On a Dolomites itinerary, you will travel through one of the most beautiful regions of the Italian Alps and visit wonderful highlights and sights that are hard to beat in terms of beauty. Wild mountain lakes, exciting hikes, fantastic viewpoints and spectacular panoramic views await you here. We ourselves couldn’t stop being amazed during our trip and discovered an incredible number of beautiful places and hikes in just one week. You can find our itinerary with the most beautiful hikes and viewpoints for the ultimate Dolomites itinerary below.
Please forgive us if not all Dolomites & South Tyrol highlights are geographically 100% correctly categorized. All the highlights we have described are in the same area and can be perfectly combined with each other on a Dolomites itinerary.
Italian Dolomites Itinerary Map
On the following map you can find our Dolomites 7 day itinerary on Google Maps. You start with a road trip to South Tyrol and here to the town of Bolzano, which you can reach either by car or by plane.
Day 1 I Lake Braies
Today your Dolomites itinerary starts with the first highlight. From Bolzano you drive to Lake Braies in about 1.5 hours. If you are traveling in the Dolomites in South Tyrol, you can’t miss Lake Braies. Thanks to many pictures on Instagram, Lake Braies has become a hotspot in the region. Pictures taken in one of the wooden boats against the magnificent mountain backdrop are particularly popular.
With the beautiful backdrop of shimmering green water, imposing mountains and old wooden boats, it’s no wonder. You can find out whether a visit to the lake is really worthwhile as well as all the tips on how to get there, parking, hiking along the lake and boat trips in our travel report.
Read also: Lago di Braies 2022 | How to get there, hike and tips for Lago di Braies
From Lake Braies, it’s a 45-minute drive to your accommodation for the next two nights on your Dolomites itinerary. As there is very little accommodation in the area around the Tre Cime, you should book well in advance.
Accommodation Recommendation
Beautiful rooms with a view of the Sesto Dolomites
– located on a beautiful lake
– perfect starting point for the Three Peaks
– great breakfast
Day 2 I Hikes Tre Cime di Lavaredo and Cadini Di Misurina
On day 2 of the Dolomites road trip itinerary, two wonderful hikes await you that begin at the same starting point and can therefore be perfectly combined in one day. We recommend that you first hike to the viewpoint of the Cadini group and then walk around the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.
During our research on the Tre Cime di Lavaredo hike, we kept coming across a motif that did not show the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, but the peaks of the Cadini Group. We found this view so spectacular that we spent a long time researching where the viewpoint was and how to get there.
The viewpoint or photo spot and the short hike there are still a real insider tip and hardly any other tourists come here. You should therefore definitely not miss this hike. The view is truly spectacular and should be your first hike of the day.
Read also: Cadini di Misurina viewpoint I Most beautiful Tre Cime di Lavaredo Photo Spot
Tre Cime di Lavaredo Hike
After your visit to the viewpoint of the Cadini group, head back to the Auronzo hut and from there continue on to the circumnavigation of the Tre Cime. The Tre Cime di Lavaredo hike is one of the most popular hikes in the Dolomites. If you visit South Tyrol and the Dolomites, you can’t avoid the hike to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.
You won’t be quite as alone here as on the hike to the Cadini Group. To avoid walking with too many other hikers, you should therefore start as early as possible. But the hike is still worthwhile and can also be done with children or a dog. On this rather easy hike, you will always have the peaks of the Tre Cime in view, as well as views of the Cadini Group.
We have compiled all further information on how to get there, parking etc. in a separate report.
Read also: Tre Cime di Lavaredo hike | Complete guide to the Dolomites highlight
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Day 3 I Hike to Lake Sorapis
On the third day of the Dolomites itinerary, the next wonderful hike follows immediately. For us, the Lake Sorapis hike is one of the most spectacular hikes in Veneto, the neighboring region of South Tyrol. In our opinion, however, the real highlight is not the shimmering turquoise lake, but the way there.
The hike to Lake Sorapis takes you along steep rocky slopes and offers breathtaking views of the beautiful mountain world of the Dolomites.
