If you haven't visited Venice yet and you plan to add it onto your upcoming Italy Trip Itinerary, don't miss out on seeing some of its beautiful surroundings. Being North Italy well connected, there are lovely towns to see near Venice to keep you busy on many days, and one tour worth adding is the trip from Venice to the Dolomites.

Not many people know that you can go from Venice to the mountains in less than 2 hours. And the connections are also good. By train, you can get from Venice to Cortina, or you can go on self-driving tours, the motorway from Venice takes you to Belluno, and from there you will drive through small villages of the Cadore Region.

But if you are on tight time a guided day trip of the Dolomites from Venice can be the best way to explore this mountain region in North East Italy.

Why visit the Dolomites on a day trip from Venice

There are many small towns and cities near Venice worth visiting. Some of them are popular destinations like Verona, Padova, Ravenna. But a trip to the Eastern Dolomites is something unique because you will have the opportunity to dive into the heart of Italian Alps, a UNESCO heritage site, and see some characteristic landmarks of Italy. The Dolomites are not only for keen walkers and hikers, the stunningly unique landscape and geology of this mountains is extraordinary, and you will not see anything like that in Europe.

When is the best time to visit the Dolomites

I have no doubt, the best time to visit the Dolomites the summer. From mid-June to mid-September but to be on the safe side, I'd go in July or August when the weather is more predictable. I know it's the busiest time in Italy for tourists, but also the nicest, as far as the weather and day-light are concerned. If you have to choose a day, don't go over weekends, as all locals take their day out in the mountains, and traffic jams are a classic.

Bonus Tip: Plan your day trip from Venice on midweek days which are less busy and with fewer tourists. Leave early in the morning and stay until late, to avoid the worst office hours traffic.

How to get to the Dolomites from Venice

Going from Venice to the Dolomites is easy. There are trains, buses that take you there. The typical day trip from Cortina from Venice there are trains and shuttle buses from Venezia-Mestre (mainland of Venice). By public transport, it takes approx 2.5 hours. However, I recommend driving in the Dolomites, because it will make it things simple if you want to see more places. In the Eastern Dolomites, there is a local bus network, but it's good for those who live there, to go on a day-trip you need to be flexible and move around fast to make the most of your time.

If you choose to go on a self-drive tour of the Dolomites, you can drive on the motorway through Treviso and Vittorio Veneto to then exit the “autostrada” in Belluno. From there one hour more drive, Cortina. Alternatively, you can go on a guided tour from Venice to the Dolomites or take the train to Conegliano and then hire care from there.

Things to do in the Dolomites

Most people usually choose to go on a day trip to Cortina from Venice, to see the most touristy places. Cortina itself is a beautiful small town of the Dolomites. However, the area around Cortina is gorgeous, and it's right in the heart of the most beautiful part of the Eastern Dolomites. So, I would use Cortina as a hub for one or more days.

There are also lovely small towns in North East Italy to visit. Here is a short list of my favourite things:

1. Walk in its beautiful green valleys.
   There are many hiking trails that you can choose. From easy to advanced tracks, from short to long and overnight which involves staying overnight in refuges.
2. Climb or go mountain biking or try paragliding.
   If you are into extreme mountaineering and want to try some “ferrata” (climbs), you can do some serious climbing, go on mountain biking trails. Or try out paragliding, if you are brave enough.
3. Relaxing in the mountain landscapes
   If you are not a fit hiker you can take short walks in the villages or nearby and spend time in cosy refuges, most of them have gardens where you can sit outside and enjoy the spectacular panorama. Or you can take a relaxing walk around one of the many Dolomite lakes.
4. Indulge in the Dolomite local produce.
   Do you think that the Dolomites are only for those keen hikers and walkers? That's not true. The Dolomites are famous for great food too. From locally produced cheeses and rich culinary traditions, you can taste sweet and savoury specialities!

Why you should go hiking in the Dolomites

There are hundreds of hiking trails. And it would take months, if not years to do all of them. But if you stick to a day trip to Cortina from Venice, you must not miss on on the Croda da Lago Hike. It's a 12 km easy hike that you can start it from Passo Giau, about 20 minutes drive north of Cortina. From the beautiful refuge, you will enjoy the spectacular view of Mount Nuvolau and hike through sweeping valleys and a very picturesque landscape.

The first half of the hike is more on a rocky path to reach the highest point of the fantastic Mondeval Alpine meadows.

The walk meanders through lunar landscapes of Val Formin along tall spikey mountains walls of Croda Da Lago down to the Feral lake and Palmieri Refuge. It is an idyllic place and one of the most scenic landscapes of the Dolomites I know.

More things to do on a trip from Venice to the Dolomites

A day trip is way too short to do justice to the fantastic Dolomites in Italy. However, if you ideally want to plan 2-3 days to visit more cities outside Venice, there are endless combinations and day-trips that you can do. You can visit the Prosecco Hills, half-way between Venice and the mountains; you can tour some of the ancient small towns in North East Italy, Vittorio Veneto, Belluno, Bassano del Grappa, Agordo are just a few that you can add to your trip itinerary.

If you love food & wine, this is the region that produces the Prosecco wines d.o.c.g. You can also spend times at the many lakes at the foothills of the Dolomites. If you want to join a tour that encompasses all of the above and caters for small groups of travellers, check out my Venice to the Dolomites Tour in July 2019.

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