The Dolomites
We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Dolomites - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Castel Trauttmansdorff
This Gothic castle was restored in the 19th century and now serves as a museum that celebrates more than 250 years of tourism in South Tyrol. But the real draw is the expansive garden, where exotic flora is organized by country of origin. The castle is about 2 km (1 mile) southeast of town on the Sentiero di Sissi; you can walk in about 45 minutes from the center of Merano on Sissi's Path, or take Bus No. 4 or 1B from the Merano train station.
Via Valentino 51a, Merano, Trentino-Alto Adige, 39012, Italy0473-255600Sight Details
Rate Includes: €16, Closed mid-Nov.–Mar. -
2. Castello del Buonconsiglio
The position and size of this stronghold of the prince-bishops made it easier to defend than the Palazzo Pretorio. Look for the evolution of architectural styles: the medieval fortifications of the Castelvecchio section (on the far left) were built in the 13th century; the fancier Renaissance Magno Palazzo section (on the far right) wasn't completed until 300 years later. The 13th-century Torre dell'Aquila (Eagle's Tower) is home to the castle's artistic highlight, a 15th-century ciclo dei mesi (cycle of the months). The four-wall fresco is full of charming and detailed scenes of medieval life in both court and countryside.
Via Bernardo Clesio 5, Trento, Trentino-Alto Adige, 38100, Italy0461-233770Sight Details
Rate Includes: €10; Torre Aquila €2.50, Closed Mon., Timed visits must be booked online in advance -
3. Col Rodella
An excursion from Campitello di Fassa, about 4 km (2½ miles) west of Canazei, to the vantage point at Col Rodella has unmissable views. A cable car rises some 3,000 feet to a full-circle vista of the Heart of the Dolomites, including the Sasso Lungo and the rest of the Sella range.
Localita' Ischia 1, Canazei, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy0462-608811Sight Details
Rate Includes: Col Rodella cable car €25 round-trip -
4. Messner Mountain Museum Firmian
Perched on a peak overlooking Bolzano, the 10th-century Castle Sigmundskron is home to one of six mountain museums established by Reinhold Messner—the first climber to conquer Everest solo and the first to reach its summit without oxygen. The Tibetan tradition of kora, a circular pilgrimage around a sacred site, is an inspiration for the museum, where visitors contemplate the relationship between human and mountain, guided by images and objects Messner collected during his adventures. The museum is 3 km (2 miles) southwest of Bolzano, just off the Appiano exit on the highway to Merano.
Sigmundskron Castle 53, Bolzano, Trentino-Alto Adige, 39100, Italy0471-631264Sight Details
Rate Includes: €15, Closed Thurs. and mid-Nov.–mid-Mar. -
5. Messner Mountain Museum Juval
Since 1983 this 13th-century castle in the hills above the hamlet of Stava has been the summer home of the South Tyrolese climber and polar adventurer Reinhold Messner—the first climber to conquer Everest solo. Part of the castle has been turned into one of six in Messner's chain of mountain museums, where visitors can view his collection of Tibetan art and masks from around the world. You can download an app to use as a self-guided tour. It's a 10-minute shuttle ride from the parking lot below, plus a 15-minute walk up to the castle, or a 60- to 90-minute hike on local trails; wear sturdy shoes, even if you take the shuttle, as the paths are uneven.
Juval 3, Castelbello, Trentino-Alto Adige, 39020, Italy0471-631264Sight Details
Rate Includes: €14, shuttle bus €6 round-trip, Closed Wed. and Nov.–late Mar. -
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6. Messner Mountain Museum Ripa
This fascinating, comprehensive museum within the 13th-century Bruneck Castle looks at the lives of mountain-dwelling people from Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America through artifacts, tools, statues, paintings, living spaces, and more. Part of the experience is reaching the castle itself: it's a 15-minute hike up to it on a path accessed just off Brunico's pedestrian area.
Schlossweg 2, Brunico, Trentino-Alto Adige, 39031, Italy0474-410220Sight Details
Rate Includes: €14, Closed Tues., late Apr.–mid-May, and early Nov.–early Dec. -
7. MUSE – Museo delle Scienze di Trento
Extending over six floors, in a 41,000-foot space, this interactive science museum, designed by Renzo Piano, encourages families of all ages to explore science and nature. As befits the region, mountain imagery plays a big part in the displays and is used to investigate the Dolomites’ history and even life on earth. There’s also a sensory experience room for younger kids up to five years old.
Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3, Trento, Trentino-Alto Adige, 38122, Italy0461-270311Sight Details
Rate Includes: €11, Closed Mon. -
8. Museo Archeologico dell'Alto Adige
This museum has gained international fame for Ötzi, its 5,300-year-old iceman, discovered in 1991 and the world's oldest naturally preserved body. In 1998 Italy acquired it from Austria after it was determined that the body lay 100 yards inside Italian territory. The iceman's leathery remains are displayed in a freezer vault, preserved along with his longbow, ax, and clothing. The rest of the museum relies on models and artifacts from nearby archaeological sites, and exhibitions change regularly. An English audio guide leads you not only through Ötzi's Copper Age, but also into the preceding Mesolithic and Neolithic eras, and the Bronze and Iron Ages that followed.
Via Museo 43, Bolzano, Trentino-Alto Adige, 39100, Italy0471-320100Sight Details
Rate Includes: €13, Closed Mon. Jan.–June and Oct. and Nov., Online reservations recommended up to 3 days in advance -
9. Promenades
A stroll along one of Merano's well-marked, impossibly pleasant promenades may yield even better relaxation than time in its famous spa. Passeggiata Tappeiner (Tappeiner's Promenade) is a 3-km (2-mile) path with panoramic views from the hills north of the Duomo and diverse botanical pleasures along the way. Passeggiata d'Estate (Summer Promenade) runs along the shaded south bank of the Passirio River, and the Passeggiata d'Inverno (Winter Promenade), on the exposed north bank, provides more warmth and the Wandelhalle—a sunny area decorated with idyllic paintings of surrounding villages. The popular Austrian empress Sissi (Elisabeth of Wittelsbach, 1837–98) put Merano on the map as a spa destination; a trail named in her honor, the Sentiero di Sissi (Sissi's Walk), follows a path from Castel Trauttmansdorff to the heart of Merano.
Merano, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy -
10. Renon (Ritten) Plateau
The earth pyramids of Renon Plateau are a bizarre geological formation where erosion has left a forest of tall, thin, needlelike spires of rock, each topped with a boulder. To get here, take the Soprabolzano cable car from Via Renon, about 300 yards left of the Bolzano train station. At the top, switch to the electric train that takes you to the plateau, which is in Collalbo, just above Bolzano. The cable car takes about 12 minutes and the train takes around 18 minutes. The final 30-minute hike along gentle Trail No. 24 is free.
Via Renon, Collalbo, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy0471-356100Sight Details
Rate Includes: Cable car €10 round-trip, electric train €6 round-trip -
11. Tre Cime di Lavaredo
Without a doubt, the Three Peaks—Cima Piccola (9,373 feet), Cima Grande (9,839 feet), and Cima Ovest (9,753 feet)—are the symbols of the Dolomite UNESCO World Heritage site. From the town of Misurina, only two of the Tre Cime are visible. In order to get up close and personal, drive or take a bus along the dedicated toll road (usually open June through October; car parking €30). Once at the top, follow Footpath 101 from Rifugio Auronzo to Forcella Laveredo (easy) for about an hour. There are many other footpaths and vie ferrate which allow you to climb the cime and access the base. Rifugi offer hot meals without a reservation, as well as dorm-style lodging, which is best reserved in advance.
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12. Alpe di Siusi Cable Car
First opened in 1935, the cable car from Ortisei to Alpe di Siusi climbs more than 6,100 feet to the widest plateau in Europe. There are more than 57 square km (22 square miles) of Alpine pastures lined with summertime hiking trails. In the winter, 20 ski lifts and cross-country ski paths keep active visitors happy. There is a restaurant at the top of the Mt. Seuc ski lift, or you can pick up a map at the tourist office in Ortisei listing the mountain huts and restaurants that can be reached on foot. Opening days and times depend on the season and daily weather conditions; check the website or call ahead to avoid disappointment.
Setil Strada 9, Ortisei, Trentino-Alto Adige, 39046, Italy0471-797897Sight Details
Rate Includes: €24.90 round-trip, Closed early Nov.–early Dec. and mid-Apr.–mid-May -
13. Belvedere di Sardagna
Take the Funivia Trento–Sardagna cable car up to the Belvedere di Sardagna, a lookout point 1,200 feet above medieval Trento. This is open year-round, but can close due to inclement weather.
