4 Day Dolomites Italy Itinerary
If you haven’t been to the Dolomites yet, you need to move it to the top of your European travel bucket list. If you have been, you know what I’m talking about! I’m not exaggerating when I say, we were floored at the beauty of the Dolomites and were wondering why it has taken us so long to get here. The best way to see the area is with a Dolomites road trip. You need a car to be able to drive between all these amazing locations and to beat the tour busses filled with people. Four days isn’t enough time to see everything, but it is enough time to see some of the major highlights. If you can spend more than four days in the region, do it! A week would be even more ideal. In this Dolomites Italy Itinerary I’ll cover things to do in the Dolomites, the best places in the Dolomites, and how to enjoy the Dolomites in summer over a 4 day Dolomites roadtrip.
Dolomites Italy Map
Here’s an overview of the places we visited, recommended restaurants, and hotels we used during our 4 days in the Dolomites with kids. Click on a point of interest for a little more information. Keep reading for all the details!
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Dolomites Itinerary Day 1
Hike to Geisler Alm
This was my favorite day of our Dolomites Itinerary. Geisler Alm is a stunning spot at the foot of the Puez-Odle group of mountains. There are several trails you can take to get here depending on the hiking level of your group. We had our three kids in tow (8, 6, 2) and we are a slow bunch that needs plenty of stops for pictures, snacks, and motivation.
Make sure to get yourself an eSIM online before you go so that navigating and getting information is quick and easy. Stress free, no hunting around for sim cards when you arrive!
The view from the sun loungers at Geisler Alm.
We took trail 36 and it was about 3 miles long each way, it took us an hour and 45 minutes. There is another more scenic trail called the Adolf Munkel Trail, I believe it is trail 35, but it is also longer and more challenging.
There aren’t any cable cars here, so if you want to see it, you have to work for it. The reward is well worth the hike! The Geisler Alm restaurant has amazing food. Honestly, it was probably my best meal in the Dolomites (I ordered tumeric spaghetti with mediterranean vegetables). Don’t miss the Geisler Spritz cocktail either!
Even little hikers will love a day hiking to Geisler Alm.
After our hike, we were perfectly happy to eat and enjoy the views. The kids were completely entertained by the large wooden playground, the goats, and by searching for salamanders in the ponds. We could’ve stayed longer, but we had to keep in mind that we still had another hike back down the mountain.
Quick Facts-Geisler Alm:
Where to Park: Zanser Park Platz
Address: 39040 Villnöß, Province of Bolzano - South Tyrol, Italy
Parking Fee: 8 EUR
Hiking: Trail 36, 4.8 km (3 miles) or more scenic Adolf Munkel Trail 13 km (8 miles), trail 35.
Watch this Reel for more scenes from the Dolomites:
One of the most iconic views in the Dolomites-Santa Magdalena.
Santa Magdalena
After your hike, don’t miss making the easy stop at the viewpoint for the Santa Magdalena Church. This is an iconic viewpoint of the Dolomites. There isn’t any parking directly at the viewing platform, but there is a small lot just down the hill a bit.
You cannot walk on the field in front of the church, it’s all fenced off. But taking in the view from the viewing platform is a must do for any Dolomites Italy Itinerary! You can also park and walk to the Santa Magdalena Church to see it up close and enjoy the view from there.
Hotels Near Geisler Alm
We stayed at a small agriturismo in St. Viglio the night before our Geisler Alm hike. It was totally adequate, but it wasn’t very conveniently located to this hike. We chose it basically because we planned the trip very last minute. Here are places I would consider if I had more options:
Or splurge at these resorts in Santa Magdalena: Hotel Quelle Nature Spa Resort or Mountain Residence Montana
More Road Trip Ideas in Europe: Austria Road Trip or Andalusia, Spain Road Trip
Beautiful Lago di Braies or the Pragersee as it’s also known.
Dolomites Itinerary Day 2
Visit Lago Di Braies
Lago di Braies is one of the most beautiful (and therefore most popular) things to do in the Dolomites. The piercing turquoise water snuggled up to the mountain is an unforgettable view. I do think it is worth the effort to see it, but I want to help you understand how built up and touristy it is because I wasn’t expecting it.
When planning a visit to Lago di Braies, you need to be aware that it is a popular place and will be filled with other tourists.
