Travel Guide: Italian Dolomites and Switzerland (European Alps)

travel

Jan 18

We all know and love The Alps. The beautiful mountain range that joins multiple countries across Europe, and provides some of the best hiking, skiing, and views in the world. A place guaranteed to make you feel small. If you have the opportunity to go, hopefully this blog will convince you to make the trip. I’ve separated this blog into two parts: (1) Italian Apls (Dolomites) and (2) Swiss Alps.

ITALIAN ALPS (DOLOMITES)

We split this part of the trip up into two different locations. The first town in Italy we visited was Ortisei (Urtijëi), and the second town we stayed in was Cortina d'Ampezzo. They were about an hour and a half drive from each other, connected by one of the most beautiful roads I’ve been on in my life. There’s so much to see and do in the Dolomites that splitting up the trip was the best option in order to get the most out of all of our activities! I would highly recommend doing it the same way.

WHERE WE STAYED

Urtijëi / Ortisei: Casa Al Sole

Newly renovated bed and breakfast owned by an amazing family that’s incredibly helpful, welcoming, and provides wonderful meals! It’s walking distance from many spots in town, and they also provided us complimentary bus tickets that allowed us to travel between hikes free of charge! We loved our experience here.

Cortina d'Ampezzo: Hotel Villa Aplina

A great, quiet hotel just a few-minute walk from the town center. The rooms are full of beautiful wood and a modern look. We had a room off the back that had a stunning view of the mountains. Would stay here again in a heartbeat!

HIKES AND VIEWPOINTS (DOLOMITES)

You have no idea what magic you are about to see. The mountains and hikes in the Dolomites are unlike anywhere in the world. Multiple of these places made my jaw drop to the floor, and left me feeling all the emotions.

The best part of the Alps are little cabins called Rifugios spread out across the mountain range. They’re small buildings scattered across the mountains that typically would accommodate travelers in the area that provide meals, drinks, good company, and sometimes a place to sleep. They can only be accessed typically by hiking, climbing ,or skiing. Think of it as a cabin-style restaurant, a spot to grab a beer halfway through your hike, and a place to take in the beautiful views.

Here’s a look into the hikes and Rifugios we were able to make it to:

Alpe di Siusi (Ortisei): One of the most beautiful meadows in the world. Rolling green hills lead up to a pine forest and are followed by dramatic rocky mountains. We took the St. Ulrich Seiser Alm gondola round trip from Ortisei. It was a bit spendy, but such an easy trip right from town. Make sure to check what time the gondola closes so you have enough time to explore the area. We didn’t have a ton of time, but we were able to hike over to the Malga Contrin Rifugio for a beer and a spectacular view!

View from the Seceda trail hike en route to Rifugio Firenze

Seceda Ridgeline & Hike (Ortisei): Absolutely do this if you are in the area. We were the first ones on the Furnes Seceda Gondola up to the ridgeline (also very spendy but worth it). We made it just after sunrise which allowed for some incredible mountain light and not too many people. This place can’t be described in words, the beauty is incomparable! From there, we walked along this trail that is probably the most beautiful path I will ever walk in my life. The extreme mountain views are constantly changing, there was nobody in sight, and the hike is all downhill. We also stopped at Rifugio Firenze for a beer and snack before finishing the trail at the Col Raiser Gondola, which we took back to the valley and then hopped a bus back to Ortisei.

SS243 Highway Between Ortisei and Cortina: Typically drives between cities are a chore, but this one is different. It felt like driving through a National Park, with mountains reaching to the sky on both sides of you. We had to stop multiple times to enjoy the views and admire the mountains. This is a must do if you’re traveling through the area!

Rifugio Lagazuoi (In Between Ortisei and Cortina): Probably the scariest gondola ride I will ever taken in my life, but 100% worth it. This area used to be a military base on top of a cliff that overlooked the valley below, and provides endless views of the Italian Alps. Now, there’s a Rifugio at the top where you can snack and learn about the area’s history. We didn’t do it, but there’s opportunities to hike into the tunnel systems the soldiers used to use inside of the mountain. This was a great stop on our route between cities, and for a different (much higher) perspective of the mountains we were surrounded by!

Lago Di Braies (Cortina): A very popular and gorgeous lake in the middle of the Dolomites. There’s also a hotel you can stay at right on the lake! We went at sunrise and there were already many people there. There’s also a hike that takes you around the entire lakeshore, and shows off the lake and mountains from many different perspectives.

A jagged mountain range in the Dolomites

Jagged Mountains Viewpoint (Cortina): I still can’t believe this place is actually real. It’s a view I never expected to look in person as it did in photos, and of course it was even larger and more spectacular than I could have imagined. If you are taking a trip want the exact hike details, please reach out to me separately and I’ll give you the directions we followed. I want to keep this place’s name and directions as privates possible, as many others are trying to do so too!

