Welcome to the stunning mountainous region of the Italian Dolomites! In this post we will be discussing, places to stay, eat and enjoy life in this region! As well, we have a few local & general travel tips and recommendations, a local recipe and we’ll be talking the how, when, and why of one of our favourite Dolomite photos. For more information on some great hikes, beautiful Alpine towns not to miss, and a detailed 5-day itinerary, please check out our posts, “5 Great Hikes in the Dolomites with Incredible Views (easy to moderate)”, “5 Incredible Mountain Towns to Discover in the Italian Dolomites (Including 1 Hidden Gem Nearby)” and “A Peaceful Road Trip Through the Dolomites, 5-day Itinerary with Hikes, Alpine Towns & Breathtaking Scenery”. Let the planning begin!

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1. Places to Stay in the Dolomites:

Depending on how long you’re staying and how many people you’re travelling with, Airbnb or VRBO, might be right for you. They are great for anyone, but especially for groups or families as there is usually more space, with room to relax as a group and a kitchen. When we are looking for a place to stay, we check location, price, and reviews. We also use these trusted travel sites, www.expedia.ca and www.hotels.com. Here are some suggestions to see if any pique your interest, but there are a lot of accommodations in this region to choose from, so have some fun with it, if you start early there is no stress, just excitement in the process! Check out these below, some we’ve stayed in, have come highly recommended or have great views or features.

Home in Santa Cristina Valgardena (Apartment Terra, Chalet Insignis): This Airbnb is a 2-bedroom; 2-bathroom apartment located in the heart of Santa Cristina, a 2 mins walk to the Monte Pana chair lift, walkable to restaurants, cafes, shops, gelato, hikes, skiing, and there is a grocery store across the street. It has a 4.91 out of 5 rating, free Wi-Fi, full kitchen, living/dining, 2 really nice bathrooms, a free parking spot close to the front door, a balcony with an amazing view of the Sassolungo peak. The only thing it doesn’t have is a washing machine, but I think they do offer laundry service for a fee, if needed. This place is great for 2 couples or a family, we really enjoyed our time here, service from our host was also very good, we highly recommend.

Falkensteiner Hotel at Kronplatz – Wow, this place was amazing! We definitely splurged on it, but felt it was worth it. This is an alpine sanctuary, with heated pools, panoramic views, saunas, spa treatments, ski-in/ski-out access, a 10 mins walk to the chairlift that takes you up to the Kronplatz summit hike, a large gym, free valet parking, free WiFi, large outdoor areas with chairs or loungers with mountain views, half board included (free breakfast and dinner with afternoon snacks) We really enjoyed that, the buffet breakfast and afternoon snacks were amazing, as were the gourmet dinners. The days we were hiking they would pack us a picnic. The service here was incredible, we definitely felt pampered. If you can afford to splurge, we highly recommend. If you stay here, you would have to tweak the itinerary but would still be doable. Contact us for help.

Grand Hotel Savoia – Located at Via Roma 62 in Cortina d’Apezzo. They offer free WI-FI, Swimming pool, hot tub, fitness center, spa, Pets welcome, mountain views, non-smoking rooms, laundry service, free breakfast, free parking, great reviews, convenient location, walkable to lots of shops, restaurants and outdoor activities, another splurge. This is definitely a luxury hotel, it’s amazing, but expensive, don’t forget about looking at any points you might collect, like airmiles, aeroplan etc. you might be surprised how handy they could be.

192A Greva Apartments 2 – Located in the heart of Santa Cristina, walkable to the Monte Pana chairlift, hikes, restaurants, grocery store, shops and more. This studio apartment is in a new building, built in 2022, sleeps two, has a kitchen, washer, outdoor space, free Wifi, mountain views and more, plus reasonably priced. Would make a great base for your Dolomite adventure.

1014A Tito Apartments – Located in Ortisei, this 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom apartment has free Wifi, parking, full kitchen, washing machine, balcony with great views, pets allowed, it’s right in the village, so walkable to great amenities, restaurants, cafes, shops, the Seceda gondola, up to the Seceda Ridgeline Hike. It is also reasonably priced.

Outdoor seating, Santa Cristina

Hugo Spritz

Grappa in Bassano del Grappa

Views from the patio at L Fudlè

2. Places to Enjoy some great Food:

We typically don’t make reservations, unless there’s an activity included with the food, like a Show or a food tour or there is something really special about the food or location. We find that if you make reservations, it dictates the pace of your day. We like stopping when we’re hungry or when we see a place that piques our interest. That said, here are a few suggestions of what the Dolomites has to offer, some we enjoyed, and some come highly recommend! We do read reviews as well, we think it’s important, especially the negative ones to see what people are complaining about, but we’ve learned over the years to “take them with a grain of salt” not every restaurant can be perfect every time and some people just like to complain. We like to make sure there are more good reviews then bad and read what the issues are, sometimes it might be something that doesn’t concern us. This region has an Austro-Hungarian/German influence and is known for dishes like apple strudel, Kaiserschmarrn (shredded pancakes), spätzle, polenta with mushrooms, speck (meat), beet-filled pasta, goulash, stews and more.

L Fudlè – Located at Strada Dursan 86, open 10:00am to 11:30pm daily. This cozy alpine restaurant serves Italian, local cuisine, pizza’s, great desserts, and drinks (loved the Hugo Spritz). They have indoor and outdoor seating with a view. We had an all-around great experience here, relaxed atmosphere and delicious meal.

Local – located at Strada Dursan 37a, open 7:30am to 6:30pm every day, but closed on Sunday. This cute café specializes in local products, serving breakfast, snacks, charcuterie, yummy treats, aperitifs, and coffee & teas. They also sell local products like wines, jams, breads, speck (a local type of deli meat), treats and more. We enjoyed our relaxing time here.

Café Corso – Located at Via Rezia 76 in Ortisei, open Monday to Saturday 8:00am to 11:00pm and Sundays 9:00am to 11:00pm, has indoor and outdoor seating, serves a good selection of coffee, teas, spritzers, wines, beers, pizza, sandwiches, soups, charcuteries, sweet treats and gelato! We had lunch here on their patio and really enjoyed the atmosphere, meals and our gelato we took to go while we walked the old town.

Ristorante la Terrazza – Located on Via Roma, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, open 7:30 to 9:30pm every day, so great for supper, has great reviews for staff, food, experience and reasonably priced. They serve local homemade and Italian food that gives you an authentic taste of the Dolomites!

Il Vizietto di Cortina – Located at Corso Italia 53 in Cortina d’Ampezzo. Open every day from 12:00pm to 11:00PM. Very good reviews, and reasonably priced. They serve, seafood, locally inspired meals, meats, pasta, and more.

Crema & Cioccolato Gelato Shop – Located at Strada Dursan 113, in Santa Cristina, open every day from 7:00am to 8:00pm, perfect for your evening walk to pop in for a delicious gelato!

Despar – Located at Strada Dursan 3, on the main street in Santa Cristina, and open Monday to Saturday 8:00am to 7:00pm, closed on Sunday. Although this is not a restaurant, I decided to add this to the list as it’s a grocery store and if you have a kitchen or kitchenette, this might be a great place for you to pick up something for a dinner or two during your stay, it could save money and allow you to enjoy your accommodations. You could also pick up something for a quick breakfast or items for a picnic or snacks for your hikes. We did this a few times and were happy we did.

Taverna al Ponte – Located at Via Angarano 2 in Bassano del Grappa, open Wednesday to Sunday from 8:00am to 8:00pm, Monday they area closed and Tuesday 8:00am to 10:00pm. They are situated at the west side of the Ponte degli Alpini, (right at the end of the covered pedestrian bridge). This old tavern has wood paneled walls, indoor and outdoor seating, great sandwiches, charcuterie, cicchetti, bruschetta, spitzers, grappa and more, we had the sandwiches with a glass of grappa, was a fun experience. The only negative thing to this tavern is the fact that the washrooms have no toilet, it’s more of a hole in the floor. We gave it a shot, (figured, “when in Rome” or Grappa) but some may not want too, there are public washrooms you could use instead at Via Prato Santa Caterina 6, but make sure you always carry a few euros with you incase they charge to use the washrooms.

Outdoor seating with onion top church views

Alpine details

Charming Cortina d’Ampezzo

3. A Few helpful local tips, Recommendations and more:

Gas Stations:

Gas up before heading into the mountains: Fuel stations can be scarce, get gas or top up where or when you can. And be mindful that a lot of restaurants and shops close mid-afternoon, so have snacks on hand, especially if you’re hiking.

Choose the right Season:

Late June to September is best for hiking and scenic drives. July and August generally have the best weather, but the biggest crowds, while June and September still have decent temperatures, but are quieter. Winter months are great for skiing and snowshoeing and beautiful snowy scenery, but many roads and trails could be closed. Also worth noting, no matter the season, the mountain weather can change quickly, so pack layers, a rain jacket, and sun protection.

Rifugios:

One thing I really like about hiking in Italy is that they have Rifugios, which are basically cafes, some are inns as well, and they have washrooms. This makes your hiking experience that much better, knowing there are washrooms nearby, food, drinks or shelter if the weather changes, it’s a reassuring feeling, especially on the longer hikes. So, you could either pack a picnic lunch for your hikes or checkout one of the cafes at the Rifugios!

Tourist office:

One very helpful thing to do when you first get to any city is to check out their Tourism Office. If you’re staying in a hotel, they often have a rack with lots of brochures, tourism books, and maps, which is great and this might be all you need, but if you’re staying in a vacation home, they might not have as much information available, so locating your nearest tourism office is always a good idea. They can provide city maps, brochures on things to do, have information on tours and answer any questions you might have, making your stay more enjoyable. In the Dolomites there is a Tourist information office at Streda Chemun, 9 in Santa Cristina Gherdeina, open from Monday to Saturday from 8:00am to 12:00pm and 2:30pm to 6:00pm, Sunday from 9:30am to 12:00pm, check them out at valgardena.it or if you’re staying or visiting Cortina d’Ampezza there is one at Corso Italia 81, (the main shopping street) they are open from 9:00am to 1:00pm and 3:00pm to 7:00pm Monday to Saturday and 9:00am to 1:00pm on Sunday. Check them out at cortina.dolomiti.org. Both of these would also have information in on the whole region.

Using Points:

Whether it’s Airmiles, Aeroplan, hotel chains, or credit card points, collect them religiously and use them for travel!! We have stayed in some amazing places using points, some we normally wouldn’t have even looked at because of the price, we’ve used points for flights and rental cars too. They are so satisfying to use, but you have to get to know what is a good value and what isn’t. For example, if you’re using Airmiles for flights, the points cover the flight cost and you pay the taxes, so generally the taxes cost us in the range of $200, which is reasonable, but if we fly to Europe from Canada, the taxes were over $700, (we were told this was because their airport taxes were higher) we were shocked, it didn’t make sense to use the points for that, so you have to get to know how to best work you’re points, but once you do, you’ll be hooked!

Start your off Day Early:

Start your day off early, this will always be our suggestion! When we say early, we’re talking 6:30/7:00am, but we know that’s not for everyone, so just get started as early as you can and always keep in mind open/closing hours and open/closing days for the attractions that you really want to see. If there is something you really want a photo of without people in the shot, start there! For more information on the advantages of getting up early, check out our post “Three Significant Reasons to Get Up Early, while Travelling”.

Speaking the Language:

For some people speaking different languages comes easy and for some, it does not, I’m the latter. Although it’s not easy, we always make an effort to learn at least the pleasantries when we’re travelling. It’s one of our many favourite things to do! We also carry a language pocketbook with us, and we have google translate on our phones! We also like the free language app, Duolingo for some fun!

Phone service:

When travelling in Europe we use Hippocket Wifi, but they also service Canada and the United States. They are based in France, but you can simply order it online and they ship it directly to you 3-5 days before you leave for your trip. It comes with a small carrying case, charger, (including a car charger if needed) and an addressed, stamped return mailing envelope, so you simply drop it off in the mailbox at the airport before heading home. The great thing about this is that if you are traveling with other people, you can all use it and share in the cost. You can have up to 8-10 users at the same time. If you have multiple users, I recommend getting the unlimited options, as the 1GB/day option may not be enough. The unlimited works out to be approximately 7.00 to 9.00 euros per day, including all shipping. It’s a great option, check it out here!

**Any pricing, opening/closing hours and days listed here are as of Jan. 2026 and are subject to change, so be sure to check before you go. I like this website: for all your current information, dolomites.org.

4. Our Fav Photo(s) from our time in the Dolomites, Italy:

I know we say this a lot, but choosing our favourite photo from this stunning mountainous region was near impossible, but we narrowed it down and Braies Lake won out. This lake was truly spectacular, a turquoise alpine lake with rowboats and rustic boathouse with mountain reflections, what’s not to like. We arrived at Lago di Braies early, like 6:45am, from the parking lot walking towards the lake, your first views are of the boathouse with the mountains towering over the lake. We took advantage of this quiet time, by taking photos here first before heading out for our hike, we really wanted to capture the rich colours of the boathouse with the turquoise lake, the curvy line of rowboats leading off into the distance with the towering mountains and their reflections, there was so much we wanted to combine in one photo, but we did it and this was the result. As we followed the trail around the lake, the scenery changed, once we made it back around to where we started the crowds started pouring in, so we were happy we got there early. When you’re wanting to capture some beautiful scenery you’re enjoying, first take a minute to just soak it all in, then decide would it look better in landscape or portrait, what all do I want to include in the photo, would wide-angle look best or is there something in particular you want to zoom in on?( We’ve decided to add our fav photo in 2 different ways to see which you like best). Next, take a few photos, try taking it in both landscape and portrait, wide angel, and see what you prefer. Once you’ve found your perfect shot, go to edits, and click enhance and see if that’s enough to just bring out the colour, you can also play with filters, if needed or just deepen or brighten the photo. Just have fun with it and enjoy!

Kaiserschmarrn

5. One of Our Favourite Dolomites Recipes:

How to Make Kaiserschmarrn (A Shredded Pancake Dessert). Kaiserschmarrn is a beloved alpine comfort dish you’ll see on menus throughout the Dolomites, especially in cozy mountain huts. This fluffy, shredded pancake is lightly caramelized, dusted with powdered sugar, and best enjoyed after a long hike, Kaiserschmarrn feels like a well-earned reward – simple, rustic, and deeply tied to the region’s mountain culture.

Focus on the Journey!

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, dolomiti.org.

Falkenstreiner Hotel Kronplatz

Falkensteiner Hotel Kronplatz Entrance

7. The Wrap up:

We hope these tips and recommendations help you plan an amazing adventure filled with new experiences! Don’t forget to try new things, talk to the locals, indulge in traditional foods, people watch, enjoy nature, speak a little of the local language, but most of all, focus on the journey! Please comment, ask questions, give advice, join our mailing list, like, follow, pin, share with friends, anything goes, let’s talk travel!

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Thank you,

From, Wild Meadow Studio

By: Beth de Verteuil

Where we Focus on the Journey,

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Tips & Recommendations, Your Travel Guide to the Italian Dolomites!

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