Travel to the Dolomites: What to Know

In this blog post, I have outlined the 10 most important tips to know before you travel to the Dolomites. Jake and I road-tripped through the Dolomites back in June 2020 and we both fell in love with the incredible sceneries of this region in Italy. This was our first visit but it won’t be the last.

1. Travel to the Dolomites // Make it a Road Trip

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.

Helpful Roadtrip 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.

2. Travel to the Dolomites // Chase the Sunrises & Sunsets

With spectacular views in every direction, trails that wind through the forest, and the green Sound of the Music valleys, the Dolomites is the ultimate outdoor playground. If you want to avoid the crowds and catch the best sights of these incredible mountain ranges, I recommend waking up for sunrise and staying up for sunset.

Sounds a bit exhausting? Definitely can be, and that’s why renting a van was the best! At lunchtime, Jake and I would climb back into our home with wheels and take a luxurious nap, only to take 2 or 3 hours later to catch the late afternoon light. At these times, the mountains come alive in vibrant reds and pinks and the entire mountains are bathed in a golden glow. Not something to be missed!

3. Travel to the Dolomites // Out of Season is Best

When it comes to visiting the Dolomites, autumn and spring are certainly two of the best times of year to come and enjoy the incredible scenery! During high season, which equates to European summer and winter, crowds in the Dolomites can be overwhelming, and especially so on popular hiking trails, which is, in my opinion, the last place where I would want to be frequenting crowds. Jake and I chose to visit in June, and it was the perfect timing: the hills were still vibrant green and all the amenities had opened up for the summer craze.

Both Spring and Fall offer a great alternative to visiting during high season and although many businesses and tourist services are shut down during these periods, the gorgeous color palette and the quieter hikes might be worth your consideration.

4. Travel to the Dolomites // Hike Everywhere

Although driving is the best way to reach a different point 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 surrounding mountains. Our favorite hikes are outlined in the following guide: 5 Days Dolomites Roadtrip Itinerary, so make sure to check it out to get more information on hiking in the region.

My favorite hike was at the famous Tre Cime Di Laverado! It is an incredibly scenic spot at the top of a windy road up the mountain. The trail is very popular and Jake and I decided to add a twist to this popular hike to get us away from the crowds. Here’s more about that.

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 photographers wanting to play around with a telephoto lens.

5. Travel to the Dolomites // International Drivers’ Permit

This tip is super important! If you do not have a European driving license, you will need to get an International Drivers’ Permit. It’s a simple piece of paper, but it must be applied for several weeks in advance in your home country.

An IDP is essential for renting a vehicle in Italy and you won’t find any car rental company willing to rent you a car or van without.

6. Travel to the Dolomites // Two Names Everywhere

Because the Dolomites straddle the border of Italy and Austria, almost every town and mountain has two names: the Italian and the German name. While most bus time tables list both when you’re asking directions or buying tickets, make sure to check both names before you purchase.

7. Travel to the Dolomites // The Refugio Experience

Sleeping in a Refugio at least one night during your trip is a must-do! Refugios are mountain log cabins run by locals and accommodating hikers for a night after or during their treks. It’s a great option for photographers wanting to capture the sunrise or sunset without having to wake up at ungodly hours to make the hikes out or hiking back in the dark from iconic Dolomites locations.

Jake and I stayed overnight in Refugio Vandelli, which is located a 5 minutes walk away from Lago Di Sorapis—a very famous turquoise blue lake, and we were able to capture amazing sunset and sunrise photos with the lake almost to ourselves! The cabin was cozy and the hosts even gave us blankets as we were traveling without sleeping bags. If you’d like to read more about this experience, you can read my Lakes in the Dolomites: The 3 Must-See Guide.

8. Travel to the Dolomites // Dolomites Lakes are Incredible

The Dolomites are full of amazing landscapes, hikes, and adventures, but what I have enjoyed the most while visiting this region back in June is the incredible beauty of the Dolomites lakes! Lakes in the Dolomites are as varied as they are beautiful. My favorite three are Lago Di Carezza, Lago Di Sorapis, and Lago di Braies. Although, if I had to pick one, I think I would choose Lago di Carezza. Simply put: it’s one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen and being there feels like stepping foot in an enchanted forest! At sunrise, the surface of the lake is perfectly still and the reflection is absolutely gorgeous.

If you’d like to know more about each lake and plan your visit there, I recommend reading my Lakes in the Dolomites: The 3 Must-See Guide, which will give all the information you need regarding hiking, the best time to photograph, and where and how to park to reach the different lakes.

9. Travel to the Dolomites // A Cheaper Alternative

The Alps are not budget-friendly. Sadly, that is a fact, but compared with other destinations in the Alps and Western Europe in general, the Dolomites are a lot more affordable! You’ll find hearty and tasty meals for under 10€ and all the hikes are free.

10. Travel to the Dolomites // Your Camera is Your Best Friend

There is so much to photograph in the Dolomites, and Instagram doesn’t even come close to reflecting what is truly out there! Get off the beaten path, explore small trails, and wake up for sunrise, there is so much to explore and marvel at in the region.

In terms of packing, I recommend bringing a zoom lens if you have one: the Dolomites backdrop is perfect for compression photography.

If you’re keen to learn more about the region, make sure you also check my 5 Days Dolomites Roadtrip Itinerary.

NOTE: All the photos in this article were edited with the presets from the Not Just Colour Folk Collection Pack available for sale here. Get -$5 OFF on your next purchase with code: FINDYOURTONE2020. Not Just Colour donates 5% of all its profit to the Environmental Justice Foundation.

Check out the before and after! This was edited with the Rustic preset from the Folk Collection

BEFORE