Italian Dolomites

The Dolomites are a mountain range in northeastern Italy, part of the Alps but geologically distinct — pale limestone peaks that turn pink and orange at sunset, a phenomenon called enrosadira. The jagged, dramatic spires here look different from typical Alpine scenery, and the region has a unique cultural mix: German, Italian, and Ladin are all spoken depending on the valley, a legacy of the area once belonging to Austria-Hungary.

Cortina d'Ampezzo is the most famous base, elegant and expensive, popular with skiers in winter and hikers in summer. Val Gardena and Alta Badia offer similarly stunning access with a bit less glamour and cost. The Tre Cime di Lavaredo, three distinctive peaks, are the iconic hike almost everyone photographs, and rightly so.

Trails range from gentle valley walks to serious via ferrata routes with fixed cables and ladders for scrambling exposed rock faces. Mountain huts (rifugios) let you hike hut-to-hut for days, and many serve surprisingly good food — Tyrolean dishes like speck and canederli alongside Italian classics.

Summer (June–September) is prime hiking season; winter brings excellent, less crowded skiing than the French or Swiss Alps. A car is nearly essential for reaching trailheads.