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The Dolomites

The Dolomites, also known as the Italian Alps, are a stunning mountain range in northern Italy. Each region of Italy has its own beauty, whether it’s gorgeous coastlines, extensive vineyards, or rolling hills, but the views of the Dolomites are on a different level. The Dolomites have both western and eastern sections, with the western leaning more German in food and culture and the east being more Italian. There are 360° views in all aspects of this area. Whether you’re driving, walking, riding in a funicular, or simply stepping outside, it’s breathtaking.

In addition to the views, another appeal of the Dolomites is the weather. Due to my school schedule, we have to travel to Italy in the summer. If I had a choice, I would go in May/June and September/October. August in Italy is HOT, but not in the Dolomites. It averages in the mid 70s during the day and low 60s at night during the summer. We were lucky and got a couple of warm days too. This refreshing temperate has to do with the elevation and it was delightful to throw on a sweater after weeks of sweating in other regions.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO

Downtown Cortina d’Ampezzo

We used Cortina d’Ampezzo as our base for exploring for a couple of reasons, it’s food leans more Italian than German and it has a lot of close funiculars. Although we didn’t realize at the time, we accidentally chose the “fancy”section of the Dolomites. That doesn’t impact the gorgeous views or the yummy food, but the adorable shops along the main street are more high-end than I was expecting.

Cortina d’Ampezzo

FUNICULARS

Funicular

Funiculars are a type of cable car used in the Dolomites to get up to the top of the enormous mountains. They are all over and most of them also have a restaurant/bar known as a Rifugio, which literally translates to refuge, where you can get a drink and a bite to eat. At the base of each range, there’s a parking lot with a ticket office.

One of many rifugio found in the mountains.

FOOD

  • Restaurant Ariston Bar– Via Guglielmo Marconi, 10, 32043
    • This restaurant doesn’t take reservations. They open at 7pm and a line starts to form around 6:40pm. Standing outside, enjoying the gorgeous views, is worth the wait.
  • Il Vizietto Di Cortina– Corso Italia, 53, 32043
    • We walked into this restaurant at lunch and were able to get a table. The pastas were delicious, so we wanted to come back. When we asked to make reservation for dinner, they gave us a card and told us to WhatsApp them.
  • Da Po’– Via Guglielmo Marconi, 12A, 32043 Cortina d’Ampezzo BL, Italy
    • This place had the best gelato in Cortina. They happen to be right next door to Restaurant Ariston Bar, so it’s convenient too.

TO BE NOTED: When we arrived in town, we noticed a large amount of cranes and a lot of construction. We googled it and found out that Cortina d’Ampezzo is hosting the 2026 Winter Olympics. The construction didn’t impact our trip, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they start to ramp up the closer they get to their 2026 deadline.

BOLZANO

We only got to spend an afternoon in Bolzano, but that short time made me want to return. We stopped on our way out of the Dolomites, specifically to see Ötzi the Iceman. He’s a 5,000 year old who was discovered outside of Bolzano in the 90s. A quote from his museum- “Ötzi, the glacier mummy, is displayed in the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano, Italy together with his clothing and equipment.” It was absolutely amazing to see the actual mummy and his belongings in person. They are incredibly preserved because of the ice. If you’re in the area, I highly recommend a stop.

South Tyrol Archeological Museum: Make a reservation to avoid wait times.

While walking around the town, before and after our visit to the museum, we were taken with how cute the town is. They have a street with what looks like a permanent market, with fresh fruits, bread, meats and cheeses. They have a lot of shops and restaurants and they have easy underground parking in order to visit and be right in the center of town.