5 Incredible Mountain Towns to Discover in the Italian Dolomites (Including 1 Hidden Gem Nearby)

Welcome to Wild Meadow Studio’s Travel Blog and our latest post, this week we are continuing our series on the Stunning, Mountainous region of the Dolomites. The Dolomites in northern Italy are one of Europe’s most spectacular mountain regions, known for dramatic limestone peaks, alpine lakes, rolling meadows, charming villages, rewarding hikes, and endless outdoor adventures. Whether you’re planning a Dolomites Road trip, a hiking holiday, or a scenic escape into the Italian Alps, choosing the right towns to visit, or use as your base, makes a big difference.

From quiet alpine villages to a glamorous mountain resort—and a historic, riverside town just south of the Dolomites—here are five of our favourite towns to visit in and around the Dolomites!

We are recommending you rent a car to properly visit these mountain towns or if using as a base, we rented ours from Expedia, as we got a great deal and find them reliable. If there are any tours or activities you’d like to do, you can check out Get Your Guide or Viator for a great selection.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that we would get a small commission if you decided to make a purchase through one of them, at no extra cost to you and you would be supporting our small Canadian business. This would allow us to continue creating informative travel content. All the businesses we are recommending are ones we use in our travels and feel comfortable doing so!

Table of Contents:

1. Santa Cristina Gherdëina
2. Ortisei
3. Santa Maddalena (Val di Funes)
4. Cortina d’Ampezzo
5. Bassano del Grappa (Our Hidden Gem)
6. References
7. The Wrap up

1. Santa Cristina Gherdëina:

Best for: quiet nature, hiking, and authentic alpine life

Santa Cristina Gherdëina is a small alpine village located in Val Gardena, one of the most popular valleys in the Dolomites where there is so much to explore. Less crowded than Ortisei but just as scenic, it’s ideal for travelers who want easy access to nature without a busy town center. This is where we stayed on one of our visits and really loved this town, you feel more immersed into the culture, less like a tourist. It’s walkable, with little shops, cafes, restaurants, a grocery store, multiple chair lifts/cable cars, skiing, hiking and more. Plus, it’s only an 8 mins drive to the more popular and charming village of Ortisei.

Things to do in Santa Cristina Gherdëina:

• Hike the Monte Pana trails, which offers panoramic views of the Sassolungo peak, a beautiful waterfall, and gentle paths through alpine meadows.
• Ride the Col Raiser cable car, one of the best starting points for hiking in the Dolomites, with trails suitable for both beginners and experienced hikers.
• Ski or snowboard in winter, with direct access to two ski areas.
• Enjoy local Ladin cuisine, such as dumplings, speck, and hearty mountain stews in cozy cafes and restaurants.

Why Visit: Santa Cristina is ideal to visit or use as a base if you want stunning scenery without the crowds, a car rental is required.

2. Ortisei:

Best for: easy access to stunning viewpoints, shopping, culture, and food

Ortisei is arguably the most popular and vibrant town in Val Gardena, known for its artistic traditions and lively pedestrian center. It strikes a perfect balance between alpine charm and modern comfort. The largest village in the area, this beautiful town has a lot to offer, a great place to use as a base as well, has many lodging options, but is more touristy. Ortisei, has direct access to the gondolas up to the Seceda Ridgeline with breathtaking views and amazing hiking. We spent the afternoon here and enjoyed a great lunch, gelato, and some exploring, very pretty town.

Things to do in Ortisei:

• Explore the pedestrian old town, filled with cafés, boutiques, balconies overflowing with beautiful flowers, and traditional woodcarving shops.
• Visit Seceda, one of the most iconic viewpoints in the Dolomites, accessible by cable car directly from town.
• Take the cable car to Alpe di Siusi, Europe’s largest high-altitude meadow, ideal for hiking, biking, or snowshoeing.
• Learn about local culture, especially the Ladin language and traditions that define the region.

Why Visit: Ortisei is a great choice for a visit or as a base if you want easy access to breathtaking views while enjoying a lively town atmosphere, but more touristy and a car rental is also required.

3. Santa Maddalena (Val di Funes):

Best for: photography, peaceful walks, and classic Dolomite views

Santa Maddalena is small, quiet, and incredibly scenic. Set in Val di Funes, it’s famous for its storybook landscape: green rolling hills, wooden farmhouses, and sharp mountain peaks rising in the background. This valley is a photographer’s dream and great for panoramic walks. It’s about a 45 mins drive from the Val Gardena villages, so great for a morning visit. We loved these stunning views!

Things to do in Santa Maddalena:

• Visit the Church of St. Magdalena, one of the most photographed spots in the Dolomites.
• Walk the Panoramaweg (Panorama Trail), for sweeping views of the Odle/Geisler mountains. This is where you get your shot of the church with the mountains behind.
• Hike in Puez–Odle Nature Park, where trails range from easy walks to challenging alpine routes.
• Slow down and enjoy the silence, sunrise, and sunset—this is one of the most peaceful areas in the region.
• Visit the Chiesetta di San Giovanni (St. Johann Church), Another amazing photo spot of a unique church with the beautiful mountains as a backdrop.

Why Visit: Santa Maddalena is ideal for travelers who want to unplug and fully immerse themselves in nature and for those who want to get that perfect shot!

4. Cortina d’Ampezzo:

Best for: luxury travel, adventure, and iconic mountain scenery

Often called the “Queen of the Dolomites,” Cortina d’Ampezzo is Italy’s most famous mountain resort town. It offers world-class skiing, dramatic hiking routes, and a stylish atmosphere year-round. They offer great food options from rustic mountain cuisine and casual trattorias to elegant fine dining. Cortina d’Ampezzo is also the setting for several films, including the James Bond movie, For Your Eyes Only, The Pink Panther and Cliffhanger with Sylvester Stallone. We really enjoyed our visit here, toured around the city centre, had lunch and explored. This popular mountain town could also work as a base, it is the largest of our 4 Dolomites towns, so busier, but a lot of amentias. Cortina d’Ampezzo is about a 1.5 hours’ drive from Santa Cristina, so was a great day trip with a beautifully Stunning drive!

Things to do in Cortina d’Ampezzo:

• Ski world-class slopes in winter or hike and climb via ferratas (fixed climbing routes) in summer.
• Stroll Corso Italia, the town’s main street, lined with upscale shops, cafés, and restaurants.
• Visit Lago di Sorapis (nearby), another one of the most stunning alpine lakes in the region.
• Explore the Cinque Torri, a dramatic rock formation with hiking trails and WWI history.
• Explore Olympic sites, visit some of the spots around town where the Olympics have been held and will be again soon.

Why Visit: Cortina is perfect for travelers who want adventure by day and refined dining and shopping by night. We recommend a rental car here as well, although you can get a bus here from Venice, once you’re here you could spend a few days just exploring this town and surrounding mountains, but if you wanted to go further, you’d have to either drive or take a tour, so a car makes it easier.

Olympic Ties:

5. Bassano del Grappa (Our Hidden Gem):

Best for: history, culture, and a gateway town to the Dolomites

Located south of the Dolomites, Bassano del Grappa offers a different but complementary experience. This historic town sits along the Brenta River and is rich in art, architecture, and mountain history. This is also our hidden gem, this less touristy town is definitely worth a visit. We stopped here straight from the Venice airport, on our way up to the Dolomites, it was pretty much on the way, and approx. 55 mins into the 3 hrs drive, so worked well as a lunch stop. Between the beauty, history, pretty piazzas, great good, gelato and of course the Grappa, it was well worth it! We had tried Grappa on a wine tasting tour we had done in Chianti on a previous trip and wanted to go to the source and try it again, this made for a fun stop.

If you’re visiting Venice, but not the Dolomites, you can make Bassano del Grappa into a day trip either through a tour or on your own by train, as well as from other cities in the Veneto region. This pretty town could also work as a base, if you wanted to explore the Veneto and the Prosecco Wine trail.

Things to do in Bassano del Grappa:

• Walk across the Ponte degli Alpini, a famous wooden bridge designed by Andrea Palladio.
• Visit the historic center, filled with medieval streets, piazzas, and frescoed buildings.
• Learn about World War I history, which is deeply connected to the surrounding mountains.
• Try local grappa, the town’s namesake spirit, at a traditional distillery.

 Why Visit: Bassano del Grappa makes an excellent stop before or after exploring the Dolomites, adding cultural depth to a mountain-focused journey. The scenery here is worth the stop, the beautiful wooden pedestrian bridge over the Brenta river with the Dolomites as the backdrop, wow!

6. References:

All this information, research and suggestions came from our own experiences we had while visiting this stunning, mountainous region of Italy.  As well, we spent countless hours reading travel books, like DK Eyewitness Travel, Italy and DK Eyewitness Travel, Back Roads, Northern & Central Italy and the Rick Steves Italy. We also read multiple Travel blogs and Italian tourism websites like, dolomites.org

7. The Wrap up:

These five towns show just how diverse the Dolomites region can be—from quiet alpine villages and postcard-perfect valleys to glamorous resorts and historic Italian towns. Whether you’re planning a Dolomites Road trip, a summer hiking adventure, or a winter ski holiday, each destination offers a unique way to experience one of Europe’s most beautiful regions. Great hiking for all fitness levels, amazing as a road trip with jaw dropping views around every corner, incredible skiing and scenery in the winter and a photographers dream destination!  

**Join our Mailing List and be the first to receive exclusive offers, notification of our newest Travel Blogs and our monthly Inspirational Newsletter! Join at the top of the page or through one of the pop ups on our website! **

Thank you,

Beth de Verteuil

From, Wild Meadow Studio

Where we help you, Focus on the Journey,

www.wildmeadowstudio.com