Best Time To Visit The Dolomites: Weather & Things to Do!
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A big task, I will bravely attempt to break down what each of the 4 seasons brings to the table with regards to weather and things to do, ultimately outlining when the best time to visit the Dolomites really is, and why.
The thing is, these mountains have a lot to offer, and they are big. I’ve hiked the different portions of the Dolomites a few times in the summer and fall seasons, and so I want to share my lessons learned and my experiences.
Month to month, there are things to do that are particularly pretty in a certain season, lakes to swim in, local festivals to attend, Via Ferratas to challenge you, skiing, and the list goes on and on!
➡️ NOTE: Planning a trip to the Dolomites is a bit tough. I can plan a custom itinerary for you – suggest lodging and iconic hikes, and answer any questions. All you do is book it and enjoy it! ❤️
Beyond that, I find the Dolomites to be in an area of Italy where Germanic and Italian cultures come together in perfect union to create a very special and unique vibe. One that is represented in the local Tyrolian dialect, the traditional clothing of the region, how the locals live their lives in unison with the land, and the delicious food (not your usual Italian pasta or German sausage, but the best of both worlds).
Ultimately, each season brings its own different experience, so here are a few data points to consider regarding weather and things to do in the Dolomites before deciding what’s best for you.
Best Time To Visit The Dolomites
Visiting the Dolomites in the Summer
Is there anything better than spending summer in the mountains?! You’re basically living out your best Sound of Music life, frolicking on hilltops of wildflowers.
Summer is the most popular time to visit the Dolomites (and my favorite) because it is warm, bright, sunny, and full of possible adventures. It’s a great time to go hiking, paragliding, mountain biking, climbing, waterfall exploring, hut-to-hut adventuring, and road-tripping.
Summer in the Dolomites will also be the most expensive because it’s the middle of peak tourist season. This is especially true in the month of August when most of Europe takes a vacation in alignment with “school’s out!” for the kids.
🏠 Where to Stay
Val Gardena was where I’ve lodged a few times, and is ideal for Ortisei town, Alpe di Suisi, Seceda peaks, Sella Massif, Gran Cir, and Passo Gardena. It’s a cute area and my first choice of lodging in the Dolomites. Peak season lodging prices will be around $300 per night, and be careful that some hotels only offer stays 2 days or longer.
📍 Mid-Level: Hotel Hell – Don’t let the name fool you. I’ve stayed here, and it’s really nice, plus good bang for your buck. The beds are comfy, and it’s a newly remodeled little authentic B&B.
📍 Luxury: Hotel Montchalet – While it’s not the most expensive, I like this chalet A LOT, mostly because it’s a cozy luxury. If you can splurge for the suite with the spa to soak in after the hikes, that would make this worth it a thousand times over.
Best Time To Visit The Dolomites
Visiting the Dolomites in the Fall
The second most popular season to visit the Dolomites is the fall season, mid-September through October. This is when the leaves change and the forests become the exact color of those favorite Instagram posts you troll.
Jokes aside, the fall season in the Dolomites is spectacular in its own right. Early fall, around September and early October, is the best time for outdoor photographers to come out and shoot. It’s also a great time for those seeking the adventure of Via Ferratas.
Towards the end of fall, it gets a bit colder and the mountain huts around the Dolomites close. Snow begins to set in as the mountains prepare themselves for ski season.
🏠 Where to Stay
Three Peaks is ideal for seeing Lago di Braies, Lago di Dobbiaco, and Tre Cime di Lavaredo, which is one of my favorite hiking areas. The best town to stay in is Cortina d’Ampezzo in this area because it’s close to everything, and you get all the cute restaurants and bars for apres-mountain trekking adventures.
📍 Mid-Level: Chalet Falorie – Great if you’re traveling with a family because it’s right in town, has a great kitchen, and bunk beds for the kids – plus fantastic light. I think this is the best value for how beautiful the apartment is. For me, chalets always stand a level above!
📍 Luxury: Hotel de LEN – I always go for cozy luxury in the mountains, and this takes the cake. The breakfast and restaurant on the property are especially fantastic, and the amenities are what sold me here – the spa!!
Best Time To Visit The Dolomites
Visiting the Dolomites in the Winter
Coming in 3rd in the contest of “Best Times to Visit the Dolomites”, winter will not be outdone by the other season. Prepare yourself for a winter wonderland, sunny days, and white snow-capped mountains and forests.
Winter is perfect for skiing, snowshoeing, low-altitude hiking, and any other snow sports you can think of. It’s also great for hanging out in the cute little mountain towns, sampling everything from the local goodies to the local wines!
