Road trip: the Dolomites in summer, from Bolzano to Cortina via the finest passes

The starting point for your journey, Bolzano in northern Italy presents a backdrop of winegrowing plains and steep mountains. In its center, stroll through medieval arcades, admire the sculpted balconies of the Via dei Portici, and examine the facades of the merchants’ palaces with Italian and Austro-Hungarian influences. The archeological museum (Museo Archeologico dell’Alto Adige) is a must-visit: there you will discover Ötzi, the 5,300-year-old glacier mummy, displayed with his tools and clothing.

Then, head in the direction of the Dolomites. Leaving the city, two tunnels hollowed into the hill mark a clear transition: before, the valley has a peaceful feel, dotted with vines and orchards: afterwards, the cliffs of Val d’Ega rise up impressively like fortifications. You continue until Lago di Carezza, an emerald mirror overlooked by the Latemar, a mountain range on the border with South Tyrol. Following the footbridges, you smell the scent of the pines and hear the gentle lapping of the water. The route climbs up to Passo di Costalunga, a natural threshold toward Val di Fassa.

At the center of Val di Fassa, Canazei is bustling with hikers and cyclists. The colorful facades of its chalets are decorated with Ladin frescoes and flower-decked balconies. From there, you take the SS641, which climbs up to Fedaia Lake. The northern slope of the Marmolada, the highest peak in the Dolomites, strikes an imposing figure, immense and icy. In summer, mountain streams hurtle down its slopes, reverberating in the basin.

In Malga Ciapela, a cable car takes you to Punta Rocca, at a height of 3,265 meters. Walk out onto the observation deck, facing an array of peaks and limestone needles, from the jagged towers of Pelmo to the gentler peaks of Lagorai. The cold air stings your face, but the view over the Dolomites is well worth the effort.

From Canazei, set off to tackle three of the “Quattro Passi,” a loop with four passes that is one of the most famous in the Alps. The climb up to Passo Pordoi, at an altitude of 2,239 meters, includes 27 hairpin bends that gradually reveal the Sella mountain range. At Passo Sella, the route skirts around the Sassolungo, whose faces dominate the valley. You finally reach Passo Gardena, which offers a balcony descent above Val Badia: you overlook Alpine pastures dotted with farms and walk to the Gran Cir viewpoint, from which the Dolomites stretch out as far as the eye can see. The whole section forms one of the most breathtaking road routes in the Alps.

From Ortisei, on the edge of Val Badia, you make your way to San Lorenzo di Sebato. Along the road, villages with pointed churches and shingle roofs follow one after the other against a backdrop of meadows and dark forests. Once there, visit Ciastel de Tor, a medieval castle converted into a museum of Ladin culture. Models, costumes and accounts trace the history of a people who have successfully kept their language and traditions alive. Further on, in Marebbe, thrill seekers can launch themselves along the Adrenaline X-Treme Adventures zipline: suspended at a height of 100 meters, you cross the basin at almost 100 km/h. The experience only lasts a few seconds but leaves a lasting memory.

Shortly after Monguelfo-Tesido, you follow a valley, lined with wooden farms and meadows, before the landscape opens out onto one of the most remarkable Alpine lakes in Italy. The water of Lago di Braies is crystal clear, overlooked by Croda del Becco, the limestone peak reaching a height of 2,810 meters.

To appreciate it in all its beauty, continue along the path that winds around the lake in an hour and a half. The route offers a mix of wooded sections, pebble beaches, and rocky promontories. On the west bank, varnished small boats are lined up along a pier. You can hire one to gently paddle on the lake. Dare to take a dip for an adrenaline rush: the icy water is an instant shock but it has an invigorating freshness.

A small Tyrolean town with pastel facades, Dobbiaco makes the ideal base for visiting the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, limestone needles that have become the symbol of the Northern Dolomites. From there, you take the toll road that leads to the Rifugio Auronzo, perched at an altitude of 2,333 meters. Starting from the refuge, trail no. 101 offers a complete panorama over the Tre Cime. If you do not have much time, you can settle for the first viewpoint. It takes very little effort and you are immediately rewarded with a perfectly framed view of the three needles. To immerse yourself more fully, the circular hike (5 km) is one of the finest in the Dolomites. Breathe in the fresh air, feel the limestone dust under your feet, and appreciate the impressive verticality of these 500 m-high faces.

Approaching Cortina d’Ampezzo, the route is effortless, edged by the granite cliffs of the Tofane, Pomagagnon and Monte Cristallo. You come to the most famous resort in the Dolomites, the setting for the 1956 Winter Olympic Games that will be hosting them again in 2026. The elegance of its historic hotels and its bustling streets make it a lively stop after the solitary paths of the mountain passes. Corso Italia, its main thoroughfare, offers an inviting spot for a stroll, with its string of Alpine fashion window displays, cafes with sunny terraces, and restaurants where you can enjoy beetroot-stuffed ravioli known as casunziei.

Many nearby viewpoints can be reached by car in no time. The Rifugio Dibona, at an altitude of 2,030 meters, looks onto the steep faces of the Tofane. From Pocol, you enjoy a bird’s-eye view of Croda da Lago, Nuvolau and the Tofane, where the scenery takes on shades of pink during enrosadira, the light phenomenon unique to the Dolomites. In summer, take advantage of the long evenings to climb up to the Falzarego Pass, some fifteen kilometers away. From there, you can watch the sunset over the Lagazuoi, a vast arc of peaks bathed in a golden light, and enjoy this fascinating landscape one last time.