The Dolomites in Northern Italy are home to some of the most jaw-dropping dramatic peaks that you’ll ever witness! While a longer trip would be best to explore everything this area has to offer, it’s possible to hit the highlights in a short trip! With only a two-day trip, I’d recommend booking accommodations in a central area. I stayed at the Hotel Sassongher in Corvara, which was a perfect home base. However, you could also choose to spend one night near the town of Ortisei and the next in Cortina. No matter where you stay, expect to spend a decent amount of time in the car driving to the different locations. Even though places look close on a map, the winding mountain roads make drives longer. Here’s how to spend two days in the Dolomites!
Read More: 7 Tips for Visiting the Dolomites in Italy
Day 1: Lagos and Picture-Perfect Hikes
On your first of two days in the Dolomites, get ready for your jaw to drop! Iconic peaks, beautiful lakes, and worthwhile hikes await! Start your day early by getting up before the sun and starting the drive out to Lago di Braies. This emerald lake is nestled right at the base of stunning mountains and is very easy to access (it’s also where the cover photo at the top of this page was taken!). It’s incredibly popular and requires parking reservations in the peak months (click here for more info). However, you you can also avoid this if you arrive very early (think 6:00 – 7:00 am) and leave by 9:00 am.
Walking around the entire lake is about a 2 mile loop and will take about 1.5 hours to complete. I chose to just stroll along the shore instead, taking photos of the sun slowly lighting up the mountains and the row boats heading out onto the lake. It’s a perfect, calm way to start your day!
Cadini de Masuiri
Next, it’s time for the star of the Dolomites! Tre Cime di Lavaredo and Cadini di Misurina are some of the most popular hikes in the Dolomites. Thousands of people will come out each day to experience the stunning peaks, therefore parking at the trailhead must be reserved ahead of time. You can do so by clicking here and then clicking Book. Reserving your parking will give you a 12-hour window on the date you select and is really convenient. You will park at the top of the mountain right at the trailhead (right near the Rifugio Auronzo). Parking is a little steep at €40 per vehicle, but it is the ultimate convenience to not have to worry about long lines and bus shuttles up the mountain.
The trailheads for Tre Cime di Lavaredo and Cadini di Misurina are right next to each other, and it’s easy to do both in a day. I started with Cadini di Misurina, since it ends with the iconic views and I wanted the photo! The hike is only about 2 miles round-trip. Be warned though- the hike has a lot of inclines and declines and it can take over an hour to reach the viewpoint. And once you arrive there, expect a line to get your iconic photos! When I arrived, there was maybe 50 people in line ahead of me, but it took over 2 hours for my turn! The trail to the viewpoint is narrow and steep, so only one person or group can go at a time, so the line moved slowly. Worth it, though!
Tre Cime
After Cadini di Misurina, take some time to rest before your next hike at the Rifugio Auronzo. This rifugio has a full restaurant for a sit down meal or quick grab-and-go options. I grabbed a snack and a Powerade and sat on the outdoor picnic tables to let my body rest up. Once you’re recovered, hit the trail for Tre Cime! The entire loop is about 10 km long (about 6.2 miles) but the second half contains the most challenging terrain. The trail starts on a wide stone path with sweeping views of the mountains and valleys on your right, all while you hug Tre Cime to your left. After about ~1 km, you may even get lucky and run into a herd of cows grazing in the pasture. They all have bells on their necks, so you’ll hear them before you see them!
If the idea of doing two steneous mountain hikes back-to-back is daunting, Tre Cime is a great hike to out-and-back instead. One option is the make it out to Dreizinnenhütte, a rifugio located here (a little more than half way). The hike out to this spot is generally pretty flat and would be a good turn-around point before the more difficult part of the loop begins I made it a little shy of this spot, and turned around about here (~3k from the trailhead). I actually loved turning around and doing the same trail back to get to experience the views from a different angle and it’s a great option if you can’t (or don’t want to) commit to doing the full loop, which on average takes about 4 hours to complete!
