The most beautiful valleys of the Dolomites to see absolutely

For many visitors, there are only the dolomites to spend a beautiful holiday in the mountains in the north-east of Italy. dolomites form an extraordinary mountain range spread over several regions. But in these regions there are also other mountains than the Dolomites. So during your holiday in the Italian Dolomites, do not hesitate to discover all the riches offered by Nature and by the very well preserved human heritage in all the neighboring provinces.

The Dolomites in the Trentino Alto-Adige / Trentino Südtirol.

If there is a region that takes all visitors on holiday to a new place, it is Italian Alps, it is indeed this one: Trentino-Südtirol, and more precisely the province of Südtirol.

When we think of "Italy", we think of the Renaissance, Dolce Vita, Mediterranean cuisine, warmth, fountains, etc. Here we quickly realize that we are in a different world.

Trentino Südtirol is a region divided into two provinces, in the south, the province of Trento, Trentino, they speak Italian there, it looks a bit like Italy, but the mountain landscapes, the dolomites, and the local dialect (Ladin) make us understand that we are in a transitional territory between two worlds.

The other world is the province further north, that of Bolzano, Südtirol.

A large mountain town, a bit like Grenoble or Innsbruck, a capital of the Alps.

Here, the official language is German, bilingualism is mandatory in Italian and German, but in reality, the further you get from Bolzano, the less Italian you hear. While road signs are written in both languages, advertising posters, announcements of local events and other information are mostly written in German.

Here we say South Tyrol, although for Italians it is the Alto Adige, the "Upper Adige" if we translate it into French. The Adige being the river that descends from the glaciers of Val Venosta, and crosses the entire region, before passing under the bridges of Verona, and continuing its route towards the Adriatic Sea.

Historically, we can summarize by saying that it is a piece of Tyrol, which was on the wrong side of the mountains to be able to be considered geographically as a part of what is today in Austria. And yet it is on this side that the founding family of Tyrol was born and developed the territory around the small village that is precisely called Tirolo. It is there in the castle of this village that the line of the Counts of Tyrol came from, who reigned over a good part of the Alps.

This difference is also found in the cuisine, more refined and much closer to Tyrolean cuisine in Südtirol, and simple, based on mountain products in Trentino. One thing in common, however, is that the climate of the South of the Alps favours the cultivation of vines and many wines are produced in both provinces. One of them, Traminer (terroir of Termeno/Tramin on the wine route between Bolzano and Trento), has travelled a lot and ended up in Alsace, giving a variant, the very famous Gewürztraminer.

This pleasure of the table and this art of living which unites this territory with the rest of Italy, and which you will discover during your holidays in the Italian Alps, finds its quintessence in Merano/Meran, a spa town: a town of waters and games, surrounded by vineyards and mountains, facing the southern sun, the most Italian of the towns of Südtirol.

Geographically, South Tyrol has the shape of an eagle, the symbol of Tyrol.

If the head could be represented by the Isarco/Eisack valley which goes up from Bolzano towards the Brenner to connect Italy to the north of Europe through Austria and Germany, the wings would be the two large valleys: to the west, the Val Venosta (Vinschgau) at the bottom of which flows the Adige river upstream and downstream of the beautiful spa town of Merano/Meran and which communicates with Lombardy, Switzerland and Austria, and to the east, the Puster Valley (Pustertal), and its magnificent lakes at the foot of the Dolomites, former domain of the lords of Brunico/Bruneck which communicates with Veneto and Austria through low-altitude passes.

Further south, Trentino, which has always remained very Italian, and a symbol of Italian resistance against the Austrians (just like Trieste) has a less evocative shape, but we can note the presence of several large valleys: the Val di Sole and the Valli Giudicarie to the West and the Valsugana and the Val di Fiemme which extends into Val di Fassa to the East.

All these valleys are inhabited year-round, and the inhabitants derive their income from agriculture, livestock breeding, trade and of course tourism. However, you will not find in this region ski resorts built in concrete in the 60s or 70s as you might find in France or Switzerland.

Here we have respected the traditional habitat, and the rurality that make the charm of this region and it is this spirit that is appreciated by all those who come to spend their holidays in the Dolomites. However, we also find great ski areas.

To name just a few, we can mention Madonna di Campiglio, Val Gardena (Ortisei and Selva), San Martino di Castrozza, Canazei, Val Senales (which is rather modern), Solda at the foot of the Ortles, or the KronPlatz between Brunico and Val Marebbe for downhill skiing; and the large Nordic areas of Val Pusteria (Dobbiaco/Toblach, San Candido/Innichen, Sesto/Sexten, Anterselva/Antholz or Gsiesertal) with flat and wooded bottoms, ideal for practicing Nordic disciplines.

These ski areas are perfectly integrated into the rest of the landscape, since they are often away from the small villages which huddle around churches, most often with slender or bulbous bell towers.

That said, the main curiosity here is the dolomites and it is these mountains that attract visitors from all over the world for stays in the italian mountains.

Straddling the Veneto, Trentino and South Tyrol, and even the Frioul, this mountain range characterized by its peaks, summits, walls, stony crests, with changing colors depending on the time of day, is a joy for climbing enthusiasts. At the foot of these ochre or golden cliffs, you can go hiking, mountain biking or road cycling in summer by tackling the many passes that go around it, and in winter, skiing in the many villages equipped with ski lifts giving access to sunny and panoramic ski areas.

The best places to appreciate the Dolomites are around Bolzano around the Catinaccio, Val Gardena and Odles, Dobbiaco with the Sesto Dolomites and further south towards San Martino di Castrozza with the Pale di San Martino.

But the most grandiose route to take when you are planning Holidays in the Dolomitess, remains the tour of the Sella massif and its four passes.

The Dolomites also extend into Veneto, around Cortina d'Ampezzo and the Cadore region.

Veneto, heart of the Dolomites

Italy's economic locomotive, thanks to its very dense network of small and medium-sized companies, some of which are world-renowned (Geox, Benetton, Luxottica), Veneto can also count on its undeniable tourist attraction. Venice, Verona, Lake Garda (one of the banks), Padua… the vineyards of Valpolicella, and the… dolomites !

The mountains cover the entire north of this region, and Venice is actually only 2 hours from Cortina d'Ampezzo, the Italian "Megève". This increases the appeal of this region for travelers who want to combine the beauty of art with the beauty of nature during their stay.

Cortina d'Ampezzo, at the bottom of a green and sunny conch is surrounded on its four sides by high peaks culminating at more than 3000m of altitude (Tofane, Monte Cristallo, Sorapis, Pelmo…). If you choose Cortina as a base for your holidays in the Dolomites, you will be able to visit an absolutely magnificent mountain region including a string of lakes in the heart of the Dolomites, of great beauty. You can also make a foray into the South Tyrol and discover its Austrian influences, or in the Trentino and its food rich in local products. You will be in the Cadore, a region that covers the valleys that flow into the Piave, one of the great Italian rivers, known above all for the feats of arms of the Italian army during the First World War. Other villages nestled in valleys covered with forests will welcome you for stays in the Dolomites in the heart of nature in summer and winter in this very spectacular environment: Auronzo di Cadore, or Sappada, for example, to the north of the Piave valley.

But also the Agordo valley, up to Falcade to see the other side of the Pale de San Martino, or the Marmolada and its small glacier.

Friuli, the last valleys of the Dolomites in the far east

Le Frioul, on the border with Austria and Slovenia, offers on its territory both the beaches of the Adriatic Sea and the snow-capped mountains of the Carnic Alps (on the Austrian border) and the Julian Alps (on the Slovenian border). Planning a holiday in the Friuli Alps gives you access to a wide and extensive choice of activities.

Throughout this border region, your eyes will constantly climb the slopes of the mountains to scan the valley floors dotted with small villages, then get lost in dark forests, before emerging on the rock sculptures of the Dolomites.

Whether in the Carnia region around Coneglians, with the ski resort of Ravascletto-Zoncolan, or towards Tarvisio, in Val Bruna, or near the Predil lakes, the peace and quiet of these places that have remained authentic will rest your mind for a while before you set off again towards Slovenia, Austria or the beautiful city of Trieste.

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