Italian Dolomites Roadtrip: 5 days in the dolomites
/Italian Dolomites Roadtrip
5 days in the Dolomites
Throughout my career as a non-profit filmmaker, I’ve had the opportunity to visit many corners of this world, yet, the Dolomites, located in the North of Italy, remain amongst some of the most beautiful mountainous landscapes I’ve ever roamed!
Easily accessible from cities such as Venice or Innsbruck, in Austria, the Dolomites offer the perfect environment for a road trip. For this particular excursion, Jake and I rented a camper van in Paris and drove through Switzerland to reach the Dolomites. On the way, we stopped in Appenzell and spent three days exploring the region and hiking its peaks. If you would like to learn more about Appenzell and the best hikes in the Alpstein region, check out this blog article: Things to Do in Appenzell: 3 Days Itinerary.
Although driving is the best way to reach all the different points of interest in the Dolomites, the best way to really experience this region is by hiking! For that, the best months are June, July, and August, when the weather is warm, the grass green and the wildflowers blooming. During the summer months, you can hike just about anywhere, and you are guaranteed to always be surrounded by the most jaw-dropping views of the mountains.
Jake and I spent 6 days in the Dolomites, and below, I’ve detailed all the places we visited and photographed. As we were living, sleeping, and cooking in our van, I cannot speak to the best accommodations in the area, but I will be sharing tips on finding the best parking spots to spend the night and enjoy the views.
Helpful Vanlife Apps to Download for Free
Gas Buddy: finding the best prices for gas along the way! A real money-saver when driving long distances.
AllTrails: One of the best parts of Vanlife is your ability to spend so much time outdoors. To find the best hikes in a given area, I always use this app. It’s easy to filter the hikes by difficulty, views, and elevation.
Wi-fi Finder: We all need a good connection from time to time and this is the ultimate ally in finding wifi wherever you are!
Flush: The app Flush is pretty straight forward and functional: it allows you to find bathrooms in the area. And that’s that, and it’s great.
Park4Night: A great app to find free parking spots and fully equipped camper areas for the night.
Day I: Seceda Ridge & Alpe di Suisi // Dolomites Roadtrip
Seceda Ridge
Today is all about Seceda Ridgeline, the view you’ve been dreaming of ever since you stumbled upon the Dolomites as a destination. It’s a place that you have to visit in person since photos don’t even come close to the raw beauty of Seceda. There are two ways to reach the top: the easy way and the intense way!
Take the cable car up from Ortisei, which costs about 30€. From there, you’ll reach the ridge in 20 minutes (the cable car opens in mid-June and closes mid-October).
If you’re looking for more of a challenge, you can hike up to Seceda! It takes about 2 hours from the Praplan Parking lot. Be ready for a steep one!
DRONE VIEW OF Seceda Ridge
From there, enjoy these splendid views and relax. On the way out, Jake and I decided to hike down to Sofie, one of the Refugios by the cable car. We sat out on the hammock chairs, sipped on an Aperol Spritz, and ordered a platter of local cheese—all that accompanied with the most gorgeous backdrop and glistening alpine sun! The staff was kind and attentive and the food, delicious. I highly recommend that place if you’re keen to have a drink or a bite to eat before your next adventure.
AN ORIGINAL PERSPECTIVE ON SECEDA RIDE
The view from SOFIE REFUGIO, LOCATED AT THE TOP OF Ortisei CABLECAR
Alpe di Suisi
After a nice van-cooked lunch and a rather luxurious and long nap, Jake and I drove out to visit and photograph one of Europe’s most gorgeous meadow: Alpe de Suisi. One important thing to note before you make your way out to the meadow is that it is forbidden to drive on the Alpe di Suisi road without a special permit. The fine for driving on this road without a permit is 150€. Such a special permit is only granted to people staying overnight in one of the cabins or hotels in Alpe de Suisi, but not to worry, you can still visit the meadows but you’ll have to set time aside for the hike out and back.
HIKING tO Alpe de Suisi AT 7PM, IN JUNE
To do so, park your car at the Kompatsch parking lot—be mindful there is a fee for most parking in the Dolomites, and walk along the road following signs that say: Alder Lodge Alpe. Jake and I arrived around 6 pm at the parking lot and no one was at the booth to pay the fee so we got free parking! In summer, the sun sets around 9:30 pm so we had plenty of time to hike out and catch the sunset. The walk is flat and takes about 45 minutes to reach the best lookouts.
Green Wanderlust tip: In my opinion, there is no single best photography spot, and although a lot of the photos you’ll see on Instagram are taken in front of the exact same cabin, I can only encourage you to be creative and explore the meadows for yourself.
The photos I’ve seen of Alpe di Suisi are also often facing the exact same way—that is, the jagged peaks you can see in the images above, but facing the other way is just as interesting and breathtaking. Try playing around with the mountains in the background of the images below. They were taken just minutes apart from the above ones!
NOTE: All the photos posted in this article were edited with my hand-crafted presets from the Folk Collection Pack, available for purchase here on Not Just Colour. Get -$5 OFF with code: FINDYOURTONE2020.