Winter is also cold, and the mountain huts are all closed. It’s not ideal to travel here using public transportation and so this is the season when you need to rent a car to move around.
🏠 Where to Stay
Again, I recommend Cortina d’Ampezzo in the winter. It is ideal for Cortina town, Lago di Sorapis, Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Lago di Misurina, Cinque Torri, Croda da Lago.
📍 Mid-Level: Chalet Falorie – Great if you’re traveling with a family because it’s right in town, has a great kitchen, and bunk beds for the kids – plus fantastic light. I think this is the best value for how beautiful the apartment is. For me, chalets always stand a level above!
📍 Luxury: Hotel de LEN – I always go for cozy luxury in the mountains, and this takes the cake. The breakfast and restaurant on the property are especially fantastic, and the amenities are what sold me here – the spa!!
I mean, can you imagine spending the Christmas holidays here?! ⤵️
Best Time To Visit The Dolomites
Visiting the Dolomites in the Spring
Spring is the low season in the Dolomites. It boasts the fewest number of visitors and with that, the lowest prices all year. Mountain huts are still closed, snow is still on the ground, and it’s cold.
Spring in the Dolomites is good for lower-elevation hiking and cultural or town-focused activities. It’s also a great time to escape your hometown after the drudge of the first couple of months of the year and just get a quiet, natural change of pace at an affordable price.
🏠 Where to Stay
Bolzano is obviously great for Bolzano town, Strada del Vino, and Merano. It’s also pretty close to Val Gardena and Val di Funes. I think it’s a bit far from a few of the more iconic hikes near Cortin (like my favorite Tre Cime and Cadini di Misurina hikes), but if you have a car that won’t be a problem. The town itself is also pretty cute and the capital of the region.
📍 Mid-Level: Goldenstern Townhouse – If you like a mid-century modern feel like me, this is an old townhouse renovated in such a chic way. The beds are comfy, and the townhouse is right in the middle of town!
📍Luxury: Parkhotel Mondeschein – The hotel is fantastic, with great decor, amenities, ambiance, and all the things. What makes this lodging stand out is the vibe at the bar, restaurant and shared spaces – it’s a VIBE! This is where I would be staying with my partner or my girlfriends.
Things to Do in the Dolomites Per Season
When it comes to things to do in the Dolomites, each month comes with its own benefits and challenges regarding activities, and a lot has to do with weather, access, and vibe. My favorite times to explore the Dolomites, in this order, are first during the Summer, then Fall, then Winter, and lastly – if someone really convinces me – the Spring.
Things To Do in the Dolomites
Summer & Fall
✅ Adolf Munkel Hike
✅ Cadini di Misurina Ridge Hike
✅ Tre Cime de Lavaredo Hike
✅ Seceda Ridgeline Hike
✅ Via Ferrata Tridentina
✅ Lake Hikes [Braies, Carezza]
✅ Dolomites Road Trip
✅ Paraglide in the Dolomites
✅ Hut-to-Hut Hiking
✅ Stay in a Rifugio
Things To Do in the Dolomites
Winter & Spring
✅ Eat your Heart Out
[especially Kaiserschmarrn]
✅ Drink the Local Wine
✅ Stay in Val Gardena
✅ Explore the towns
[Bolzano, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Ortisei]
✅ Skiing / Snowboarding
✅ Snowshoeing
Best Time To Hike in The Dolomites
I think the summer and early fall are the best time for hiking in the Dolomites because you have wonderful weather, flowers blooming, all sorts of summer sports like paragliding and swimming available to you, and the mountains just look STUNNING! Not only that, this is when the rifugios, huts, cable cars, and restaurants are all open!
PRO TIP: Hiking is NOT all difficult in the Dolomites. There are plenty of trails that are rated easy and medium on the challenge scale, and everything is very well marked. In fact, some of the most iconic views from the Dolomites can be accessed by an easy hike!
When do the Mountain Huts/Rifugios open and close?
Most of the Mountain Huts (Rifugios) in the Dolomites are the property of the Italian Alpine Club (CAI), and are manned by The Club, offering food, lodging, and showers to hikers at about $50-80 a night. Most CAI huts open mid to late June and close on September 20th.
The huts at higher altitudes may have even more limited opening times. Remember, there are operating costs for these little huts, and so if there’s not enough demand, they can’t afford open too early in the summer.
How do you book Mountain Huts/Rifugios in the Dolomites?
