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The Dolomites

Italy

By Yes Mom I'm Alive

Honeymoon Part 2

After a week in Switzerland, our honeymoon continued onto Italy.

Most couples spend their honeymoon in Italy sunbathing on Mediterranean beaches, riding gondolas around the canals of Venice, or wine-tasting in Tuscany. For our honeymoon in Italy, Jeff and I hiked for 10 days and slept in separate bunk beds. Che romantico, no?

Our original plan was to hike the 75-mile Alta Via 1 route through the Dolomites, but despite planning our trip eight months in advance, we found most of the rifugios were booked! We decided instead to create our own unique route through the Dolomites, breaking up the hiking into three distinct parts. We started with this 3-day, 30-mile section of the Alta Via 1, hiking south from Rifugio Dibona to Passo Giau.

This trip took place in July 2019, prior to COVID-19 travel restrictions. Thank you for not traveling during the pandemic.

Day 1: To Rifugio Dibona

We arrived to Rifugio Dibona by taxi from the winsome town of Cortina d'Ampezzo. After checking into our bunk room, we went to the rifugio's small restaurant and joined a mix of thru-hikers, via ferrata climbers, and sinewy cyclists in carbo-loading for the next day in the mountains. While not as heavily trafficked as other rifugios on the Alta Via 1, Rif. Dibona's food was the best we had in Italy.

The Dolomites

The Dolomites

The Dolomites

The Dolomites

The Dolomites

DAY 2: DIBONA TO LAGAZUOI

The next morning we slung on our packs, extended our hiking poles, and headed out the front door for our first day of hiking in the Dolomites.

We started out on an old military road traversing along the base of the Tofana di Rozes and overlooking the Valle d'Ampezzo.

The Dolomites

The Dolomites

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The Dolomites

THE ALPINE FRONT

After an hour or so of hiking, we came across our first evidence of the Austro–Italian front. During World War I this area of the Dolomites served as the central front between the Austrian and Italian soldiers. When Italy entered the war in 1915, the Austro-Hungarian troops retreated to the high mountain peaks to use as strategic lookouts. For three years the soldiers maintained the front at 9000' and beyond, enduring horrible winters with heavy snowfall, -40C temperatures, and deadly avalanches. Both armies built several fortifications and a complex of tunnels within the mountains for shelter and defense.

Along the trail we saw the ruins of an old hospital, artillery shells, barbed wires, and the stone trench mazes.

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The Dolomites

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The Dolomites

FORCELLA COL DEI BOS

After a few miles we reached Forcella Col dei Bos and we continued west on Trail No. 401. In the near distance, perched atop Monte Lagazuoi at 9028', was our shelter for the night.

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The Dolomites

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The Dolomites

The Dolomites

The Dolomites

RIFUGIO LAGAZUOI

After a final push up a late season snowfield, we arrived to a large viewing deck crowded with day hikers and visitors who sensibly skipped the 2200' climb by taking a cable car. We elbowed our way to the only open table and ordered lunch: a beer for Jeff, an aperol spritz for me, and an Austrian dish called kaiserschmarrn (a pancake scramble with rum-soaked raisins and diced apples) to split.

The Dolomites

The Dolomites

The Dolomites

The Dolomites

PICCOLO SUMMIT

After lunch we walked around the plateau to the summit of Monte Lagazuoi Piccolo. We spotted more artifacts of the war, including entrances to the tunnel system running below our feet.

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The Dolomites

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The Dolomites

AFTERNOON STORM

Like clockwork, at 1 p.m. the afternoon thunderstorm started with a low rumble. We watched the clouds build and darken in the surrounding valleys. When they started to head our way, we retreated to the rifugio's cozy bunk room to read and doze and we waited out the storm.

The Dolomites

IN RAINBOWS

When the storm passed, a vivid rainbow arced over the valley and drew everyone out from the bunk rooms to the viewing deck.

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The Dolomites

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The Dolomites

DINNER AT LAGAZUOI

We had hardly digested lunch when we were called inside to dinner. We gathered with the other overnight hikers at a large communal table and enjoyed a multi-course meal of tagliatelle al capriolo, casunziei, and sachertorte. I wasn't particularly hungry but that didn't stop me from eating every bite.

The Dolomites

The Dolomites

SUNSET AT LAGAZUOI

After dinner we put on a warm layer and returned to Lagazuoi Piccolo's summit for panoramic views of the long, unhurried golden hour.

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The Dolomites

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DAY 3: LAGAZUOI – NUVOLAU

The next morning we opted to hike down to Passo Falzarego via the Lagazuoi tunnels, built within the mountain during World War I by Italian soldiers in an attempt to rustle the Austrians off the mountain.

