Hiking in Dolomites

Rifugios

Mountainous areas in Italy (especially the Dolomites, although you'll find them in places like the Gran Sasso) are dotted with rifugi ("refuges") which offer beds and food, thus allowing you to "backpack" across the mountains with just a day pack (since you don't have to schlep a sleeping bag, tent, or food). Generally speaking, it's a good idea to bring a lightweight "sleep sack" though. These outposts also make good lunch stops for day-hikers.

Alpe di Siusi/Seiser Alm

• Europe's largest high-alpine meadow, the Alpe di Siusi (Italian name, in German it's Seiser Alm) has some of the best hiking in the Dolomites—especially if you want family-friendly hikes (although there are plenty of strenuous hikes leading up from the meadow, too). Some of the meadow hikes can even be done with a stroller (we saw quite a few strollers at the Panorama lift in 2014).
  • Alpe di Siusi is in the Scilar-Catinaccio (Italian)/Schlern-Rosengarten (German) park
  • This is where Rick Steves advises his readers to go (video here)
• How to get there:
  • Park your car in the town of Siusi (Seis) and take the gondola up to Compaccio/Compatsch; from there there are additional gondolas and buses that can take you to trailheads
    • Alternatively Ortisei (Urtijëi/Sankt Ulrich) has a lift that leads to the Alpe di Siusi (see below for more info—if you stay in Ortisei you can also take lifts up the Odle moutains!)
      • near the top of the Ortisei cable railway/lift is Ristorante Mont Seuc, which has good Google/TripAdvisor reviews
      • Malga Contrin - another rifugio near the Northeast (Ortisei) side of Alpe di Siusi; we thought the food was ho-hum but the views are spectacular, and they had a lot of toys for kids to play with
      • Malga Schgaguler Schwaige - seems to get pretty good reviews online
    • You can also take buses from other towns like Castelrotto (Rick Steves' favorite town in this area); see Trentino-South Tyrol page for more
  • some people recommend the Hans & Paula Steger Trail which leads through the high alpine meadow
  • We especially liked going up the gondola to Joch/Giogo "Panorama", where hike number 2 leads through alpine meadows to the switchbacks of Rosszäne/Denti di Terrarossa, from which you can either come back down the same way or continue along the mountain ridge before descending agin
• Various rifugios (mostly called "malga") dot the park, and are a good spot to grab food
  • ## Gostner Schwaige - one of the nicest, rec'd Michelin, looks like gorgeous food
• See the Trentino-South Tyrol page for more information on where to stay, eat, etc, in the area
• The park website has information on hikes, including a map of the major hiking routes