A Week in the Dolomites

The Dolomites are only a few hours from home, yet every visit feels like stepping into a completely different world. No matter how many times I return, the dramatic peaks, flower-filled meadows, and endless mountain views never lose their magic. We visited in early June, before the busy summer season, and I honestly think it's one of the best times to experience this part of Italy. The trails are quieter, the alpine flowers are in full bloom, and it's much easier to enjoy the mountains without the crowds.

Dolomiti so od doma oddaljeni le nekaj ur vožnje, a se mi zdi, kot da ob vsakem obisku stopiva v povsem drug svet. Ne glede na to, kolikokrat jih obiščeva, naju mogočni vrhovi, cvetoči travniki in neskončni razgledi vedno znova navdušijo. Tokrat sva jih obiskala v začetku junija, še pred glavno poletno sezono, in mislim, da je to eden najlepših obdobij za obisk. Poti so precej bolj mirne, gorsko cvetje je v polnem razcvetu, gore pa lahko doživiš veliko bolj umirjeno.

Seiser Alm

Our first day was dedicated to exploring Seiser Alm, Europe's largest high-alpine meadow.

We took the cable car up to the plateau before setting off on a longer circular walk with only gentle elevation changes. In early June, the meadows are covered in colourful alpine flowers, while the trails wind through lush green pastures with spectacular views of the surrounding Dolomite peaks. Scattered wooden alpine huts complete the landscape and make it feel almost too picturesque to be real.

The combination of rolling meadows, rugged limestone peaks, and peaceful walking paths made it the perfect introduction to our week in the Dolomites.

Prvi dan sva namenila raziskovanju Seiser Alm, največjega visokogorskega travnika v Evropi.

Na planoto sva se povzpela z žičnico, nato pa se podala na daljšo krožno pot brez večjih vzponov. V začetku junija travnike prekrije pisano alpsko cvetje, poti pa se vijejo med zelenimi pašniki z razgledi na okoliške dolomitske vrhove. Poseben čar pokrajini dajejo lesene planinske koče, raztresene po prostranih travnikih.

Kombinacija valovitih travnikov, mogočnih apnenčastih sten in mirnih poti je bila popoln začetek najinega tedna v Dolomitih.

Vallunga

The following day had a completely different feel.

Vallunga Valley immediately stood out for its peace and quiet. The trail follows a mountain stream through green meadows beneath towering cliffs before opening onto a wide alpine meadow. We continued further along the valley until we reached a small waterfalls.

One of the things I loved most about Vallunga was the abundance of larch trees. I couldn't help imagining how beautiful the valley must be in autumn, when the needles turn brilliant shades of gold.

Naslednji dan je bil popolno nasprotje prejšnjega.

Dolina Vallunga naju je navdušila predvsem s svojo spokojnostjo. Pot ves čas poteka ob gorskem potoku, med zelenimi travniki in mogočnimi skalnimi stenami, nato pa se odpre na široko gorsko jaso. Midva sva nadaljevala še nekoliko dlje, vse do manjših slapov.

Posebej so me navdušili številni macesni. Ves čas sem razmišljala, kako čudovita mora biti dolina jeseni, ko se obarvajo v značilne zlatorumene odtenke.

Santa Maddalena

From the peaceful valley, we continued to one of the most photographed locations in the Dolomites.

Santa Maddalena is famous for one of the region's most iconic views. The small church, rolling green meadows, and the dramatic Odle peaks create a scene that has become almost synonymous with the Dolomites.

It wasn't surprising that it was already quite busy in early June. Since neither of us enjoys crowded viewpoints all that much, we stayed just long enough to admire the scenery before continuing our journey.

Iz mirne doline sva se odpravila do ene najbolj prepoznavnih razglednih točk v Dolomitih.

Santa Maddalena slovi po enem najbolj ikoničnih razgledov v celotnem gorovju. Majhna cerkvica, valoviti travniki in mogočni vrhovi Odle ustvarjajo prizor, ki ga želi ujeti skoraj vsak obiskovalec.

Ni presenetljivo, da je bilo že v začetku junija tukaj precej ljudi. Ker nama množice niso najbolj pri srcu, sva se po krajšem postanku hitro odpravila naprej.