To book a room at a hut, you literally have to look them up on Google, find the specific hut website you want, look for their email or phone number, and old-school email/call them. You will give them your name, and the date you are wanting lodging and that’s it. The next step is to show up at the time you requested and enjoy the views.
For my hut-to-hut hike, I used the company Alpine Exploratory – they took care of the booking, route, and baggage transportation, which was a big help. I also found that Facebook groups around a particular hike are super helpful – I did the Alta Via hike, and this is the group I used to get info.
If you’re doing it yourself, don’t expect fancy online reservations. But DO expect that your reservation will be honored. It’s raw out here, ie. in the world above the interwebs!
Do I need travel insurance when visiting the Dolomites?
Yes, anytime you travel outside of your country, you need to cover your bum. It’s quite cheap and offers protection in case of emergencies – because shit happens. Plus, you can call 24/7 and talk to fellow travelers like yourself to get info and help as you need it.
This is what I use:
➡️ Safety Wing Insurance ⬅️
Note: You can buy it while you’re traveling as well, like that one time I decided to go up a Via Ferrata in the Dolomites and it was only my second time – AND my anxiety was through the roof! Yea, it’s a no-brainer on the travel insurance – get you some.
How To Get to The Dolomites
There are a few ways to get to and around the Dolomites.
How To Get To The Dolomites
Renting a Car
Renting a car is the way to go so that you have the flexibility to do whatever the heck you want in the Dolomites at your own pace. I usually use Discover Cars to review all the rental car company rates and pick what works for me – ie. a small, automatic, diesel, fewer fees, etc.
Check Prices for Rental Cars to the Dolomites
➡️ DISCOVER CARS ⬅️
I recommend flying into the Venice Airport and renting a car there for a few reasons:
- It’s a bigger international airport compared to Bologna & Verona, so more connecting flights from the bigger airport hubs around Europe.
- It’s the closest driving time to the Dolomites compared to other Italian cities like Milan.
PRO TIP: Before you hit the road, make sure you review the common mistakes when renting a car in Italy, where I go into a few unique road rules, documentation requirements, and experience driving through the land of La Dolce Vita.
How To Get To The Dolomites
Public Transportation
SudTirol Mobility is the best resource to navigate and book tickets to trains and buses around the Dolomites. You can buy a 1, 3, and 5-day pass at tourist info spots or any hotel. There are also little ticket stations. This is the cheapest way to get around the Dolomites if you are not renting a car.
Dolomites Travel Tips
Here are a few travel tips when it comes to the Dolomites, because planning a mountain trip can be a bit tedious.
➡️ Help Me Plan My Trip! ⬅️
How many days is enough for the Dolomites?
I recommend at least 5 days to really appreciate a taste of the Dolomites. If you think about it, it’s half a day to a day’s worth of work just to travel to the Dolomites, and each day only allows time for 1 big hike. Two hikes if they’re close to each other or short enough. To really start exploring the mountains, especially for the first time, you’ll need at least 5 days.
What is a good Dolomites itinerary for first-timers?
Building a good Dolomites itinerary first starts with inspiration. Here are some of my favorite hikes that can be done in 1 week in the Dolomites. This is taken right out of my 2-week hiking trip through the Italian and Swiss Alps!
My Favorite Hikes in The Dolomites
✔️ Adolf Munkel Hike to Geisler Alm (easy)
✔️ Cadini di Misurina Ridge Hike (easy)
✔️ Tre Cime de Lavaredo (easy)
✔️ Seceda Ridgeline Hike (easy)
✔️ Via Ferrata Tridentina (challenging)
Are the Dolomites expensive?
Not really, because it’s a nature hub – and nature stuff is free! That said, lodging & transportation costs will fluctuate with the time of year you go, summer being the most expensive. Here is a rough outline based on some of my road trips to the area during the peak summer season.
- Car Rental: €50-100 per day
- Lodging: €150-300 per night
- Funiculars/Gondolas: €30-50 per gondola, per person
- Food & Drink: €60 a day per person
- Nature in Your Life: Priceless!
Conclusion: Best Time to Visit the Dolomites
So, after reading all these goodies, what is the best time to visit the Dolomites? It’s July 23. 😊
Jokes aside, the best time to visit the Dolomites depends a lot on the weather. Because the Summer and Fall seasons between July and September have the sunniest and warmest days, these months are ideal for all of the activities and awe-inspiring views of the Dolomites. Note that August will be the most touristed month, as well as the most expensive in that ideal time.
Ultimately, each season brings its own pros and cons, the gist being:
