The three limestone peaks of Tre Cime di Lavaredo reflected in a pool

Italy · Dolomites

Italy

The Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are pale limestone towers laced with hut-to-hut paths and cable cars.

Best months: Jun–Sep
Signature peak: Marmolada, 3,343 m
Fly into: Venice (VCE)
Destinations: 12

Explore Italy Best time to visit

Destinations in Italy

Where to go in Italy

12 of 12 destinations · Main season Jun–Sep

Best Jun–Sep

Dolomites, Veneto & South Tyrol

Tre Cime di Lavaredo

Three limestone towers with a 10 km loop around their base.

2,999 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate

Good for: Trekking

Stays Flights Tours

The jagged Seceda ridge rising through cloud above green pastures

Best Jun–Oct · Dec–Mar

Dolomites, South Tyrol

Seceda & Val Gardena

A knife-edge ridge above green meadows, reached by cable car from Ortisei.

2,519 m · Jun–Oct · Dec–Mar · Easy

Good for: Scenic views · Snow & ski

Stays Flights Tours

The emerald water of Lago di Braies below Dolomite peaks

Best Jun–Oct

South Tyrol

Lago di Braies

A green-blue lake under the Seekofel cliffs, with a path around the shore and wooden rowing boats.

1,496 m · Jun–Oct · Easy

Good for: Lakes · Scenic views

Stays Flights Tours

Meadows and a timber hut on the Alpe di Siusi below the Sassolungo

Best Jun–Oct

South Tyrol

Alpe di Siusi

A vast, gently rolling high meadow beneath the Sciliar and Sassolungo peaks, for walks, views and family days out.

1,680 m · Jun–Oct · Easy

Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Snow & ski

Stays Flights Tours

Cortina d'Ampezzo in its valley below the Dolomite peaks

Best Jun–Sep

Veneto

Cortina d'Ampezzo

The glamorous mountain town of the Dolomites, surrounded by rock towers, with big skiing and strong walks.

1,224 m · Jun–Sep · Easy

Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Snow & ski

Stays Flights Tours

The Odle peaks above a church and farms in the Val di Funes

Best May–Oct

South Tyrol

Val di Funes

A quiet valley of meadows and small churches below the Odle (Geisler) peaks, one of the most photogenic corners of the Dolomites.

1,300 m · May–Oct · Easy

Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Villages & culture

Stays Flights Tours

Snow-covered Mont Blanc massif seen from the valley near Courmayeur

Best Jun–Sep

Aosta Valley

Courmayeur

A relaxed Alpine resort at the foot of Mont Blanc, with glacier views, cable cars and walks into the Val Veny and Val Ferret.

1,224 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate

Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Snow & ski

Stays Flights Tours

Breuil-Cervinia and its valley below high Alpine peaks

Best Jun–Sep

Aosta Valley

Breuil-Cervinia

A high ski resort beneath the Italian face of the Matterhorn, with summer skiing and linked slopes to Zermatt.

2,050 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate

Good for: Snow & ski · Scenic views · Trekking

Stays Flights Tours

Snow-capped Gran Paradiso peaks above valley cloud

Best Jun–Sep

Aosta Valley and Piedmont

Gran Paradiso National Park

A glaciated massif and Italy's first national park, famous for its ibex and high mountain trails.

4,061 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate

Good for: Trekking · Scenic views

Stays Flights Tours

Hairpin bends of the Stelvio Pass road with snow on the slopes

Best Jun–Oct

Lombardy and South Tyrol

Stelvio Pass

One of the highest paved passes in the Alps, with a famous staircase of hairpin bends on the South Tyrol side.

2,758 m · Jun–Oct · Easy

Good for: Scenic views · Snow & ski

Stays Flights Tours

A road across the dark volcanic slopes of Mount Etna

Best Apr–Oct

Sicily

Mount Etna

Europe's highest active volcano, with lava fields, craters and vineyards on its slopes.

3,357 m · Apr–Oct · Moderate

Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Snow & ski

Stays Flights Tours

The Gran Sasso massif rising above the Campo Imperatore plateau

Best Jun–Sep

Abruzzo

Gran Sasso and Campo Imperatore

The highest peaks of the Apennines, with a vast high plateau, medieval villages and hill forts.

2,912 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate

Good for: Trekking · Scenic views

Stays Flights Tours

About Italy

Italy at a glance

The Dolomites in northern Italy are a range of pale limestone peaks recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009. Jagged towers rise above green meadows, and an extensive network of mountain huts (rifugi) makes day walks and multi-day treks straightforward.

Tre Cime di Lavaredo is the most famous walk, a loop of about 10 km around three limestone towers. Seceda, above Ortisei in the Val Gardena, offers a cable-car ride to a knife-edge ridge with wide views.

Summer hiking runs from June to September, with huts typically open from late June until late September or early October. The same valleys form the Dolomiti Superski area, one of the world's largest linked ski regions, from December to March.

Getting there

The closest major airports are Venice (VCE), Verona (VRN) and Innsbruck (INN). Allow two to three hours by road, or a combination of train and bus, to reach the main valleys.

Getting around

A car makes the Dolomites easiest to explore, though buses link the main villages and many lifts run from village centres. Mountain roads and car parks at popular trailheads fill early in July and August.

Entry and safety

Italy is part of the Schengen Area. Entry rules depend on your nationality, so check the official government information before you travel.

Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer, so start early and check the forecast. Book mountain huts in advance for July and August.

Official sources

Last reviewed October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

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