Things to see & do in the Dolomites

There’s no mistaking the Dolomites – these shark’s-tooth mountains splinter the border that northeast Italy shares with Austria and Switzerland. The best winter vacations tread lightly on the landscape. You could go cross country skiing around the 300 ice rink lakes, or snowshoeing into forests straight out of Narnia. Or swan up in summer, when the snow is swapped for edelweiss meadows, Prosecco hills and cycling routes once used by WWI troops.

Culture-wise, you’ve got a mishmash of heritages, so you’re more likely to be chowing down on salt-cured speck than spaghetti, and your German phrase book is just as useful as your Italian. Plus, mountain towns like Bolzano dish out medieval turrets and spires that wouldn’t look out of place in Bavaria; after all, the region was only absorbed into Italy in 1918.

Ask what time of year to visit, and the local response is pretty unequivocal: winter. South Tyroleans learn to ski before they can walk. Strike out on a guided, cross country skiing vacation to see the snow-heaped mountains at their very best. Small groups, no ski run scars, no snow cannons, no churning chair lifts – it’s how ski vacations should be.

Most small group ski vacations set up shop in a mountain village like Dobbiaco. From there, you’ll set out in the morning to explore the local hills and return back to base to warm up with a glühwein. Tours usually welcome everyone from beginners to advanced; some even lay on two guides so that skiers at either end of the ability spectrum can go their own ways. These guides are experts in their craft, changing the routes depending on daily snow conditions. Families with kids over 14 are welcome, too; littler legs might struggle to keep up with the group.

There’s another way to escape the one-size-fits-all ski resorts. Strap on a pair of snowshoes, and you can explore snow globe spruce forests inaccessible to even the sneakiest of off-piste skiers. Local guides tend to be up on the region’s fraught feudal history, so you’ll learn about the military tracks and trenches hibernating beneath the powder.

Up for a challenge? Stamp on your hardiest hiking boots and follow your leader to the Via Ferrata (Iron Way). You’ll haul yourself to the top of the Dolomites via a series of cables and metal ladders once used by troops of the Austro-Hungarian Empire who had the unfortunate task of shinning over the Dolomites during WWI.

Don’t worry, though – every walk comes with its rewards. The best tour guides know exactly which mountain huts to catch your breath in. Plum pancakes and apfelstrudel, anyone?

Most cycling vacations can’t resist nipping over the Austrian border into Lienz. The route is blissfully traffic-free and shows just how little changes as you cross the border. Or you could follow a tour south, where orchards and vineyards line the Adige. Veer southwest a little, and you’ll roll to a stop at the northern edge of Lake Garda.

Small group vacations are the theme when cycling in the Dolomites. Your tour guide will know the region like the back of their hand, whisking you from hotel to hotel and covering a good amount of ground while you’re at it. Thanks to all those hills, cycling in the Dolomites tends to be moderately challenging – but hopping on a small group tour eases the way, with luggage transfers always included.

Many vacations to the Dolomites finish things off with a flourish. You could end up where the northern edge of Lake Garda bumps up against the Dolomites. From the little multi-coloured town of Riva del Garda, you can catch the ferry that leapfrogs around the lakeside towns. Or there’s always the train. Some Dolomites vacations wind up in the distinctly Germanic medieval town of Bolzano. The trains from here run directly to Verona and Venice – the twin romance cities of Veneto. Tempting? Make sure you factor in at least a week to wring the most out of your vacation.