Italy - Are the Dolomites a must-see?
#1
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Italy - Are the Dolomites a must-see?
Hi,
My mum and I are visting Italy for about 4 weeks this September. It's our first trip there, so we are seeing all the must-see places like Rome, Tuscany etc.
However, we can't seem to decide whether we should include the Dolomites in our itinerary. We don't have that much time to see so many places, and we don't want our trip or our time in each place to be that rushed. We have no interest in outdoor activities like hiking or mountain climbing. But my mum loves the mountains, and scenic views.
If we do go, we will only spend 1-2 days there.
So, are the Dolomites a must-see in Italy, or can we give it a miss this time, and hopefully come back?
Really any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.
My mum and I are visting Italy for about 4 weeks this September. It's our first trip there, so we are seeing all the must-see places like Rome, Tuscany etc.
However, we can't seem to decide whether we should include the Dolomites in our itinerary. We don't have that much time to see so many places, and we don't want our trip or our time in each place to be that rushed. We have no interest in outdoor activities like hiking or mountain climbing. But my mum loves the mountains, and scenic views.
If we do go, we will only spend 1-2 days there.
So, are the Dolomites a must-see in Italy, or can we give it a miss this time, and hopefully come back?
Really any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.
#2
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There is some very nice scenery in the Dolomites, but it's a long from your other destinations. It would seem pointless to go there for one day, and even a few days might not be worth the trip to get there. It's hard to answer your question. Does your mother have other opportunities to enjoy mountain scenery?
There are other mountainous areas, with beautiful views, but lower peaks, a lot closer to Rome. For example, the Sibilline Mountains, where the regions of Lazio, Abruzzo, and Le Marche come together, have some lovely scenery.
Will you be traveling by car or by train and bus?
There are other mountainous areas, with beautiful views, but lower peaks, a lot closer to Rome. For example, the Sibilline Mountains, where the regions of Lazio, Abruzzo, and Le Marche come together, have some lovely scenery.
Will you be traveling by car or by train and bus?
#3
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It all depends on your interests. If you adore hiking - maybe.
If you are on the basic tourist trail and want to see Italy for the history, art, architecture and food - you can easily ignore them.
If you are on the basic tourist trail and want to see Italy for the history, art, architecture and food - you can easily ignore them.
#4
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To me, the Dolomiti are the single most spectacular beauty spot in all of Italy -- nothing comparies -- and they are as unique to the world as is the Grand Canyon, in their own way. i have been to the Amalfi, to the famous Tuscan areas, to the Italian Riviera, to Capri, to Sicily, to Montebianco and Lago di Como and Venice. For me, the most amazing and awe-inspiring sight is the Dolomiti -- and I have friends from Japan and Denmark and other places who consider it one of the most amazing places they have ever seen.
I visited Italy more than once before I found a way to fit the Dolomiti into my trip. But had I known, I would have gone to the Dolomiti earlier. This summer, I hope to return to that area to see more.
Hope that helps.
I visited Italy more than once before I found a way to fit the Dolomiti into my trip. But had I known, I would have gone to the Dolomiti earlier. This summer, I hope to return to that area to see more.
Hope that helps.
#6
You can ride the gondolas and trains to the mountain tops and do not need to hike to enjoy the views.
The views of the spores are incredible. However, one day isn't enligh considering the trip to get there.
Plan another trip to Italy and include them.
The views of the spores are incredible. However, one day isn't enligh considering the trip to get there.
Plan another trip to Italy and include them.
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Let me see---how many "must sees" in Italy?
The Michelin Green book--my favorite---has 36 of them, including the Dolomites. After 17 trips to Italy they are certainly in my top 10 as well. I suggest you plan 3 trips in advance and include the Dolomites in one of them, but you will need a car to see them well.
The Michelin Green book--my favorite---has 36 of them, including the Dolomites. After 17 trips to Italy they are certainly in my top 10 as well. I suggest you plan 3 trips in advance and include the Dolomites in one of them, but you will need a car to see them well.
#8
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Wow! I didn't expect so many replies.
Thanks heaps everyone!
Sorry, I was not very clear in my post. We are not actually going from Rome/Tuscany all the way to the Dolomites.
Our rough itinerary looks somewhat like this:
Venice(3 days)- Lake Garda/Lake Como(3 days)- Cinque Terre(2 days)- Florence(2 days)- Tuscany(4 days)- Rome(3 days)- Naples(2 days)- Amalfi Coast(3 days)
That leaves us with 2 spare days, which we can't decide - should we go to the Dolomites from Venice in those 2 days, or should we add those days to the existing places we are already going to? We would love more time everywhere...haha
bvlenci - yes, we do have other opportunities to enjoy the mountains, as we are going to the lakes area. Do you think that is better than the Dolomites/good enough for us to miss the Dolomites this time? And if we do go to the Dolomites, we are unsure how to travel there.
nytraveler - You kind of nailed our point on the head perfectly! We are not interested in hiking at all, and so wanted to know whether the Dolomites are worth going to this time, if we don't care about hiking.
sandralist/cafegoddess/HappyTrvlr/bobthenavigator - Thank you all for your rave reviews of the Dolomites. You are certainly making us lean towards going there. Would any of you be able to compare the Dolomites mountain scenery to the mountain scenery of the lakes(Lake Garda/Lake Como) though, and tell me which one you prefer? And I assume that all 4 of you would say that even though we are going to the lakes, with beautiful mountain scenery, that we still should go to the Dolomites as well because they are that worth it?
Thanks heaps everyone!
Sorry, I was not very clear in my post. We are not actually going from Rome/Tuscany all the way to the Dolomites.