The best ways for you to get a quieter experience are:
Come in the off season (not the middle of summer).
Visit on a weekday.
Get there EARLY!
Endless entertainment for kids with throwing rocks into the lake.
There is a parking area right at the lake that costs 18 Euro and can be reserved online HERE. I recommend doing this if you can. Online it says the road is closed from July 10-September 10 between 9:30 AM and 4:00 PM. Always check online before your visit!
When the road is closed you can park in the P1 lot and take a shuttle. If you have to take the shuttle you will pay the parking fee plus shuttle tickets. For my family of 5, the shuttle cost 25 EUR.
There are no bad views while walking around the lake’s hiking path.
Once you get to the lake, you can rent a rowboat for about 30 EUR an hour or you can hike around the perimeter of the lake. The loop around is about 3.5 km and is an easy hike for families but does include some narrow parts and stairs. I would not recommend bringing a baby stroller on this trail.
We initially dismissed the rowboat idea but after doing the hike, I wish we had done the rowboat because it would have been less whining from the kids and we would’ve been able to be away from the crowds a bit.
The price of renting a rowboat might be worth it!
Quick Facts-Lago Di Braies:
Parking: Reserve online for 18 Euros.
Food: 3 restaurants on site (hotel restaurant, cafeteria/grill, and food stand near parking lot)
Trail: 3.5 km loop, not stroller friendly the whole way but you can manage the beginning of the loop in either direction with a stroller
Hotels Near Lago di Braies
There is one hotel right on the lake, see it here. We stayed at Hotel Sorapiss at Lake Misurina and found that to be a reasonable distance away. It was basic and clean, but pretty tight for a family of 5. The location was a good distance from Lago di Braies, Cortina d’Ampezzo, and Tre Cime.
Other Great Options Nearby:
Want to visit another underrated gem in Northern Italy? You need to go to Lake Garda-Read More Here!
This is a stock image because unfortunately the clouds never cleared enough for us to get this view!
Dolomites Itinerary Day 3
Hike Tre Cime Di Lavaredo
Tre Cime is a striking set of peaks and offers amazing views. This is one of the most popular hikes in the region. Once again, you’ll want to be here early for this one! We visited on a Monday in September and by 8:20 there was a line of cars waiting to get in.
The parking fee for this hike is a steep 30 EUR. Because of that, you’ll want to check the weather very carefully for your visit. Do not come on a day when lighting is in the area, this hike is above the treeline. Ideally, you’ll come here on your most clear day when the view won’t be obstructed.
Even though we couldn’t see the main Tre Cime view, the back up views were pretty amazing.
We unfortunately did not get that lucky. We had two days to choose from, one looked cloudy and rainy and the other looked clear. We chose the second day but when we got there, there were clouds hovering over the famous peaks the whole time! So we never got that iconic view.
All was not lost though, we still had some other amazing views. Surprisingly, our kids played in the grass and rocks happily for over an hour while we attempted to wait out the clouds.
The whole Tre Cime hiking loop is 10km (6 miles). It begins and ends at Rifugio Auronzo. There is another rifugio about 1 mile into the hike where you can use restrooms (0.50-bring change) or get some food.
The kids happily sat and played with the rocks while we waited for the clouds to clear (but they never did).
Quick Facts- Tre Cime:
Parking: 30 Euros
Trail length: 10 km total for the loop, but you can hike out and back as far as it works for your family
Bring: water, hiking shoes, sunscreen, sunglasses, snacks, cash/change, bags to pack out your own waste
The most perfect reflection at Lake Misurina.
Hotels Near Tre Cime
We highly recommend staying at Lake Misurina or as close to there as possible because of its close proximity to this hike. Since you really need to be at the parking area early, it helps if you only have to drive 15/20 minutes.
Hotels Nearby:
We stayed at Hotel Sorapiss and found it to be clean, affordable, and we appreciated the included breakfast.
If you love the mountains, you’ll also love Garmisch! Read the complete guide!
Eating, sun lounging, and playgrounds above Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Dolomites Itinerary Day 4
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Cortina d’Ampezzo is the “big city” of the Dolomites. Cortina hosted the winter Olympics in 1956 and will again in 2026. Here you’ll find plenty of lodging and restaurant options. This would make a great base in the winter as well with plenty of surrounding ski lifts.
