The Dolomites in summer: Cortina, lakes, passes and cable cars
- Published
- 30 September 2026
- Reading
- 7 min read
- Where
- Cortina
- Prices checked
- 30. Sep 2026.
From the pale towers above Cortina to the largest high alpine pasture in Europe: two arms of one mountain range, in a single summer sequence.
The Dolomites in summer are covered as two arms of one mountain range: the eastern one around Cortina, then the western one around Ortisei. In that order the toll roads, cable cars and lakes fit most easily into a single sequence, and the season is Jun–Sep for hiking; Dec–Mar for skiing. This story follows the summer half of that sentence: open passes and cable cars to high ridges.
Cortina, the base of the eastern arm
Cortina d'Ampezzo lies at 1,224 metres in the Ampezzo valley, ringed by Tofane, Pomagagnon and Faloria, with the Cinque Torri nearby. It hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956, and in 2026 it shared the Games with Milan. In the centre, around Piazza Angelo Dibona and Corso Italia, there are no cars, and the locals speak Ampezzano (Ladin). From Venice it is reached by bus, about 2 h 10 to Cortina.
The whole range is named after the French mineralogist Déodat de Dolomieu (1750–1801), who also gave his name to the rock itself. UNESCO inscribed them on 26 June 2009 as nine separate mountain systems. Italians call them the Monti Pallidi, the Pale Mountains, and at sunrise and sunset the pale rock blushes: the Ladin word for it, enrosadira, means “turning pink”.
Tre Cime di Lavaredo
The first target lies 14 km from Cortina, in the direction of Misurina: the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, three rocky towers that blush pink at dusk. Cima Grande is the tallest at 2,999 metres, followed by Cima Ovest at 2,973 and Cima Piccola at 2,857; Paul Grohmann and his guides made the first ascent of Cima Grande on 21 August 1869. Most trails start from the Rifugio Auronzo hut, at 2,320 metres, reached by a seasonal toll road. Booking is mandatory (road and parking), and the walk is 3–4 h (loop trail around the peaks). Road closure: winter, road closed for snow (usually Nov–May).
The trail shows a second, wartime side of the same rock. In the First World War the front between Italy and Austria-Hungary ran through the peaks themselves, so trenches, tunnels, iron ladders and memorial plaques still stand around them.
Lago di Braies
From there it is about 46 km to Lago di Braies, called Pragser Wildsee in German. The lake lies at 1,496 metres, covers about 31 hectares and is up to 36 metres deep, its water blue and emerald, framed by the rock of Croda del Becco (Seekofel), 2,810 metres high. After the Italian series Un passo dal cielo, shot in 2011, the lake grew so popular that in 2018 it drew about 1.2 million visitors in three summer months. That is why in peak season only one ticket applies: combined ticket of €44 (includes a €22 food voucher), 1 July to 15 September, 9:00–16:00.
Passo Giau and the Marmolada
The road south crosses the Giau Pass, 43 km from Cortina. The pass is crossed by car, with no ticket. Closure: winter, road closed for snow/avalanches (part of the year). The same side of the region holds the Marmolada, the highest peak in the Dolomites at 3,343 metres on Punta Penia; neighbouring Punta Rocca stands at 3,309. A cable car runs from Malga Ciapela, 43–46 km from Cortina, up to Punta Rocca. The ticket is €38 return (Malga Ciapela–Punta Rocca), and the cable car's operation: seasonal (summer runs to 27 Sep 2026, then winter break).
On the northern side of the mountain lies the only sizeable glacier in the Dolomites, while the south face drops into bare rock. In the First World War the Marmolada was the border between Austria-Hungary and Italy.
Ortisei and the Seceda
The western arm begins with the move into the Val Gardena valley, to Ortisei. From the village a cable car climbs in two stages, via Furnes, to the ridge of the Seceda, at nearly 2,500 metres. From the top you can see almost all of South Tyrol, and the mountains of Trentino, Lombardy and Austria. The ticket is €74 return, €49 one-way, booking a time slot: yes, online time slot (from summer 2026), and closure: none in season (22 May–2 Nov 2026); closed to walk-up access in winter.
Alpe di Siusi
The last day belongs to the Alpe di Siusi (Seiser Alm) plateau, the largest high alpine pasture in Europe: 52 square kilometres, between 1,680 and 2,350 metres. The Sciliar massif stands to the south-east, and from the meadows you can see the Langkofel, the Marmolada and the Sella group. Cattle have grazed these meadows since the Bronze Age. The cable car from Siusi costs €30 return cable car from Siusi, €21 one-way, and walking or cycling onto the plateau is free. When the light of sunset comes, the Alpe di Siusi is one of the places from which the enrosadira is seen well.
Italy, in brief
What now
If this sounds like your trip, start here.
The Dolomites
→Two arms of the same mountain range: east around Cortina, west around Val Gardena
The Dolomites in 5 days
→Three days from Cortina for the east of the region, then a move to Ortisei for the Seceda.
Day trips from The Dolomites
→Two day trips from the western base: Bolzano by bus, Merano by train via Bolzano.
Where to stay in The Dolomites
→Cortina holds the eastern arm of the region, Ortisei the western one.
The Dolomites off the main plan: Sorapis, Cinque Torri and Santa Maddalena
→A turquoise lake on a trail, a First World War front in the rocks and a village church below the Odle.
The best time to visit The Dolomites
→Cable cars, roads and car parks run in a summer window, so the month decides what you reach.
Getting around The Dolomites
→Venice opens the east, Bolzano the west, and inside you move by car, cable car and seasonal roads.
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