Passo delle Erbe & Piccolo Sass di Putia
After the crowds, it felt wonderful to return to quieter trails.
Passo delle Erbe is one of the less-visited mountain passes in the Dolomites, and during our visit there were only a handful of hikers. A light drizzle drifted across the mountains, giving the landscape an even more atmospheric feel. Looking back, this may well have been my favourite hike of the entire trip.
From the pass, we followed a circular trail and made a short detour to the summit of Piccolo Sass di Putia. We ended up spending far longer there than planned, simply watching the birds, which seemed completely unfazed by people.
The trail is beautiful from start to finish, winding through flower-filled meadows with panoramic views of the surrounding peaks. Somewhere along the way we stopped for a coffee with a view, and it's hard to imagine a better place for a break.
Po precej obiskanih razglednih točkah nama je še posebej prijal naslednji pohod.
Passo delle Erbe je eden manj obiskanih prelazov v Dolomitih. Med najinim obiskom je bilo le nekaj pohodnikov, rahlo je rosilo, meglice pa so pokrajini dale še poseben čar. Če pogledam nazaj, je bil to verjetno moj najljubši pohod celotnega tedna.
S prelaza sva se odpravila na krožno pot in se približno na polovici povzpela še na Piccolo Sass di Putia. Na vrhu sva ostala precej dlje, kot sva načrtovala, saj sva opazovala ptice, ki se ljudi skoraj nič ne bojijo.
Celotna pot ponuja čudovite razglede na cvetoče travnike in okoliške vrhove. Vmes sva si privoščila še kavo z razgledom – težko bi si predstavljala lepši kraj za kratek oddih.

Passo Giau

For the second half of our trip, we moved closer to Passo Giau, which turned out to be the perfect base for exploring this part of the Dolomites.

Za drugi del potovanja sva se preselila proti Passo Giau, ki se je izkazal za odlično izhodišče za raziskovanje tega dela Dolomitov.

Lago delle Baste

The hike to Lago delle Baste isn't particularly long, but we were constantly distracted by the scenery. Along the way, we spotted several marmots, making the walk even more enjoyable. The peaceful surroundings invited us to slow down, so we stopped for a snack while taking in the mountain views.

Pot do Lago delle Baste ni posebej dolga, a sva jo zaradi čudovite okolice prehodila precej počasneje, kot sva načrtovala. Med potjo sva opazila kar nekaj svizcev, zato je bil pohod še toliko bolj zanimiv. Ker je okolica izjemno mirna, sva si tukaj privoščila krajši postanek in malico z razgledom.

Lago Federa

Since the trail had been relatively easy so far, we decided to continue to Rifugio Croda da Lago, beautifully located beside Lake Federa. The calm surface of the lake reflected the surrounding peaks like a mirror, creating one of the most picturesque scenes of the entire trip. During our visit, the meadows around the lake were covered in alpine flowers, giving the landscape an almost fairytale-like atmosphere.

Ker pohod do sem ni bil posebej zahteven, sva nadaljevala še do Rifugio Croda da Lago, ki stoji tik ob jezeru Federa. Mirna gladina jezera je kot ogledalo odsevala okoliške vrhove in ustvarjala enega najlepših prizorov celotnega potovanja. Med najinim obiskom so bili travniki okoli jezera polni cvetočega gorskega cvetja, ki je pokrajini dodalo skoraj pravljičen pridih.

Lago di Limides & Rifugio Averau

Our final day began with a short hike to Lago di Limides.

Although the lake is small, its location makes it incredibly photogenic. On a calm day, the surrounding peaks are perfectly reflected in the water, making it one of those places where stopping for a few photos feels almost inevitable.

From the lake, we continued along the shaded side of the mountain towards Rifugio Averau, before making one last climb to a nearby summit.

Zadnji dan dopusta sva začela s krajšim pohodom do Lago di Limides.
Čeprav je jezero majhno, je zaradi svoje lege eno najbolj fotogeničnih v tem delu Dolomitov. Ob mirnem vremenu se v njegovi gladini popolno zrcalijo okoliški vrhovi, zato je tukaj fotoaparat skoraj nemogoče pustiti v nahrbtniku.
Od jezera sva pot nadaljevala po senčni strani hriba proti Rifugio Averau, nato pa se povzpela še na bližnji vrh.

Nuvolau

The summit of Nuvolau rewarded us with one of the most breathtaking panoramas of the entire week. Endless mountain ranges stretched across the horizon, while the famous Cinque Torri stood proudly just below us.

We spent quite a while sitting near the mountain hut, enjoying the silence, soaking in the views, and appreciating just how incredible the Dolomites are. It was the perfect way to end an unforgettable week in the mountains.

Z vrha Nuvolau se odpre eden najlepših razgledov celotnega tedna. Pogled sega daleč čez mogočne dolomitske vrhove, tik pod nama pa se dvigajo znameniti Cinque Torri.

Pri koči sva si vzela daljši odmor, uživala v tišini in opazovala gore, ki so se razprostirale na vse strani. Težko bi si predstavljala lepši zaključek tedna v Dolomitih.

Every hike offered something different, flower-filled meadows, peaceful valleys, crystal-clear mountain lakes, and unforgettable panoramic views. Visiting in early June allowed us to experience the Dolomites at a slower pace, before the busiest part of the season. Most of all, mountains and alpine flowers are truly the perfect combination.

Vsak pohod nama je ponudil nekaj drugačnega, od cvetočih travnikov in mirnih dolin do kristalno čistih gorskih jezer ter nepozabnih razgledov. Obisk v začetku junija nama je omogočil, da sva Dolomite doživela precej bolj umirjeno, še preden jih preplavijo poletne množice. Predvsem pa, hribi in gorsko cvetje so popolna kombinacija.