NEW PERSPECTIVES OF Alpe di Suisi
FACING THE OTHER DIRECTION IN Alpe di Suisi
We made it back to the car at around 10 pm, and even though we already had shot two locations, we decided to give ourselves a head start for tomorrow’s day and drive all the way out to the Lago di Carezza parking lot to be on location for sunrise the following day.
When we arrived the main parking lot was closed but following the main road up a few miles, we found a perfect parking spot for the night, overlooking the mountains. That parking lot is also a great option for anyone visiting by car because it’s free! From there, the hike down to the lake takes about 20 minutes.
Day II: Lago Di Carezza & Val di Funes // Dolomites Roadtrip
Lago Di Carezza
Lago di Carezza is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. Being there feels like stepping foot in an enchanted forest! Very early in the morning—Jake and I were down there at 5:30 am, the surface of the lake is perfectly still and the reflection is absolutely gorgeous. We had the lake to ourselves for almost 2 hours before people started arriving in small crowds, so I definitely recommend arriving there as early as you can, especially if you’re looking to take photographs.
SUNRISE AT THE BEAUTIFUL LAGO DI CAREZZA
Although Lago Di Carezza is a rather small alpine lake, I think its reputation has grown due to its incredible colors and breathtaking views of the Latemar mountain range. Its location is a bit far removed from other sights in the area, but I really do recommend the drive out. The walk around the lake is very enjoyable and takes about 20 minutes.
FROM THE PATH AROUND LAGO DI CAREZZA
ANOTHER VIEW OF LAGO DI CAREZZA
As you can imagine, after a full day of running around yesterday and a 4:30 am wake-up call this morning, Jake and I were pretty tired this morning so we snuck back into bed aka our home on wheels, and didn’t surface back until noon.
A 5AM CAPTURE OF Latemar mountain range
Val di Funes
After a lazy afternoon of exploring in the surrounding woods, we drove off to catch the golden hour at our next location: Val di Funes! This place is most famous for its iconic church, St. John. I’m not exactly sure how it got so famous in the first place but today it has become a photographer’s dream shot. The church is set in in an idyllic grassy meadow with the towering Odle mountain range in its background.
If you’re here just for the photo, you should have a good enough opportunity to snap the photographs you want in an hour, but I recommend taking the time to explore the surroundings if you have the time. Amble along the Panoramaweg and Sunnenseitenweg paths that meander through the meadows. They are both great walks and make the drive out even more worth it.
We parked our van at the top of the village near the trail’s start and by a small winding river. There was no sign indicating anything about the payment, so we stayed there for the night.
Day III: Lago di Braies // Dolomites Roadtrip
The next morning we took a few more photos of Val di Funes and ventured into town for a food refuel. Later into the afternoon, we drove out to the pearl of the dolomites, also known as Lago di Braies! Most likely one of the most famous Instagram sights in the world, Lago di Braies can be enjoyed by foot, walking around an easy loop around the lake, or by renting a rowboat from the nearby, iconic boathouse. If you do want to rent a boat, it’s best to arrive before 8 am, especially during the busy summer months.
OUR PARKING SPOT FOR THE NIGHT
THE ICONIC CHURCH OF VAL DI FUNES
Lago di Braies
One thing I do want to point out before you venture out and visit this gorgeous lake is that the photos you see of it on Instagram can be misleading. Having seen many of these classic Lago di Braies shorts before, Jake and I were expecting to visit a quaint and quiet alpine lake with very few people around. If that is what you are expecting too, I do think it is important to set different expectations. Lago Di Braies is not a small alpine lake with no infrastructure in sight, over the years it has grown to become a rather important money-making tourism enterprise, and rightfully so—it is after all one of Italy’s most famous lakes.
PICTURESQUE LAGO DI BRAIES ON A SUMMER EVENING
Right at the entrance, there are three huge parking lots that get filled up as early as 10 am, and a few meters further, a large hotel and small wooden restaurant selling very average food such as pizza and fries—that’s my personal opinion only. The lake in itself is gorgeous and vast, but don’t expect to be the only person in sight!
Be also mindful that from mid-July to mid-September, the road to Lago di Braies is restricted from 10 am to 3 pm. If you arrive during the restricted time, you’ll have to park your car in a designated paid parking lot and hop on a shuttle bus to the lake (costs about 3€ per person). If you drive in outside of these hours, which we did, you’ll be able to park closer to the lake. Bear in mind, the parking fee is quite exorbitant: 25€ for an hour, so if you’re trying to save money, stay away from these commercial lots.
For the night, Jake and I decided to stay out of this regulated zone and drove a few dozen kilometers outside of the area to find a park for the night. During the entire length of our trip, we used the incredibly helpful app Park4Night to find free camper van fitting parking spots. It’s a community-based app in which people upload the locations of the best parking zones they have found during their travels. It also maps out all the main camper van amenities areas and users are encouraged to leave reviews for each.
