How to spend a week hiking in the Dolomites

The spa was recently revamped before we visited and while I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a spa expert, it was one of the best ones I’ve ever been to. There’s a variety of hot tubs, saunas and steam rooms that are built into the stone fortresses and look out to some incredible views. It’s around €60 for a few hours which was the perfect amount of time.

Our day ended with a drive to our next hotel in Conegliano.

Day 2

This was the first big hike of the trip. We drove to the base of Mount Lagazoui, and traditionally the best climb is through the World War I tunnel to the top of the mountain. However, the colder weather meant the tunnel was closed on our trip, and so we braved the elements and hiked on the outer side of the mountain. It resulted in a very fun, albeit nerve wracking at times, hike with scenery that looked like it was from a movie, with snow capped mountains as far as the eye could see.

Once you’ve reached the top, head to the Lagazoui refuge where you can refuel with an exceptional sandwich, cake and of course an Aperol Spritz. If you want to hike back down again you can, however we opted for the quick cable car journey to the carpark.

Day 3

We’d suggest leaving the hotel by 6:30/7am if you’re heading to the national park of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, as the car park fills up fast. If you’re not an early riser, then you can still access the national park, but you’ll have to park further down and get a bus up.

The hotel can arrange for a packed breakfast to take with you, which you can eat when you get to the national park while you watch the sun rise over the mountain. Trust us it’s a moment you won’t forget.

We then began on our hike, which is a four-hour round trip to see the iconic views of the three peaks. Make sure to take snacks and water with you on the trail, and go slowly if you need, as the altitude can strike even the fittest of hikers. Stop halfway at the lake and take in more spectacular views, while refuelling on those much needed snacks.

It takes two hours to hike back down for a well deserved lunch. Either take a packed lunch with you, or once you’ve finished the hike have lunch at the refuge. There’s options to explore other hiking routes if you’re not worn out already, but we opted to head back to the hotel, and have a relaxing sauna session.

In the evening, the town of Cortina is full of shops which we browsed in before heading for apertivo at the bar Janbo, which had a great atmosphere and affordable drinks. We then headed for pizza (shocker we know) at Restaurante 5 Torri.

Day 4

When you Google the Dolomites, one of the first images to pop up is Lake Braies, and this was our destination for the next day. The entrance of the lake is full of amenities – a gift shop, a hotel, and a few eating options, including Emma’s Bistro.

You can easily fill a whole day at the lake, with an hour and a half walk around the perimeter (although it may have taken longer on account of the many photos we stopped to take). The walk is a pretty leisurely pace with only a few ascents to climb but this can easily be done in trainers, not special hiking boots.

Afterwards you can either take one of the many row boats out onto the crystal blue water of the lake or simply relax on the banks of the lake and take in the stunning scenery. One thing you don’t need to worry about packing for the lake is your swimwear. While the water looks irresistible to dive in, swimming isn’t allowed.

Day 5

After a solid few days of hiking, we took a break from walking, and headed back to our starting point of Treviso, stopping on the way for a Prosecco tasting in Valdobiadene.

The Valdobiadene region of Italy is known for its production of the sparkling wine, and as well as sampling a few glasses, we also learnt about the process of making Prosecco.

We then returned to Hotel Mezzaluna, a small hotel on the outskirts of Treviso with a simple, family run feel to it. From here, we headed into the city, where we had dinner at Ristorante Pizzeria Partenope, which served everything from aubergine parmigiana, to pizzas with burrata.

Day 6

Being based in Treviso, you’re in the perfect location to explore the northern region of Italy. And, thanks to the country’s efficient railway network (South Western Railway could never), you can either take a day trip to Verona or Venice. Our group opted for a day in Verona, which was an hour and a half train ride from Treviso station.

We completed all the classic tourist stops, included a visit to Juliet’s house, which is free to visit the courtyard of and see the iconic balcony. You can also post a letter to Juliet in the hope of receiving some romantic advice. We also visited the amphitheatre of Verona which during the summer often hosts theatre performances

In the heat of the summer months, the next thing to do in Verona is sit down for a late lunch and all the apertivos, before we headed back to Treviso for one final group dinner.

FYI

Cue Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Driver’s Licence’

One thing to be aware of is that many of WeRoad trips are self-driven tours. This means group participants will be responsible for driving in between locations, often for a few hours at a time. Ours was a self-driven tour, and I wasn’t prepared for just how much driving was needed on our trip. And while it’s not a requirement to drive, just keep in mind to opt for a local guide driven tour if the idea of you driving or being driven by your fellow group members causes unnecessary stress.

Get ready to make new group chats

One of the biggest attractions of travelling the Dolomites with WeRoad was the opportunity to make new friends. While my friends don’t mind a walk to the pub, I haven’t got many people in my life who will happily spend a week up a mountain, and so for me it was a great opportunity to meet like-minded people, who I knew from the get-go would have similar interests with me.

From day one the group bonded incredibly well – so well in fact, I’ve made friends I’ve kept in contact with and have already seen since.

What to pack

Travelling in the mountains means you need to be prepared for every eventuality, but you also want to pack light. Because we had our cars and hotels, it meant we didn’t need to take a big day bag while on our daily hikes. Most of the group used small backpacks or their trusty Uniqlo crossbody bag for carrying their hike essentials.

Here’s the hiking list we’d recommend packing for a week in the Dolomites:

• Hiking boots (that have been broken in)
• A pair of hiking socks (and one extra) for each day of hiking
• One pair of hiking trousers
• One pair of hiking shorts
• A t-shirt for each day (you will get sweaty on those hikes)
• Waterproof jacket
• A light layer to go over T-shirts
• A cap
• Sunglasses
• Bottle of water
• Suncream
• Bug spray (seriously don’t forget this)

Book onto the Dolomites trip or any other WeRoad trip here.

Lydia Venn

Senior Entertainment and Lifestyle Writer

 Lydia Venn is Cosmopolitan UK’s Senior Entertainment and Lifestyle Writer. She covers everything from , to the latest celebrity news. She also writes across our work/life section regularly creating , covering exciting new releases and sharing the latest must-haves. In her role she’s interviewed everyone from Margot Robbie to Niall Horan, and her work has appeared on an episode of . After completing a degree in English at the University of Exeter, Lydia moved into journalism, writing for the , before working as Features Editor at , where she spoke on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and Talk Radio. She has an encyclopedic knowledge of Gilmore Girls and 00s teen movies, and in her free time can be found with a margarita in hand watching the Real Housewives on repeat. Find her on .