Read More: 5 Tips for Hiking Tre Cime in the Dolomites
After an intense day of hiking, the last stop is a relaxing one (I promise!). Lago di Misurina is another stunning alpine lake located right at the base of the road that takes you up to Tre Cime. There is plenty of public parking, several restaurants, wine bars, and good energy. Have an al fresco dinner or grab a snack and sit down on the grassy lake shores. It really is the perfect way to relax after an early morning and two long hikes! On your way back to your hotel, take a slow drive and stop at all the scenic overlooks! No matter where you’re staying or which direction you’re driving in, there will be no shortage of them!
Day 2: Seceda, Scenic Drives, and Relaxation
On your second day in the Dolomites, find a nice balance between easy hikes, scenic drives, and some (well-deserved) relaxation! More jaw-dropping mountains and views await, so buckle up!
Seceda
Start your day bright and early (again) with a visit up to the peak of Seceda! Seceda is a jaw-dropping peak in the heart of the Dolomites, and is absolutely not to be missed! I admit that I almost cut it from my itinerary, but it ended up being one of my favorite places on my entire trip. Plan to arrive about 30 minutes before opening so you can park and get in line (there is a parking garage right at the base, located here). Getting to the peak of Seceda involves a gondola ride, then a transfer to a cable car. You can purchase your tickets ahead of time online here and the tickets are good for any one day during the entire season.
Once you make it to the peak of Seceda, set off on to the Seceda Ridge Trail. This trail is an easy one, only about 1.5 km round-trip. There are a few inclines, but nothing too strenuous and the trails are wide and paved making plenty of places to stop (you’ll want to be taking tons of photos anyway!). There are a handful of photo ops along the trail and each one is worthy of your time! In the middle of the trail where it starts to turn back towards the cable car station, there is an option to continue straight out onto the ridge if you choose. This area is private property and the land owners installed a gate and a €5 fee to enter. My opinion is to skip it. You got the same (if not, better) views along the main trail! Plus, you can’t get views of Seceda if you’re on it, right?
Read More: 5 Tips for Visiting Seceda in the Dolomites, Italy
Next, it’s time to jump in the car and take a scenic drive! Since time is limited with only two days in the Dolomites, I’d recommend choosing one. Two of my favorites are Gardena Pass and Val di Funes. Both are the classic winding mountain roads that you’ve been used to in the Dolomites, but are pretty different experiences.
Gardena Pass is a bit wider and more of a “main road”. Gardena Pass connects the towns of Plan De Gralba and Corvara. The road is filled with dozens of marked scenic overlooks, but it’s also part of the fun to stop whenever your heart desires! Driving Gardena Pass will offer sweeping mountain views (especially on a clear day), but views of Piz Boè will be prominent!
Val di Funes is another option for a scenic drive, but is a little more “off the beating path” than Gardena Pass. Val di Funes is longer, slower, and connects the towns Gudon and Antermoia. One of the most famous stops along Val di Furnes is the viewpoint in St. Magdalena. St. Magdalena is a small town of only about 400 residents but has the iconic shot of the Chiesa di Santa Maddalena with the mountains in the distance. To get to the viewpoint, you need to park outside of the town of St. Magdalena and walk in.
Continuing on the Val di Funes after St. Magdalena is a little daunting. Expect very narrow roads that have traffic coming from both ways and lots of blind turns. I actually got a bit nervous at times, and even had a few instances where I had to reverse the car to allow others to pass. It’s not for the faint of heart, but if you’re looking for a true mountain drive- this is it!
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To wrap up your two days in the Dolomites, you deserve a little R&R! If your hotel has amenities, I’d recommend spending the evening enjoying all of them! If not, consider booking a day pass to a nearly resort or spa. You deserve a little rejuvenation after two full days of hikes, views, and activities!
I stayed at the Hotel Sassongher in Corvara and absolutely loved their outdoor hot tub. It was large and heated to a perfect temperature to allow for a long dip without overheating. Soaking while taking in views of Sassongher and the surrounding mountains was surreal and really was the cherry on top of two days in the Dolomites. Once the sun started to set and the mountain air had a little bite to it, I spent time in the sauna and wrapped myself in a plush robe and enjoyed the views from inside. Wherever you go for a little relaxation, your body will thank you!
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