The tunnels were dark with only the occasional window outlet for relief from the claustrophobic corridors. The rock-cut stairs were uneven and slick, making for a pretty uncomfortable 2200' descent.

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The Dolomites

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The Dolomites

PASSO FALZAREGO

Jeff and I reached the valley floor at Passo Falzergo and craned our necks up to see where we just came from. We took a quick rest to shake out our knees before beginning the demoralizing task of regaining all the elevation we just lost on the other side of the valley!

The Dolomites

TO RIFUGIO NUVOLAU

As we started up the other side of the valley, the sky turned gray and it began to rain. The afternoon storm was early.

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The Dolomites

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The Dolomites

RAINCHECK

Within a mile from our final destination, we heard the first rumble of thunder and the rain turned torrential. We huddled under a nearby rifugio with a half-dozen other hikers, hoping the storm would pass long enough for us to scramble up the last 500' to our final destination for the day.

Alas, after 20 minutes of standing in the cold we gave up and headed inside Rifugio Avenau to warm up over lunch.

The Dolomites

The Dolomites

The Dolomites

CAUGHT IN THE STORM

When we thought the storm abated, we headed out to finish the 500' climb to Rifugio Nuvolau, our final destination for the day. The rifugio sits atop Monte Nuvolau, completely exposed on all sides – which makes it the last place you want to be during a thunder storm.

Yet that's exactly where we found ourselves, scrambling up the peak's rocky flank as the temperamental clouds roll back our way. We sprinted the last hundred feet until we reached the rifugio's front door, where we were ushered inside by the host.

We were drying off by the rifguio's wood stove when we heard a loud CRACK! The room went black.

A second later, a woman and a young girl burst through the front door. The woman collapsed on the floor of the rifugio's entrance, wailing and screaming over and over "My husband! My son!"

The host ran outside and a minute later returned, pulling inside a man and a teenage boy. Everyone was safe, albeit shaken.

Later around the dinner table – after power was restored to the rifugio and everyone was a good few drinks in – the family told us what happened: The mother was just a few yards away from the rifugio when a lightning bolt hit the rifugio's generator shed and cut the rifugio's power. In the dense clouds and chaos the mother could not see her husband or son behind her; all she could do was grab her daughter and rush inside to shelter. There were many toasts made to our brave rifugio hosts that night.

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The Dolomites

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The Dolomites

THE CALM AFTER THE STORM

After a delicious multi-course dinner of polenta, salsiccia, and frutta fresca, we went outside to see what the clouds had been hiding all day.

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The Dolomites

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The Dolomites

CINQUE TORRI

Due to the early storm, we had to skip the detour hike to Cinque Torrie (Five Towers), but fortunately the peculiar rock cluster was visible from atop Nuvolau – as was everything else in Valle d'Ampezzo.

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The Dolomites

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The Dolomites

SUNSET AT NUVOLAU

When the light show was over, we tucked into a small attic room with eight other hikers, sleeping in a row of twin beds pushed together – our most romantic night of our honeymoon yet!

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The Dolomites

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The Dolomites

DAY 4: NUVOLAU – GIAU

We woke up the next morning to the smell of eggs, speck, and coffee being prepared in the kitchen downstairs. I put on my camping slippers and took a lap outside to stretch and enjoy the warm morning sun.

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TO PASSO GIAU

As hard as it was to leave, we headed out immediately after breakfast as we had a bus to catch back to town. Fortunately our final segment of the Alta Via 1 was quite short – just under 2 miles.

Once we climbed down the rocky slopes of Monte Nuvolau, the trail eased pleasantly through rolling green hills dotted with charming alpine chateaus.

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The Dolomites

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The Dolomites

PASSO GIAU

We reached the pass with just enough time to enjoy a cappuccino on the sunny patio of the hotel while watching cyclists huff up the windy pass. I took a quick sprint up the hillside on the other side to get a full view of the pass and Monte Nuvolau behind it, returning just in time to scoop up my pack and jump on the bus with Jeff to head back to Cortina.

Our hike along the Alta Via 1 ended at Passo Giau. We returned to town for a night before heading northeast for our next hike: the Tre Cime di Lavaredo Loop.

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ITINERARY

DAY ONE

Fly into Venice Marco Polo Airport

Catch the ATVO bus north to Cortina d'Ampezzo (2 hrs)

Check into Hotel Pontejel

Carboload at Restaurante 5 Torri

DAY TWO

Enjoy the all-you-can-eat breakfast at the hotel

Stock up on trail snacks at the local supermarket La Cooperativa

Hail a taxi to Rifugio Dibona (15 mins); check-in for the night

Order lunch and an afternoon espresso in the rifugio's cozy cafe. Spend the afternoon hiking around the base of the Tofana di Rozes.