OTHER ITALIAN ALPS HIKES ON MY TO-DO LIST:

Tre Cime di Lavaredo
Val Di Funes
Passo Giau
Lago Di Sorapis
Lake Kerersee

SWISS ALPS

The Swiss Alps! This place is as incredible everyone says it is. There’s nothing like walking through a little Swiss mountain town, flower boxes everywhere, an ice blue river running through the middle of the town, and views of mountains towering above you. I’ve also split this section up into two different parts: (1) Zermatt and (2) Lauterbrunnen. The one thing to note about Switzerland, is that it’s extremely expensive. To put it in perspective, a very average spaghetti dish would be minimum $25. The gondola rides were also upwards of $40-60 each. The Swiss Alps are not cheap, but it’s understandable why they can charge what they do. This area is truly magical.

WHERE WE STAYED

Zermatt: Airbnb in Town

This Airbnb was perfectly located in the center of the town. We were walking distance from all of the restaurants, gondolas, and shops! This was a great spot to be because Zermatt is a car-less town, and walking is your only option, so being close to everything made our experience very easy! If you find a hotel, hostel, or Airbnb anywhere in the center of town you’re good to go.

Lauterbrunnen: Airbnb in Town

This Airbnb was also located right in the heart of Lauterbrunnen! It’s an extremely walkable town with cafes and restaurants, but it’s nice to have a car in this area because most of the hikes and gondola rides you’ll want to do are not within walking distance.

HIKES AND VIEWPOINTS (SWITZERLAND)

Since we weren’t in Zermatt long, we only were able to get one hike in during our stay. In Lauterbrunnen we didn’t have great weather, so we were only able to make it on a few hikes/walks, but just the views from town are spectacular! If you’re making the trip to this area, do a ton of additional research because there are so many more hikes we didn’t get the chance to do with our circumstances. The surrounding mountains in both areas tower to almost 15,000ft tall, some with jagged peaks and others with beautiful plateaus, all making you feel extremely small. I can’t wait to get back here and spend more time in this area!

Here’s a look into what we did:

Five Lakes Hike (Zermatt): This is such a good hike. There are actually five lakes on this hike, and if you follow the same route we did it was about 6-7 miles total. The first lake has one of the best direct views of the Matterhorn, and is a great spot to sit for a long period of time strictly to soak up the views. The following four lakes are beautiful, and it’s all downhill to get to them! (Here’s the link to our route, except we took the gondola up to Blauherd and did the loop trail back to Sunnegga and took the gondola down from there). I recommend starting as early as possible in the morning and arriving before the crowds. We went in the end of September and there weren’t overwhelming amounts of people on the hike, but because we went early we were able to get some time at the lakes completely to ourselves.

Buffet Bar Sunnegga (Zermatt): A great spot to end or start the 5 Lakes Hike. Have a meal and drink with one of the best views of the Matterhorn! I could have sat here for hours!

View into the valley from train up to Wengen

Walk Around Wengen (Lauterbrunnen): Wengen is a little village that sits on top of the valley above Lauterbrunnen. You need to take a cog train to get up to the village, again very expensive, but the views and experience are worth it! Spend time exploring the town, grabbing a bite to eat, and watering through the streets that are full of flower boxes. We ended up following a path through the neighborhoods on a street called Hausenegg. The path was beautiful and a nice way to see the area and some farm animals. Since the weather wasn’t great, we weren’t able to make it, but my dream is to visit “The Top of Europe” which is a long hike or short train ride further up the mountain from Wengen (just look it up and you’ll understand).

Lauterbrunnen and the Staubbach Waterfall

Staubbach Waterfall and Gidisdorf Trail Walk (Lauterbrunnen): This trail starts right on the main road in Lauterbrunnen. You can veer off the trail to hike underneath the Staubbach Waterfall, then continue on the flat trail that puts you in the center of the valley with towering rock walls on both sides of you. This hike was great to do while there was a break in the rain, because it was very easy to access and turn around, and the rain clouds made for a unique view of the mountains.

Camp Rütti Stechelberg / Sefinen Lütschine River (Lauterbrunnen): This is a beautiful area at the end of the valley, and a great place to sit by the river or visit on a rainy day. Park at Camp Rütti Stechelberg and walk the short distance to the river from there. We didn’t do any hikes in this area, but it was a nice escape from the town while there was a break in weather. There was nobody around and we had these incredible views all to ourselves! A great spot to sit with family or people who can’t hike larger trails.

CONCLUSION

Well, there you have it! Some of the most beautiful hikes, views, and places in the European Alps. I hold this area so close to my heart, and if you’ve been I’m sure you understand. The alps make your world feel so small, yet the earth so big. These mountains have something special within them, and I hope you get the chance to experience them yourself one day.

As always, please reach out if you have any questions!

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Leah Mae https://hael.studio

Travel Guide: Italian Dolomites and Switzerland (European Alps)

ITALIAN ALPS (DOLOMITES)

WHERE WE STAYED

HIKES AND VIEWPOINTS (DOLOMITES)

OTHER ITALIAN ALPS HIKES ON MY TO-DO LIST:

SWISS ALPS

WHERE WE STAYED

HIKES AND VIEWPOINTS (SWITZERLAND)

CONCLUSION

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