a week in the dolomites

A Week in the Dolomites

The trip began with a long travel day from Sicily to Venice, followed by a rental-car drive to Cortina. Surrounded by mountains, Cortina’s peaceful, beautiful valley felt like a welcome change from the beach. The narrator looked forward to spending time in the fresh air and nature.

Highlights

• Sunrise at Cadini di Misurina: The pair woke around 3 a.m. and hiked to the viewpoint, hoping to avoid the crowds. Clear views and the sunrise exceeded expectations, though the altitude made the hike tiring, and the narrator felt uneasy on a ridge.
• Lago di Sorapis: After about four and a half hours of hiking, they reached the lake, which they described as one of the most beautiful places they had visited. Some exposed sections felt “spicy,” prompting the narrator to reflect on their discomfort with heights.
• Food at a mountain hut: After a long hike, they ate gnocchi at a hut and were impressed by both the meal and the effort involved in preparing food so far from town.
• Seceda and further exploring: Later in the trip, they hiked Seceda and planned to visit Alpe di Siusi. Cloudy, changeable weather sometimes limited the sunshine they had hoped for, but the trip still exceeded expectations.

Practical and Personal Takeaways

• Starting early can help avoid crowds at popular hiking spots.
• Mountain weather can be unpredictable, and temperatures can be much colder than expected. The group encountered temperatures of around 0–4°C and regretted packing too few warm layers, such as jumpers and jackets.
• Spending time in nature and using their phones less helped them slow down and feel more relaxed. The narrator described their mental state after the trip as excellent.
• After a full day outdoors, they planned an easy evening and picked up ingredients for dinner.

Cortina was noted as a future host town for the 2026 Winter Olympics, though the narrator worried the event would make the town crowded.

Locations

Cortina, Cadini di Misurina, Lago di Sorapis, Seceda, Alpe di Siusi, Venice, and Sicily.

People

The narrator and their travel companion, referred to as “Es” in the subtitles.