We used our day in Cortina to give the kids a day to do whatever they wanted-play! There is a free outdoor playground at the ice stadium. We stayed here for about 2 hours playing. There is also a small cafe to order drinks and snacks. The view from the playground isn’t bad either!
Riding electric cars around the track at the playground at the ice rink in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Then we drove up into the mountains a little to find a spot for lunch. We picked Rifugio Socrepes once we saw the huge playground! The food was also really good here, one of the best meals I had on this trip was their spaghetti freddo con pesto. We suggest making a reservation here because they almost couldn’t seat us.
We spent the rest of the afternoon here playing and enjoying the views. One of the things I love most about Europe is the abundance of restaurants with playgrounds. It makes it so much more enjoyable as a family.
One other thing we spotted in Cortina but didn’t have time for was a ropes course. This looked like fun if you have adventurous kids (or grown ups)!
Hotels in Cortina d’Ampezzo
Cortina is the biggest city in the Dolomites, so you will find a good amount of lodging options here but the prices may be higher than if you stayed further out of town at a smaller place.
Around every corner is a new amazing view in the Dolomites!
Driving in the Dolomites
The Dolomites cover a large area of gorgeous mountainous landscape in Northern Italy. Although on a map it looks like the different destinations are close together, in reality it often takes over an hour to drive from place to place. For this reason, I definitely recommend getting a rental car. The trip won’t be the same if you try to stick to guided tours, trains, or buses. Driving is really the best way to experience the Dolomites.
Most of the roads are small, winding, mountain roads. You can expect a lot of switchbacks and elevation changes. The roads are mostly single lane in each direction and there’s often blind corners. All this makes for some slow driving. If you combine all this with peak summer crowds, you may also hit some traffic which will make it even slower.
The roads are in good condition but sometimes the driving might feel scary if you don’t like being close to edges. I am a very nervous passenger and I also get car sick easily but honestly I didn’t think the driving was too bad. Maybe I’m desensitized to it after living in Georgia!
Do I Need a Vignette in Italy?
In many European countries you need to buy a vignette to use their highway system. This is not necessary in Italy. There are no vignettes but some of the highways have tolls. The largest toll we paid in the Dolomites was 2.90 EUR.
How to Get to the Dolomites
If you will be flying into the area, your closest airports are Venice, Innsbruck, and Milan. It’s important to know what you are doing and where you are staying in order to choose the best option for you. You can also book some day trip tours here from Lake Garda or Venice. But I think the Dolomites deserves far more than a day trip!
Hiking with kids requires a little extra time and a few key supplies.
Tips for Hiking with Kids
We are by no means expert hikers, but a few things helped us make it through these hikes with our three children (ages 8, 6, and 2 at the time).
Hiking Poles-We were surprised by how much just using hiking poles provided a distraction for the kids. We only had one set to use between everyone, but after this trip we will definitely buy more to bring with us.
Breaks-take lots of short breaks to sit, look at plants, look for creatures, drink water, take in the view. If someone wants a break, just go with it.
Snacks-bring more snacks than you think necessary. When in doubt, give someone a snack. Bad mood? Have a snack. Your feet hurt? Have a snack. You hiked 10 minutes without whining? Have a snack.
Good shoes-our kids wore tennis shoes and it was fine, but they would’ve probably done a little better to have some hiking shoes with more traction. This isn’t the place to be out in crocs or shoes without any grip.
Dress in Layers-When we would start out in the morning, the weather was pretty chilly. By the time we got to the destination, it was warm and sunny. Making sure the kids can be comfortable in the variable weather is super important.
The Dolomites are a great family destination.
Dolomites Parking Fees
For most things to do in the Dolomites, you can expect to pay a parking fee. The largest fee we paid was 30 EUR at Tre Cime. Also it is important to note, many of the popular hikes will require you to get there early before the parking lot fills up. You don’t want to drive an hour only to have the road closed because the parking is full.
We loved our time in the Dolomites and plan to return. We have heard it is just as great in the winter if you enjoy winter sports. I would love to go back in late September/early October and see some of these places with the changing leaves. If you are coming in the fall or spring (in between seasons), make sure to double check any cable cars that you plan to use. It is common for cable cars to close in April/May or October/November as they change from summer season to winter season.
If you plan a trip here, you won’t be disappointed! Have you been to the Dolomites yet? What were your favorites from your time there?