Sit for the pre-fixed delicious 4-course rustic dinner (included with board)

Prepare your packs for the next day and turn in early

DAY THREE

Wake up before 7 a.m. Head into the dining room for a continental breakfast

Hike west towards Monte Lagazuoi (6.8 miles, 2200'; 3.5 hrs)

Arrive at Rifugio Lagazuoi check-in

Grab lunch and enjoy it on the large viewing deck

Walk to the summit of Monte Lagazuoi Piccolo

Sit for a 4-course dinner (included with board)

Squeeze in for a spot on the viewing deck or return to the summit for a panoramic sunset

DAY FOUR

Fuel up at the rifugio breakfast buffet

Continue on the Alta Via 1 (8.4 miles; 3.5 hrs). Begin by hiking down to Passo Falzarego via the galleria tunnel (2200' descent; 1.5 hrs).

Upon reaching Passo Falzarego begin the ascent to Rifugio Nuvolau (2950' elevation gain) via Path 441

At Rifugio Averau, take a detour to Cinque Torri (15 mins one-way)

Return to Averau and continue up the peak to Rifugio Nuvolau (500'; 25 mins); check-in upon arrival.

Warm by the fire and exchange hiking stories with fellow guests in the cozy dining room

Enjoy the 360° view of sunset across the Valle d'Ampezzo

DAY FIVE

Wake early and have a quick breakfast

Hike down to Passo Giau (2 miles, 1100' descent; 1 hr)

Catch the Dolomiti Bus to Cortina d'Ampezzo (40 mins; 10 euros)

Upon return to town, check back into Hotel Pontejel

DAY SIX

The trip continues to Tre Cime di Lavaredo and Seceda – story coming soon!

The Dolomites

ADVICE

HIKING ROUTES

I recommend buying Gillian Price's Trekking in the Dolomites if you are doing the Alta Via 1 or 2, or Walking in the Dolomites if you are interested in other multi-day routes.

LODGING

Book your stay in rifugios well in advance. We started making reservations in January for our July trip and most rifugios were already booked. However, we suspect most rifugios were booked by tour companies who would later release the beds when their tours did not fill. There were one or two rifugios we gambled on, booking one bed and praying a second bed would open later on – and one always did. If you can, I recommend booking a year in advance, or be willing to be flexible on your mileage or trail path.

TRANSPORTATION

We opted to get around The Dolomites by bus, with a few assists from taxis when bus schedules were incompatible with our plans. While we missed out on having more flexibility by renting a private car, we found buses reliable enough and inexpensive. The summer bus schedule is not posted until the late spring; you may need to plan your trip in advance without knowing precise bus times. We bought all bus tickets in advance at the Cortina Autostazione.

LANGUAGE

After the Austrian-Hungary Empire was dismantled in 1919, a large section of the Dolomites was absorbed into Italy. German-speaking residents of the Southern Tyrol were forced to either relocate to Austria or adopt new Italian names. Still today the region's towns are fairly segregated between German-speaking and Italian-speaking Italians.

As a result, almost all of the rifugios and towns have two or three names: An Italian name, a German name, and a Ladin (an ancient Roman language) name. This makes for some pretty challenging trip planning – it took me the longest time to realize the town of Ortesei was the same town as St. Ulrich, for example.

BUDGET

For what we got out of our stays in the rifugios, we found The Dolomites quite affordable! A night in a rifugios costs between 45–65 euros per person for a bunk room and breakfast. Dinner and a to-go lunch is usually a separate cost. The quality of the food at each rifugio was exceptional and well-worth the board price in my opinion.

We saved costs by taking buses whenever possible, hiking instead of using lifts or funiculas, staying in shared bunk rooms instead of privates, and staying in budget hotels when in-town.

EAT

The food in the Dolomiti region is a mix of traditional Italian and Austrian cuisine – and it is delicious. Some of our favorite regional drinks and dishes were:

Aperol spritz: An ubiquitous, refreshing and bitter apertivo
Canederli: Large Italian dumpling often served in broth
Kaiserschmarren: Shredded pancake with fruits and rum-soaked raisins
Polenta: Maize accompaniment served hot or cold
Spatzel tirolesi: Italian version of spätzle; green pasta made with spinach, eggs and flour, tossed in a heavy cream sauce often with speck
Speck: A salted, spiced, and dried ham, often served at breakfast
Tagliatelle: Broad pasta often served with a ragú made from pork

QUESTIONS?

Send me an email at yesmomimalive@gmail.com

© 2026 Yes Mom I'm Alive

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