the route

🏨 Cortina d’Ampezzo: Hotel de LEN – contemporary alpine design, a strong spa, and a central location that puts you within walking distance of Corso Italia.

🏨 Ortisei / Val Gardena: Hotel Montchalet – an elegant alpine retreat a few minutes from the centre of Ortisei, with notably attentive service.

🏨 Alpe di Siusi: Sensoria Dolomites – I stayed here myself and loved how peaceful it was, with a lovely spa and easy access to both the plateau and Val Gardena.

🏨 Carezza & Catinaccio: Cyprianerhof Dolomit Resort – I stayed here on my most recent Dolomites trip. The views from the room were some of the best of the whole visit, and it’s one of the more highly regarded wellness hotels in the region.

These four make sense as bases for a 5 to 7 day version of this route – you don’t need to move hotel every night.

🛣️ Road trip tips for the Dolomites

⏰ Start early. For Tre Cime, Braies and Seceda especially, early means better light, thinner crowds and a much easier time finding parking.

🎟️ Book what needs booking. Tre Cime parking, Braies parking or shuttle, and Seceda tickets all now need advance reservations in peak season – check dates before you set off, not when you arrive.

🚗 Don’t overpack your days. One or two stops done well, rather than three or four rushed ones.

👕 Bring layers. Weather changes fast at altitude, even in August.

🗺️ Download offline maps before you go. Mobile signal is patchy in several of these valleys, and it’s caught plenty of people out, myself included.

❓ FAQs

Do I need to book anything in advance?

Yes, if you’re travelling between July and mid-September. Tre Cime parking, Lago di Braies parking or shuttle access, and Seceda cable car tickets all require advance booking during peak season in 2026.

How many days do I need for this route?

Five to seven days is comfortable and gives you room for changeable weather. It’s possible to do a condensed version in three or four days, but you’ll be moving faster than the scenery really deserves.

Do I need a car for this trip?

Yes. It’s the only practical way to link these stops at your own pace, and part of the appeal is the driving itself.

Is this route better done as a loop or one-way?

I did it one-way, flying into Venice and out of Bolzano, and I’d recommend the same. Looping back to Cortina adds a lot of driving for scenery you’ll have already seen.

⛰️ Plan your Dolomites road trip

This route gives you the icons everyone comes for, Tre Cime and Braies included, alongside a few quieter stops that are easy to miss if you’re only chasing the famous photos.

Build in more time than you think you need, book the things that need booking, and leave room for the stops you didn’t plan on making.

You may also like:

• My ultimate Dolomites travel guide: things to do, itineraries and tips
• My ultimate guide to visiting Lake Garda
• 12 luxury ski resorts in Europe