This makes it one of our absolute favorite hikes in the area. The route is varied and really exciting. You absolutely shouldn’t miss this hike.
Read also: Lake Sorapis hike | All information about the Dolomites highlight
Day 4 I Drive to Selva di Val Gardena
On day 4 of the Dolomites itinerary, you drive to Selva di Val Gardena. The town is the perfect starting point for the hikes of the coming days. As the drive to Selva di Val Gardena only takes around 2 hours, you should plan one or two stops or detours on your Dolomites itinerary.
You should plan your first stopover at Lago di Landro. The lake offers a wonderful panorama of the mountains of the Dolomites and can be used to literally cool off in summer.
From Lago di Landro, you have the option of taking a detour to Selva di Val Gardena. We chose the route over the Passo Giau and were absolutely impressed by this pass road and the views. We stopped again and again along the way to take photos and enjoy the view.
Shortly before Wolkenstein in Gröden, you can take a short detour to the Grödner Joch. There are several hiking trails here and, as before, simply fantastic views of the surrounding area.
Hotel Recommendation in Selva di Val Gardena
Residence Cesa Callegari in Wolkenstein
In this charming accommodation at the end of the ski resort Selva di Val Gardena you have spacious apartments with kitchen and large living room.
You can even use the large garden which was really great for us with our dog Aaro.
From Selva Gardena you are quickly at the many highlights of the Dolomites such as Seceda, the Sella Pass or Catinaccio.
- spacious apartments
- possibility to use the garden
- rustic furnishings with everything you need
- central position
Day 5 I Hike to the Seceda viewpoint
The next great hike follows on day 5 of your Dolomites itinerary. On the Seceda hike you can expect wide, green meadows, steep rocky slopes and some animal inhabitants of the area.
The Seceda hike is one of the most spectacular hikes in South Tyrol and awaits you with a natural backdrop that cannot be captured in photos. You simply have to see and experience it.
One viewpoint in particular with a particular view of the steeply sloping mountains is a real eye-catcher here. You can find all the information about the Seceda hike in our separate report.
Read also: Seceda hike I Everything about the hike from Col-Raiser
Day 6 I Alpe di Siusi
Today, it takes about 45 minutes to get from Selva di Val Gardena to the next hike. The Alpe di Siusi in South Tyrol is the largest high alpine pasture in Europe and is located in the Dolomites in northern Italy. The Alpe di Siusi is over 56 km² in size and lies at an altitude of up to 2350 meters, making it one of the largest high plateaus in the Alps in the Dolomites and offering you a total of around 450 km of great hiking trails.
The Alpe di Siusi is extremely well developed for tourism and so there are numerous tourist offers to experience the beauty of this high alpine pasture apart from the hikes. You should therefore plan to spend the whole day here. It’s best to get to the valley station early in the morning, pack something to eat and enjoy a great day on the Seiser Alm.
Read also: Alpe di Siusi hike I Everything about the largest high alpine pasture in South Tyrol
Day 7 I Lago di Carezza
On the last day of your Dolomites itinerary, you will visit a true jewel of the Dolomites, which is not one of the most visited lakes in South Tyrol for nothing. The water of Lake Carezza shines in a wonderful turquoise blue and is so clear and transparent that you can see right to the bottom from every spot.
Another highlight of Lake Carezza is the steep rock face of the Catinaccio/Rosengarten, which stretches majestically in the background. Taken together, this panorama really is extremely unique and simply beautiful.
As the Lago di Carezza is very conveniently located, many tourists come here. In recent years, a lot has therefore been invested in the tourist infrastructure to build a visitor center with a large paid parking lot. Nevertheless, the lake is simply too beautiful to ignore.
Read also: Lake Carezza South Tyrol I Everything you need to know for your visit
From Lake Carezza, you can start your return journey to Germany by driving towards Bolzano and then taking the A22 to Germany.
We hope you enjoyed our article on the Dolomites itinerary. If you have any questions or tips for the Dolomites, please leave us a comment.