Day IV: Lago di Braies & Lago Di Sorapis // Dolomites Roadtrip
The next morning we woke up in our van and drove back to Lago Di Braies. The weather had cleared up and we were keen to go for a swim. Believe it or not, swimming in Lago Di Braies is actually permitted—we asked the owner of the boathouse for permission, and the only reason you never see photos of people in swimsuits enjoying the pristinely clear waters of the lake is simply that: it’s so darn cold!
Nevertheless, I’m not one to be afraid of cold water and neither is Jake so we both jumped in by the boathouse and had a great time. Yes, it’s really cold, but not unbearably so. Only thing is, if you’re wanting to take the leap of faith, you also need to accept you will definitely by stared at for people swimming in Lago di Braies does not sound like a common sight. After our short swim, clouds rolled in and a storm started forming over the mountains. Sadly, the boathouse closed at the first sight of rain and we couldn’t rent rowboats. With the rain intensifying, we decided to retreat to the van and grab a book for the next few hours. Alternatively, the best thing to do when it’s raining in the Dolomites is to look for a cozy restaurant and spend the next few hours there, sipping on hot chocolate and eating cheese.
Lago Di Sorapis
Later that afternoon, the weather cleared up again and we decided to drive to our next location: Lago Di Sorapis. By the time we got there, it was already 6 pm and the hike out to Lago Di Sorapis takes about two full hours. We weren’t so enthused at the idea of hiking back from there in the dark and wanted to enjoy the sunrise at the lake without having to hike out at 4 am the next morning, so instead we decided to call the Refugio at the top of the mountain to ask if they had any overnight availability. Luckily, Refugio Vandelli—located a 5 minutes walk away from the lake, had room to spare so we booked and started on one of the most beautiful hikes to date!
Make sure you park at Passo Tre Coci near Restaurant Son Zuogo, and follow the signs for trailhead #215 to get to the lake. It’s easy to get lost here! The hike to the lake took about 2 hours at a good pace and there were some steep sections with little railing to hold on to. However, since this is one of the most popular hikes in the Dolomites, I suggest visiting in the early morning or for sunset as it gets extremely packed during the middle of the day. This was our first time visiting the lake and we were absolutely taken by the mesmerizing color of the lake. It’s the bluest lake I’ve ever seen! It really is a magical place.
Day V: Tre Cime // Dolomites Roadtrip
We woke up at the hut around 5:30 am and went for a little sunrise photo session by the lake. There was not a single soul in sight for the first hour! There are so many vantage points to photograph this lake so be sure you get creative with your shots. Consider adding flowers in the foreground of your photo or a person in the background. It’s rather simple to hop on one of the nearest rock if you really want to get the best framing. We spent about 2 hours exploring the lake and began our descent after breakfast. The sun was still high and the hike down was as magical as the hike up—if not more!
Tre Cime Di Laverado
By the time we had hopped back into our van it was already 9 am, so we rushed to our final location: Tre Cime Di Laverado. This final day was a bit of a mad rush because my brother was expecting us in Florence by 8 pm that evening but we still wanted to hike Tre Cime before hitting the road!
Tre Cime Di Laverado is an incredibly scenic spot at the top of a windy, yet scenic road. The main point of entry to the hiking trails is by Refugio Auronzo, which you can reach either by bus or by car. The parking lot of Refugio Auronzo was full when Jake and I reached the entrance road so we decided to park at the bottom of the mountains and take the bus up to the Refugio. It costed us 3€ each but was well worth it because we found out that there was a 50€ toll fee to enter Tre Cime Di Laverado with a van! For cars, it’s only 30€ but the bus is very efficient so if you have time to spare, I’d recommend hopping on that. You can grab the bus just in front of Albergo Misurina and buy your ticket at the Supermarket. The bus takes about 20 minutes up to reach Refugio Auronzo.
This is a great area for hiking, especially for beginners, since most of the trails here have little elevation gain and are well maintained. While the most popular hiking destination is the Drei Zinnen hut, we decided to do things differently and opted to hike in a different and much quieter direction. After a 30 minutes hike, we reach an incredible and lesser-known viewpoint of the Cadini Group peaks! This viewpoint offers the perfect backdrop for compressions, and I highly recommend this hike to experimented photographers wanting to play around with their telephoto lens.
NOTE: All the photos posted in this article were edited with my hand-crafted presets from the Folk Collection Pack, available for purchase here on Not Just Colour. Get -$5 OFF with code: FINDYOURTONE2020.
After exploring the Dolomites, Jake and I met up with my family in Tuscany and spent a few days there. From there, we drove back up the coast and explored the magical towns of Cinque Terre for three nights. Keen to explore Cinque Terre yourself, check out this blog article on what to do in my favorite Cinque Terre town: Riomaggiore.
NOW GET TO PLANNING YOUR TRIP!
Levanzo and Favignana are less than half an hour by hydrofoil from Trapani, which makes them the easiest islands to visit in Sicily. Favignana is the largest of the three Egadi islands and its serrated coastline shelters incredible coves such as Cala Rossa and Cala Azzurra. The island is also famous for its tuna, and you’ll find plenty of wonderful restaurants to give it a taste—I’ve recommended a few of my favorite just below!