NEW TRIP
Gorgeous Walks, Relaxing Spas, and Great Cuisine
Treasures of the Dolomites
Overview
Experience the unrivaled realm of the Dolomites—but without the challenging hikes of our other Dolomites adventures! The hikes on this trip are leisurely, phenomenally scenic, at a slower pace, and on moderate terrain below the towering pinnacles. Aside from hiking, we savor the local blend of Italian and South Tyrolean cuisine and have time for optional spa visits at our hotels. Highlights include hikes on the spectacular Alpe di Siusi plateau and across the lunar landscape of the famed Latemar Labyrinth. If you're looking for pleasant hikes and walks, cultural and culinary exploration, and a little pampering, this trip is for you!
Arrive: Verona
Depart: Verona
Highlights
- Experience the beauty of the Dolomites with slower-paced hikes and easy terrain
- Hike across the breathtaking Alpe di Siusi and famed Latemar Labyrinth
- Relax in spa-hotels in beautiful mountain towns
- Savor the fine cuisine that has made the Dolomites a culinary destination
- Travel by gondola and cable car for easy and scenic access to the trails
- Visit Bolzano's fascinating museum dedicated to the mummy of Ötzi, the Iceman
Itinerary
From “fair Verona,” we head up into the magnificent landscape of the Brenta Dolomites. Our first hike, starting right from our hotel in the village of Madonna di Campiglio, is on a fantastic balcony trail with panoramic views of the 9,000-foot-high spires of the Brenta, the westernmost peaks of the Dolomites.
We enter the South Tyrol for a hike in a natural canyon to Lake Emerald. Making a loop hike on the Alpe di Siusi, Europe’s highest mountain plateau, we’ll savor breathtaking vistas. After a short “meditation hike” with a local host, we’ll hike to Lake Fiè below the craggy Sciliar massif for a lakeside lunch. Our hotel offers a spa and Finnish sauna.
Our hikes reward us with stunning panoramas including the Sella massif, the Santa Croce mountains, the spires of the Puez-Odle group, and, of course, the “Queen of the Dolomites,” the Marmolada. Our hotel has a wonderful spa for relaxing after a day’s hike.
We descend a trail on the Sasso della Croce massif, and in the Val Gardena, hike below Puez-Odle National Park’s famed saw-toothed spires. Ending in Bolzano, we visit the museum for Ützi, the Iceman, the famous Copper Age hunter whose well-preserved mummy was found at 10,000 feet in the Ütztal Alps. Depart on Day 10 via Verona.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
This trip is rated Level 3, Moderate, according to our trip grading system. It is an active journey with hikes and walks that can be enjoyed by anyone in reasonably good health who has recent hiking experience. You will need to be comfortable hiking six miles in a day and being on your feet for 3-5 hours a day. Trail conditions, weather, and the group's level of fitness can affect hiking times and pacing.
While we've worked hard to find smooth hiking paths with gentle elevation gains, we will experience some rocky and uneven terrain on a few hikes (rocks are what the Dolomites are famous for, after all!). There will also be a bit of elevation gain and loss (roughly 1,750 feet at most, but generally in the mid-hundreds), but at a moderate pace so that all can take their time and enjoy it.
Temperatures are likely to reach the 60s and 70s during the day, with cooling breezes and occasional rain. At night the temperature will drop quite a bit, depending on the altitude. The months we are offering this trip are the optimal ones, but the weather can be fickle, and it can range from blue skies to cloudy, wet, and cold conditions, making rain gear and warm garments necessary.
We stay in hotels chosen as much as possible for their ambience and history and for the delightful dining they offer. While the hotels are very comfortable, the guest rooms are not always of uniform size or amenities. Our Trip Leaders try to assign rooms in a fair way so that all participants experience an equal advantage throughout the trip as a whole.
Most evening meals will be taken at our hotels, which often featuring the cuisine the region is noted for. Please note that in Europe, the dinner hour is considerably later than what it is in the US. We do our best to secure early reservations for our groups, but most often the evening meal will be at 7:30 pm. The cuisine of the South Tyrol is a blend of the best of both sides of the Alps. Speck, one of the South Tyrol's famous specialties, is lean pork cured with juniper berries and other herbs, wood-smoked, and aged for months. Polenta is another staple, traditionally cooked in huge copper pots. The region has a plentiful harvest of wild mushrooms, including porcini, chanterelles, and chiodini. Rye flour finds its way into many local dishes, including ravioli alla pusterese, with rye-flour dough, something unheard of elsewhere in Italy. Risottos, stews, and knodel (dumplings) appear on menus, along with typical Mediterranean pastas.
Our van will transport the group's luggage, so you only need to carry a daypack for items you need for the day (rain gear, sweater, camera, water bottle, etc.). Trip members are always free to skip a day's hike and travel to the next destination in the support vehicle (or remain at the hotel if we are not transferring that day). Please keep in mind that this adventure through the Dolomites requires driving through some very winding roads with a lot of twists and turns.
Client Testimonials
"A great experience in an amazing part of the world!"
Annette C.
Eureka, CA
"This is a great trip for those that enjoy hiking to experience the awesome scenery of the Dolomites, but also enjoy comfortable lodging, with good food and drink, at the end of the day. Itinerary, amenities, and trip leaders were all first rate, and the participants themselves were great company and made the trip especially memorable."
Bill L.
Walnut Creek, CA
"This was our 9th trip with WT and it was simply superb. A beautiful blend of cultural, culinary, and hiking experiences. We would not have been able to experience the Dolomites unless this level 3 trip was designed. From the opening day of a wine tasting and delicious lunch to the extraordinary hikes on the alpine plateaus, each day brought varying activities and wonderful experiences."
Bill R.
Winter Haven, FL
"One of the best trips I've taken—my first with Wilderness Travel!"
Billie Jean M.
Henderson, KY
"The Dolomites are on a very short list of most beautiful places I've ever been. This trip gave an excellent overview of the area: accessible hiking trails, good food, local flavor."
Cathy F.
Chicago, IL
"Every day was beautifully planned, and the hikes were spectacular. A wonderful itinerary...can't be beat!!"
Christina S.
San Francisco, CA
"This trip checked off a bucket list item for us. We always turn to Wilderness Travel when we want a small group trip that focuses on getting off the beaten path—with good food emphasized! Also, staying two to three days in each place, instead of moving every one or two days made the trip a lot easier to enjoy."
Cynthia S.
San Diego, CA
"Some of the best food I've ever had, some of the best hotels I've ever stayed at, some of the best views ever!"
Derek N.
Vallejo, CA
"I loved the variety between food, wine tasting, and hiking. The scenery was just gorgeous, the prettiest mountains I have ever seen with the rocky peaks and the lush, green valleys and little towns between. It was scenery from the 'Sound of Music.'"
Jenny R.
Aptos, CA
"What else can I say? This was an amazing trip. From the logistics to the dining to the trails to the hotels to the spas to the expertise and knowledge you shared, it all came together brilliantly. Not to mention the jaw-dropping panoramas. Every day brought a new experience of 'Wow!' We have new appreciation for the beauty of the Dolomites and the culture of Northern Italy."
Maureen M.
Sacramento, CA
"What an amazing trip with so many wonderful hikes, hotels, food, great guides, and a such a nice group of hikers! A spectacular journey to a breathtaking part of the world!"
Megan L.
Walnut Creek, CA
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Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult.