We began our 2024 Summer EuroTrip (about two months of extended travel) in the Dolomite Mountains of northeastern Italy, meeting up with dear friends who were spending time there on their family vacation. We started planning this trip about nine months in advance, as there are many regions within the Dolomites and can seem overwhelming to decide where to focus your time. Practically speaking, and depending on how many days you have, it’s advisable to stay in 1-2 of the “hub” or “home base” cities/towns and focus on the activities, hiking, etc. around the area. Although the distances appear short on Google Maps, the roads through much of the Dolomites are quite windy, steep, narrow (typically only two lanes, one each way) and take time to traverse. Just a few of the main options for “hubs” include: Bolzano; Ortisei/Sankt Ulrich/Val Gardena; San Vigilio; San Martino di Castrozza; Corvara; Alleghe; Cortina d’Ampezzo; and San Candido. Each region may have varying amounts of amenities/services, crowd levels depending on the season, and different vibes, but after spending time in two regions on this trip, I’m convinced you can’t really go wrong. The scenery is majestic, with no shortage of opportunities to explore nature and engage in various activities depending on your interests, and it’s pretty difficult to find a bad Italian meal!
After much research talking to many previous visitors to the Dolomites and in the family travel groups in Facebook, we decided to focus on two regions for this 1-week trip: Alleghe/Cortina, with a hub in Colle Santa Lucia (4 nights) and San Candido (3 nights).
Colle Santa Lucia
We stayed in a family-friendly Airbnb called Casa Tie. The house had been divided into two apartments which share a common entryway, but each apartment had two bedrooms, a living/dining area, and kitchen. The view from the backyard was just stunning and the kids were able to easily and safely play outside.
Some of the highlights in the region that we enjoyed:
- Lagazuoi Mountain: this can be reached by cable car and there is a rifugio at the top for beverages and meals. The mountain is known for housing old WWI tunnels, but these provided quite treacherous and difficult to hike to with small children. If prepared with the proper gear (warm layers, hat, gloves, etc. — it’s COLD up there) you can explore a few guided paths and overlooks, or attempt a more ambitious hike in the area.
- Cinque Torri: Not far from Lagazuoi you can visit the Cinque Torri mountains with five distinctive towers, visible from many viewpoints.
- Lago Coldai: Embarking from Alleghe via two gondola rides, this nature preserve and park area provides many options to hike and explore. Our friends eventually made it to Lago Coldai but that was a steep, ambitious hike of 5-6 hours roundtrip. We did part of that hike and then turned around to enjoy traditional lunch at Chalet Col dei Baldi.
- Passo Giau: hiking area with several kid-friendly paths, expansive 360 valley views on a clear day (if you’re lucky enough to catch good weather), and other amenities. There is also a nearby malga which sells local products, serves meals, and where kids can check out the farm animals.
- Alleghe: the town itself is quite small but you can walk around part or all of the lake, and at two points there are playgrounds with adjacent cafes.
- Restaurants in Colle Santa Lucia:
- Pizzeria Ristorante Fursil: Easy, delicious pizzas and other menu options right in town
- Belvedere Grill Bar: Tasty grilled meats and other local specialties with incredible valley views
- Chiosco Bar da Silver: casual drinks and snacks with a view
San Candido
We stayed at Post Alpina, a family-friendly resort part of the kinderhotel network in the northeast corner of the Dolomites, very close to the Austrian border. This is a stunning property and one of the best hotels we’ve ever stayed at. Although we’ve stayed at a lot of properties which could be considered family-friendly (e.g. with childcare or kids clubs, playgrounds, pools, and various amenities for families), Post Alpina, and I think kinderhotels more generally, are different. This is a concept where facilities, amenities, and services are designed to please kids of all ages and adults in all aspects of the holistic experience, designed this way from the outset, not as an after-thought. A few examples are the two-bedroom chalets with bunkbeds for kids, while the parents can sleep on the second floor in a separate suite; a Kids Club with drop-in hours 9am-10pm, onsite playgrounds and activity areas; pool toys galore, and kid-size bathrobes; kid food stations at the breakfast buffet where they can serve themselves with right-sized flatware, plates, and bowls; and more.
Highlights from the San Candido region:
- Lago Di Braies: jaw-dropping alpine lake with family-friendly walking path nearly all the way around (one portion was closed during our visit), accessible by car or public bus from San Candido. Plenty of hikes from here.
- Lago di Dobbiaco: another lovely lake with an encircled walking path, boat rides, restaurants, and more.
- 3 Zinnen Family Parks: we were thrilled to sample this network of family parks (Mount Elmo/Helm, Haunold/Baranci) where you can take gondolas/lifts up the mountain and then enjoy playgrounds, family-friendly trails, activities like a Funbob self-controlled mountain coaster down a track, bouncy houses, summer toboggan, and many more amenities.
- San Candido town: pedestrian-friendly and cute to explore, though I’d recommend staying just outside the center to enjoy more of nature. There’s a well-stocked, nice grocery store in central San Candido for picking up picnic provisions and snacks.
- We also enjoyed two excellent, reasonable dinners at Pizzeria Ristorante Helmhotel, a short walk down the hill from Post Alpina.
General Tips/Lessons Learned for the Dolomites
- Be prepared for weather changes at a moment’s (or no) notice. Even in late June it got very chilly at higher altitudes and it rained at least once most days. Thankfully we kept raincoats and changes of clothes with us.
- When mapping distances on Google Maps, keep in mind that these are two-lane, extremely windy and steep roads. Although the driving times may seem modest (40-50 minutes) between some towns or regions, for the driver this is draining because you have to be on constant alert for oncoming cars, car behind you trying to pass, or turning off for viewpoints or other sites.
- To that end, don’t rush your time here or try to cover too much ground. Pick a “hub” or “home base” and enjoy the nature, hikes, activities, and restaurants that region has to offer. It’s also pretty hard to find a bad Italian meal here!
