My husband and I will be visiting the Dolomites for a walking holiday in mid September for about 5 days. I am beating myself up trying to decide where to stay. We enjoy full day hikes and are trying to decide between Colfosco, St Christine, Castrelotto or Selva for accommodation.There is a lot of availability in all towns at nice B&B's and I can't decide.

Hiker - I feel your pain! But don't fret - this is such a beautiful area you really can't go wrong

Actually they are all within 30 mins of each other (- with the exeption of Colfosco) - so, assuming you have a car it's really not a problem.

Of your choices, for September I'd really recommend one of the Val Gardena villages. (Castelrotto and Colfosco are likely to be pretty quiet by then ...)

Val Gardena has several lifts
- and they stay open into September (- not the case in some areas). You can check open/closing dates online.

You mention Selva and Santa Cristina - but I'd recommend you stay in Ortisei in preference to either of those two.

Ortisei is perhaps my favourite village in all the Dolomites (- I go there nearly every year). From there you have easy access to some gorgeous hiking areas within a few minutes drive.

Let me know if I can be of more help ...

Steve

www.valgardena.it

P.S Some links:

www.valgardena.it

For lift closing dates:
http://www.val-gardena.com/english/m...n/impianti.htm

http://www.ortisei.com/

Let me know if I can be of more help ...

Steve

Special request ... to anyone who sees this -

Please top it if you see it's out of the top 50.

The OP's new ... so maybe didn't find it.

Thankyou

Steve

Thanks Steve,
We will have a car, so I hope to see all areas mentioned. I was just hoping to chosse the best twon so that most days we can head off walking without wasting time driving.You've helped me eliminate Colfosco and Castelrotto. I'm just curious why you favour Ortisei.I liked the idea of a smaller village, in a lodge part way up the hill looking down on the village.Thanks also for all the other info you provide on the forum.I've taken lots of notes from your other responses.

ORTISEI is a delightful Tyrolean village, Hiker - certainly the nicest of the Val Gardena villages IMO.

SELVA is strung out along a busy main road and has less charm.

S. CRISTINA is little more than a piazza on the main road ... ]

Ortisei's other big plusses for me are:

- easy access to the SELLA - the 'heart' of the Dolomites with it's spectacular passes and dramatic scenery.
(- a plus over Castelrotto).
Don't miss Sass Pordoi ...

- easy access to some of the best lifts to great hiking country
e.g. Ciampinoi, Dantercepies, Col Raiser, Sasslung, Seceda, Alpe di Siusi ...

- an attractive pedestrianised centre OFF the main road with some charming bars/coffee houses etc.

- a new swimming pool/leisure centre.

Those are the main reasons for my preference.

I'm not dismissing Castelrotto - or Colfosco (- I alternate between Ortisei and Castelrotto or Val Badia for my visits, depending on what I want to do ...)

You should certainly visit all of them - and Castelrotto is conveniently en route anyway on the drive up to Alpe di Siusi (- more lovely hiking country).

I just think Colfosco will be dead by September, and Castelrotto too will be quiet ...

Let me know if I can be of more help ...

Steve

Thanks Steve. I'll have a look for some places in Ortisei that fit my budget and taste.
I'm fascinated how much you know about Italy. After the Dolomites, we are planning to drive through the Lakes District and on to CT for some more walking and then train,fly down to the Amalfi Coast to meet some friends and explore that region for a week. In researching those areas I have read many posts from you. They've been a great help. Forgive me if I bother you again with some more questions later

Hi H,

You would receive many more repsonses if you included the location/area in the title.

Thanks Mikey, I trust Steve's advice but I'll repost.

For all hikers, I really recommend to stay in Colfosco. Colfosco is situated in a very appropriate area of the dolomites. No other town permits you to get to the amazing “Sella rock mass” so quickly. You can start hiking directly from your accommodation and you don’t need even the car.

The view is just amazing and you will be fascinated also by the nice landscape. I would certainly prefer Colfosco to Val Gardena and Ortisei. We crossed Val Gardena in order to reach Colfosco, so we could see the difference.

Colfosco gives you special emotions, because all the spectacular mountains are so closed and you can admire them all the time also from your accommodation.

My wife and I stayed in Garni Delta www.garnidelta.com, a very nice and well-tended B&B with such likeable owners. It is situated in a suitable position and there is such a spectacular view from the rooms over all the valley.


We enjoyed it so much that we certainly will get back to Garni Delta for our hiking holidays.

I would take Steve's advice for the Dolomites!! He recommended Castelrotto/Kastelruth and we stayed at the Hotel Zum Wolf. What a beautiful town and a great hotel. It looked like a storybook town
Now I'm reading about Ortisei and I would love to visit there!!!!!!!!
We only stayed two days in the Dolomites-I wished we had planned at least one more day!
Vino