The Dolomites

The Dolomites are among the most spectacular mountains in the world, a UNESCO range of jagged, pale limestone towers, sheer walls and pinnacles rising from green alpine meadows in the north of Italy. Famous for the enrosadira, the alpenglow that sets the pale rock blazing pink and orange at sunrise and sunset, they are a paradise for hikers, climbers and skiers.

History

Hunters and gatherers reached the high rock for millennia and probably climbed some of the peaks, and the Jesuit Franz von Wulfen is known to have climbed the Lungkofel and the Dürrenstein in the 1790s. The Irishman John Ball made the first known ascent of Monte Pelmo in 1857, Paul Grohmann went on to climb the Antelao, Marmolada, Tofana, Monte Cristallo and Boè, and around 1860 Simone de Silvestro of Agordo first stood on the Civetta. The range takes its name from the rock dolomite, named after the French mineralogist Déodat de Dolomieu, who first described it in the 18th century. In the First World War the front between the Italian and Austro-Hungarian armies ran through these mountains, with both sides mining extensively, and open-air war museums now stand at Cinque Torri, Monte Piana and Lagazuoi, while many of the vie ferrate climbed today began as wartime paths (Wikipedia, Dolomites).

The landscape

• The Tre Cime di Lavaredo - the three iconic rock towers, a classic hike.
• The alpenglow - the pale peaks blazing pink at sunrise and sunset.
• The alpine meadows and passes - the green valleys, passes and cable cars.
• Lago di Braies - the emerald lake beneath the peaks, a photographers' favourite.

When to go

Summer, from June to September, for hiking, the passes and the meadows; winter for world-class skiing. The high trails and cable cars run in the warm season; snow closes the passes.

Good to know

It is a large region, so it needs a car and several days to explore, with bases in different valleys. The famous spots like Lago di Braies and the Tre Cime are very busy in season. It is serious mountain terrain, so high hikes need care and weather awareness.

Nearby

Bolzano, Cortina d'Ampezzo and the South Tyrol valleys are the bases; the Austrian border is close.

Key facts