Discover Italy’s Dolomites Through the Eyes of Some Locals

Our plans weren’t geared for the extreme adventure that many seek when visiting this mountain venue. Our goal was simply to see the magnificent mountains and towns that our friends had fallen in love with, and to have a different type of experience in Italy.

A three-hour drive from the Venice airport on winding mountain roads put us in Badia close to midnight, so it was not until the next morning that the most spectacular view met our gaze from the terrace of our room at the Badia Hill Hotel. Contemporary in design, with a rooftop pool and spa, as well as delicious food and warm hospitality, the hotel is a hidden gem.

Above The Dolomites loom above the hotel’s swimming pool.

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The Dolomites are sometimes called the “Kingdom of the Pale Mountains,” and the magnesium-rich limestone mountains stand guard over—and contrast with—pastures so green they look like richly colored oil paintings. Previously Austrian territory, the Dolomites saw front-line battles during World War I. They became part of Italy in 1919, following the Treaty of St. Germain. The region is called the South Tyrol, and interestingly, all posted signs throughout the Dolomites are printed in three languages: German, Italian and Ladin, the traditional language of the area that 20,000 people still speak. In 2009, UNESCO deemed the Dolomites a World Heritage Site. The most well-known city in the region, Cortina, was the venue for the 1956 Winter Olympics, and will again host the Games in 2026, in partnership with Milan.

In winter, the area is a skier’s paradise; in summer, a giant playground for hikers and cyclists. With the advantage of having locals (our friends) as guides, we explored at our leisure. Our first mountain experience took us up the Piz La Ila gondola, near the town of Corvara. Here we admired the vast scale of the mountain range, the brilliant greenery, and the blankets of multicolored wildflowers—and envied the contentment of what must be the happiest cows in the world.

We wandered the endless trails, stopping for lunch at one of the many gourmet rifugios that dot the mountaintops. These family-owned mountain huts serve hikers and mountain bikers, and offer some of the best food in the region. Wine flows while visitors enjoy the views, dining on pizza and pasta served alongside delicious spinach or beetroot dumplings, grilled meats, polenta with melted cheese, and the sweet pancakelike kaiserschmarrn dessert, an Austrian favorite.

Above One of the delicious dishes served at the Badia Hill Hotel.

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Our second day’s hike took us to a more secluded location near the Armentara Meadows in San Leonardo, thanks to a tip from the owner of a Badia bakery/cafe called Dolci di Ricky. While we enjoyed her yummy homemade pastries, Veronica gave us directions to reach the mountaintop destination, a favorite of locals. We passed only two other hikers while on this isolated wooded trail.

A spa day at the historic five-star Adler Hotel in the lovely town of Ortisei in the Val Gardena (a 30-minute drive from Badia) was another terrific experience. For about $200 per person, we enjoyed a spa treatment, lunch, and unlimited access to the hotel’s world-class pools, saunas, steam rooms and salt cave.

In retrospect, given the daunting extent of the Dolomites, planning our trip might have been overwhelming without the help of our friends. But the region offers some excellent online resources, such as dolomites.org and altabadia.org. Be prepared for constantly changing mountain weather and steep mountain roads with hairpin turns. Most of all, come prepared to witness Mother Nature’s brilliance in all its mountainous and verdant glory.