Via Monte Grappa 1, Trento, Trentino-Alto Adige, 38100, Italy0461-031000Sight Details
Rate Includes: €5 round-trip -
14. Boè Cable Car
This cable car takes hikers and skiers from Corvara up Piz Boè, the highest mountain of the Sella group, at 10,341 feet. Once at the first station, you can hike the Sella Ronda, ski back down, or ride a chairlift farther up to the Vallon Peak for more challenging skiing or hiking in the warmer months. Paragliding is also popular from the Vallon area.
Strada Burjé 10, Trentino-Alto Adige, 39033, Italy0471-836073Sight Details
Rate Includes: €19 round-trip -
15. Castel Roncolo
Green hills and farmhouses north of town surround this meticulously kept castle (also called Runkelstein Castle, or Schloss Runkelstein in German) with a tiled roof. It was built in 1237, destroyed half a century later, and then rebuilt soon thereafter. The world's largest cycle of secular medieval frescoes, beautifully preserved, is inside. A tavern in the courtyard serves excellent local food and wines. To get here from Piazza Walther, take Bus No. 12 or 14; there's also a free shuttle bus that runs from June to October and late November to early January. Alternatively, it's a 45-minute walk from Piazza delle Erbe: head north along Via Francescani, continue through Piazza Madonna, connecting to Via Castel Roncolo. If you drive or take the bus, be advised that you'll still have a 5- to 10-minute walk up to the castle.
Via San Antonio 15, Bolzano, Trentino-Alto Adige, 39100, Italy0471-329808-castleSight Details
Rate Includes: €8, Closed Mon. -
16. Col Alto Cable Car
The site of Italy's first chairlift in 1946 now has modern yellow eight-seater cable cars that ascend to a height of 6,562 feet. From there you have access to ski lifts that take you all over the Alta Badia region and, in summer, to trails that include a 10-km (6-mile) route to the Rifugio Pralongià. You can rent skis and snowboards at the Ski Service Colalto, located at the bottom of the lift.
Strada Col Alt 36, Corvara, Trentino-Alto Adige, 39033, Italy0471-836073Sight Details
Rate Includes: €14 round-trip -
17. Museo Agricolo di Brunnenburg
Overlooking the town, atop Mt. Tappeinerweg, is Castel Fontana, which was the home of poet Ezra Pound from 1958 to 1964. Still in the Pound family, the castle now houses the Museo Agricolo di Brunnenburg, devoted to Tyrolean country life. Among its exhibits are a smithy and a room with Pound memorabilia.
Ezra Pound Strada 3, Tirolo, Trentino-Alto Adige, 39019, Italy339-1803086Sight Details
Rate Includes: €8, Closed Fri. and Sat., and early Nov.–Mar. -
18. Museo della Val Gardena
Fine historic and contemporary examples of local woodworking are on display here, as well as a retrospective on the life of local film director Luis Trenker.
Via Rezia 83, Ortisei, Trentino-Alto Adige, 39046, Italy0471-797554Sight Details
Rate Includes: €8, Closed late Mar.–mid-May and mid-Oct.–Nov.; closed Sat.–Mon. Dec.–Mar., weekends mid-May–July and Sept.–mid-Oct., and Sun. in Aug. -
19. Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio
The Alps' (and Italy's) biggest national park is spread over 1,350 square km (520 square miles) and four provinces. Opened in 1935 to preserve flora and protect fauna, today it has more than 1,200 types of plants, 600 different mushrooms, and more than 160 species of animals, including the chamois, ibex, and roe deer. There are many entrances to the park and 11 visitor centers. Bormio makes a good base for exploring—the closest entrance to town is the year-round gateway at Torre Alberti.
Via Roma 131, Bormio, Lombardy, 23032, Italy0473-830430Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
20. Passeggiata del Guncina
An 8-km (5-mile) botanical promenade dating from 1892 ends with a panoramic view of Bolzano. Recent updates include signposting for various species of plants and trees, as well as benches and picnic tables. You can choose to return to town along the same path, or you can walk along the River Fago and end up back in the center of Bolzano.
Entrance near Vecchia Parrocchiale di Gries, Bolzano, Trentino-Alto Adige, 39100, ItalySight Details
Rate Includes: Free
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