Our rough itinerary looks somewhat like this:
Venice(3 days)- Lake Garda/Lake Como(3 days)- Cinque Terre(2 days)- Florence(2 days)- Tuscany(4 days)- Rome(3 days)- Naples(2 days)- Amalfi Coast(3 days)
That leaves us with 2 spare days, which we can't decide - should we go to the Dolomites from Venice in those 2 days, or should we add those days to the existing places we are already going to? We would love more time everywhere...haha
bvlenci - yes, we do have other opportunities to enjoy the mountains, as we are going to the lakes area. Do you think that is better than the Dolomites/good enough for us to miss the Dolomites this time? And if we do go to the Dolomites, we are unsure how to travel there.
nytraveler - You kind of nailed our point on the head perfectly! We are not interested in hiking at all, and so wanted to know whether the Dolomites are worth going to this time, if we don't care about hiking.
sandralist/cafegoddess/HappyTrvlr/bobthenavigator - Thank you all for your rave reviews of the Dolomites. You are certainly making us lean towards going there. Would any of you be able to compare the Dolomites mountain scenery to the mountain scenery of the lakes(Lake Garda/Lake Como) though, and tell me which one you prefer? And I assume that all 4 of you would say that even though we are going to the lakes, with beautiful mountain scenery, that we still should go to the Dolomites as well because they are that worth it?
#9
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Although I enjoy seeing mountains, they don't move me as it appears they do others. I googled Dolomites and see that viator company does a day trip out of Venice to see them. Perhaps that would work. You might add one day each to Venice and Como to see more of those beautiful areas.
#11
Hi,
We been to the Dolomites a few times, we are not hikers, and they are not like anything else you'll see in the alps. Best place to head for just 2 nights would be Ortisei in the Val Gardena. I believe you could train to either Bolzano or Ponte Gardena/Waidbruck and then take a bus to Ortisei. For a nice look at the Dolomites, take the Mont Seuc/Seiser Alm cable car right from Ortisei up to the beautiful Seiser Alm/Alpe di Siusi. There are paved walking paths, which are easy to do, plus there's a restaurant/cafe at the top with a large outdoor deck with terrific views of the peaks.
www.val-gardena.com
www.alpedisiusi-seiseralm.com/index.html
www.worldisround.com/articles/351565/index.html
Paul
We been to the Dolomites a few times, we are not hikers, and they are not like anything else you'll see in the alps. Best place to head for just 2 nights would be Ortisei in the Val Gardena. I believe you could train to either Bolzano or Ponte Gardena/Waidbruck and then take a bus to Ortisei. For a nice look at the Dolomites, take the Mont Seuc/Seiser Alm cable car right from Ortisei up to the beautiful Seiser Alm/Alpe di Siusi. There are paved walking paths, which are easy to do, plus there's a restaurant/cafe at the top with a large outdoor deck with terrific views of the peaks.
www.val-gardena.com
www.alpedisiusi-seiseralm.com/index.html
www.worldisround.com/articles/351565/index.html
Paul
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Jev24'
Taking a day trip from Venice might be the way to go. My husband and did that but it was not enough for me because I wanted to go exploring. My favorite cheese is from the Dolomites. It makes the best cacio e pepe.
Taking a day trip from Venice might be the way to go. My husband and did that but it was not enough for me because I wanted to go exploring. My favorite cheese is from the Dolomites. It makes the best cacio e pepe.
#13
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Dolomites is a very unique and scenic place. I have visited there twice and hope to visit the place again without hesitation. You can make Bolzano as a base. You may want to look at my photos taken in 2011 and 2013 to give you some ideas of where in Dolomites to go.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/travel-2007/sets/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/travel-2007/sets/
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COSTA777
havent seen such beautiful and gorgeous photos. I never knew ITALY is soooo beautiful and scenic and espeically the DOLOMITES region
I want to contact COSTA777 in order to get some more information on Dolomites as i am adding it to my next July trip. can anybody suggest how can i contact COSTA
thanks a ton
havent seen such beautiful and gorgeous photos. I never knew ITALY is soooo beautiful and scenic and espeically the DOLOMITES region
I want to contact COSTA777 in order to get some more information on Dolomites as i am adding it to my next July trip. can anybody suggest how can i contact COSTA
thanks a ton
#16
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You say 3 days Lake Como/Lake Garda. Do you mean you haven't decided which one to spend three days in ? (or were you going to try to do both in 3 days, or 3 days each, in total 6?). Anyway, assuming you have just three days, I'd pick Garda and do the Dolomites from there. For starters, I'd suggest staying in Malcesine which is on the northern part of the lake (the most beautiful part) and it has a cable car to the top of a mountain. That's not the Dolomites, but it's close - still very beautiful mountain scenery. But I'd suggest you rent a car for a day and do a day trip - as I said, from Malcesine you are very close (much closer than Venice) so a day would give you plenty of time to see some of the 'best' parts of the Dolomites. You said you had two extra days, so add one of them here (4 nights)
Here's my photos of the Dolomites (there are also galleries of all the other places you are going as well). http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/dolo...ino_alto_adige
This is my trip report that includes the Dolomites and Lake Garda - http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...nd-castles.cfm
Here's my photos of the Dolomites (there are also galleries of all the other places you are going as well). http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/dolo...ino_alto_adige
This is my trip report that includes the Dolomites and Lake Garda - http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...nd-castles.cfm
#17
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Isabel
The OP is about 18 months old so I think the OP has gone by now. . Anyway I completely agree that the Dolomites are spectacular! This from someone who loves the mountains and lives in tha Utah Wasatch range .
The OP is about 18 months old so I think the OP has gone by now. . Anyway I completely agree that the Dolomites are spectacular! This from someone who loves the mountains and lives in tha Utah Wasatch range .
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