help with my dolomite plans!
 

I am planning a trip next May with my wife and daughter and want to show them the beauty of the Alps. We will drive to Milano from Rome. I figure that will take 5 hours(too much driving in one day will knock them out). We can check out the Duomo in Milano late that afternoon and then head toward the Dolomites next morning. Here is where I am lost. I figure I could make Trento for lunch and check out an important church there and early afternoon head for the mountains. Now for my questions!
1. Where will a two hour drive from Trento take me?(I am hoping to drive the Dolomite road).
2. If I spend the night in that place two hours from Trento, does it make sense next morning to continue viewing the Dolomites and end up in Venice? In other words does a morning drive (2-3 hours) leave enough time to then proceed to Venice to sleep(another how many hours)?
3. My difficulty is calculating drive time. How long does the drive take from Milano to Trento and Trento to Bolzano? Bolzano to Venice?
I hope you can help me. Thanks very much. Robert

Hi Robert - Two hours drive from Trento would take you to Val Gardena (- Ortisei or Selva) or Val di Fassa (- Canazei) - depending on which route you take.

Personally I'd recommend the Val Gardena route. The most scenic approach via Bolzano IMO is:

Trento - Bolzano - Siusi - Castelrotto - Pinei Pass - Ortisei.

I'd suggest Ortisei (- my favourite Dolomite village) or Selva for your overnight stay.


' ... does it make sense next morning to continue viewing the Dolomites and end up in Venice? In other words does a morning drive (2-3 hours) leave enough time to then proceed to Venice to sleep(another how many hours)?'


Well - you really need more than one day to see the Dolomites!

But yes - logistically it's perfectly manageable. Drive time from Ortisei to Cortina (- via Gardena Pass - Colfosco - Corvara - La Villa - San Cassiano - Valparola/Falzarego Pass) is approx 1hr 30'. Cortina to Venice is about 3 hrs.

You may find these links useful:

www.valgardena.it
www.val-gardena.com


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

Steve

P.S Are you sure you want to go via Milan?

I would NOT go by way of Milan. It's not on the way to the Dolomites and it's not going to be pleasant driving into and out of the city and its surroundings.

Go straight to Trento (about 6 hours) with a midpoint lunch stop.

Thanks so much. This is exactly the kind of information I need. Yes, I may scoot by Milan and go directly to Trento for the night. Judging drive time distances is difficult for me in other countries. Thanks

Bob - I've been using Google Maps for distance driving times it has been a life saver and so easy to use. Go to http://maps.google.com/
then click on "get directions" under the search box, and then enter from where to where - it will give you the time it take to drive to each place.

Also try www.viamichelin.com for driving directions, driving time, tolls required, etc.

thanks to all of you. Do you think there will be any snow visible in Ortisei in May? I am only interested in scenery.

I agree with others: Don't head to Milan first. How about Verona instead?

We did two days in the Dolomites in July and could see snow on many of the peaks, so I'm sure you'll see some in May.

I can say that two days in the San Cassiano area were simply not enough for us -- it's some of the most exquisite scenery there is I would highly recommend trying to spend a few hours hiking the Alta Badia area.

Thanks again; this info. is so helpful!

After the Dolomites and Venice and Lago Di Como I want to take my family for a day and a half to Zermatt. I had been there last in 1969! I know it is off season; all I want is a glimpst of the Matterhorn. If weather gets in the way I suppose I can still take the cable car called Gornergratt(sp? it's been 38 years!!) unless it would be closed in May??. Any reason to move that trip to June instead of may? Thanks again to you all. Bob

hi, bob,

Where are you flying into and out of?

How many days?

Anyone else to share the driving?

have you tried putting your route into Mappy or michelin? Rome to Milan is a very long way. ditto Milan to Venice. do you really want to drive all this way in 3 days?

I just looked up Rome to milan on www.viamichelin.com - they say 5 1/2 hours to drive approx. 550kms. unless you are very experienced at driving in Italy, this is very optimistic. Also you will need to stop to eat etc.

why not break the journey somewhere in Tuscany, hit milan if you must, then spend a few days in the Dolomites before moving onto Venice.

if you spend a few days in Rome first, this trip could easily fill 14 days or so.

fly into Rome, out of Venice.


regards, ann

Steve: thanks again. I keep adjusting my plan. Based on your comments I am reserving 2 nights in the Dolomites(at least one in Val di Gardena.
I have more questions! I can drive up from Venice through Cortina to Selva or I can drive from Venice through Trent. The latter is quicker, but I figure doing both routes would give me more interesting scenery. Does that make sense to you?
The other question is whether to spend 2 nights in the same place or move to another location. I figure to arrive late afternoon in Val di Gardena and then take some leisurely walks that day late and some more the next day(depending on the strength of my wife and daughter). In May will there be enough to see in that one village(do cable cars still operate then) or should I spend the bulk of the day in Gardena and spend the night in Bolzano or Trento? I am asking impossible questions I suppose, but I would be interested in your opinion. Thanks.(My family has never seen the Alps.)

We just did a week in Italy - flew into Bolzano, drove to Bolzano for an overnight (our flight got in at 20:00). We then continued to Campitello di Fassa for 2 nights, Venice for 2 nights and Verona for a night.

Many of the roads were twisty with absolutely gorgeous scenery. My husband did all the driving and he loved it, but we had to stop a few times to just take it all in. Definately add some time to your estimates for pulling over for beautiful photos!

As far as cable cars - there were several routes that still operated and we did two of them which were definately highlights of our trip. We actually got high enough to stand on a glacier in August! I'm sure there will still be snow on some of the peaks, although a lot less than there was a few years ago. You should absolutely take your family up a cable car - the cable cars at Marmolada were open and it was so much fun! The other one we went up was at Pordoi and it was a closed large cable car - there were amazing views from the top and I got my favourite picture of the whole trip up there.

We really liked Bolzano - it's a cute town with a lovely centre. We went with a bunch of friends, some of us shopped and the others went to see the Ice Man at the museum.

Hi Robert - '... I figure doing both routes would give me more interesting scenery.'

So are you now starting and ending this in Venice as a 3-day round-trip into the Dolomites?

If yes, which routes are best really depends on whether you're main aim is scenery and hiking, or whether you want to visit Bolzano or Trento en route.


'In May will there be enough to see in that one village (do cable cars still operate then) or should I spend the bulk of the day in Gardena and spend the night in Bolzano or Trento?'

Personally I avoid one-night stays - so I would probably base for 2 nights in Val Gardena.

Most cable cars don't open as early as May (- with the possible exception of Sass Pordoi, Lagazuoi and Siusi) - but you can still reach fabulous hiking country by car.

You could plan a lovely excursion from Val Gardena - perhaps to include the Alpe di Siusi (- hiking), Castelrotto (- and Bolzano if you wish) - returning to Val Gardena for your second night.

If you are then returning to Venice from Val Gardena you could plan an equally scenic alternative route back - for example via San Martino di Castrozza.

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

Steve

thanks again. you have been a help. I will go to Selva from Venice by car, staying in Selva for two nights and drive through Trento and sleep in Milano that night. I found one cable car that you mentioned will open the day I am there so we will have plenty of beautiful scenery. Thanks very much.