by European bon viveurs have traded the Med for the mountains – and the chic Dolomites in particular, who prefer the cooler climates, the healthy lifestyle and the fabulous spas. Swish dolomite spa and ski hotels, such as Relais & Chateaux Hotel Capella and Gardena Grödnerhof Hotel and Spa, are taking this summer by storm. But there’s a coterie that’s been avoiding the hot summers on the coast for a while – they’ve fallen head over heels for the cinematic Pale Mountain summer.
From hotels with outdoor swimming pools flowing over pastoral valleys to sun-trap restaurant terraces built for take-out lunches, here’s how to summer in the Dolomites (and ditch the scorching, overpriced Med).
Wait
Some of the legendary hotels of the Dolomites are so pampering that you would be forgiven for dropping anchor for a whole week. COMO Alpina Dolomites (comohotels.com) is one of them, and after an extensive re-opening, this architectural-modern wonder on the Alpe di Siusi is as striking as ever. Unlike St Moritz, discreet wealth comes here to recharge in the COMO Shambhala Retreat Spa, with its Finnish sauna, and retreat to its terrace (after Sound of Music-style hikes) with crisp white glasses. Here, an Alpine tween is discouraged for an elemental, contemporary design, like Forestis (forestis.it), whose angular, Scandinavian good looks draw on the surrounding pine and peak scenery. Or My Arbor (my-arbor.com), a plush “tree house” hotel for adults with an award-winning spa.
Rosa Alpina (aman.com) is right in the middle in terms of aesthetics – a fresh twist on a wooden Alpine classic with Aman’s slick signature spa. Here, summers break out on horseback, paraglide through the crisp air and cool off in pools with pine forest views. It will reopen in 2025.
The turreted Tyrolean Adler Spa Resort Dolomiti (adler-resorts.com) is a family favorite for its excellent kids’ club (and for parents, its outdoor pools and lakeside saunas), and Relais & Châteaux’s Gardena Grödnerhof Hotel & Spa (relaischateaux. com) is another plush, turreted launch pad for the Alpe di Siusi and Resciesa hiking trails – complete with Ayurvedic treatments in the family-owned Italian hotel’s wood-panelled spa.
For well-being with the side of art, Relais & Chateaux’s Hotel Cappella (relaischateaux.com) in the beautiful village of Colfosco lines its traditional wooden walls with various works of art, and families have been coming here for years zigzag between the indoor and outdoor pool. Those who have parted with Heidi’s life with maximum privacy should book Leo Trippi’s chalet (leotrippi.com), like the beautifully restored farmhouse Casa Tra Cime (from €6,600 eight adults and two children).
eat
Dolomiti insider Oliver Corkhill of the Viadi Group suggests that gourmands are drawn to Alta Badia – “the culinary center of the Dolomites” – where food and wine that moves tastebuds between Michelin-starred joints and traditional mountain huts rounding off the hikes. For lunch, Corkhill recommends booking lunch at the three-Michelin-star Atelier Moessmer, where chef Norbert Niederkofler “stays true to his mountain chef” with seasonal menus that feature creamy beetroot gnocchi with black beer breadcrumbs, cream daikon and horse radish. . For views, he recommends hopping on the Pralongiá chairlift (open in the summer months) where Rifugio Punta Trieste punters wash down plates of classic carbonara and succulent ribs with crisp South Tyrolean wines. Those staying in Cortina would be wise to tackle El Camineto’s sheepskin chairs for casunziei and a louche terrace, with a stunningly watery country backdrop.
For a family get-together, the agriturismo Maso Runch Farm is excellent – seemingly straight out of a Brothers Grimm story with its cozy blonde-wood dining room and Sound of Music scenes framed by gingham curtains. For just €46, their six-course tasting menu includes divine homemade spinach and ricotta ravioli drenched in farm butter and pork loin with crisp polenta. Tourists are well rewarded following the path towards the Firenze hut from the foot of the Col Raiser lift in Selva di Val Gardena with the Baita Sangon Hütte serving classical musicians from its suntrap terrace.
Shop
Those in the know head to Cortina d’Ampezzo for the shopping, whether it’s Fendi and Dior, updating their outdoor gear at Cooperativa department store or stocking up on cured meats, Alpine berry jam and honey at Moe Fausto. Serious shoppers make a beeline for San Candido, where a cluster of homewares and boutiques hug the river – murano glass, antique furniture and velvet cushions – and the legendary Haunold hat shop, owned by the Zacher family since 1560, with its beautiful -. felt hats and crafted slippers. In Corvara, Val Badia, it is easy to find Alpine Tyrolean and Ladin moments at Boutique Monika, together with beautifully-crafted clothes from European designers, while Romantik Corvara is where you can go for gifts or trinkets of household goods. For beautiful textiles, check out the various prints and fabrics of Tessitura Nagler in La Val, and for a wide range of Latin trinkets and trinkets, head to Delizius in San Cassiano (you need a few bottles of wine in South Tyrone stocking. too). It is worth marveling at the artisanal wood carvings and clocks in the Erse Shop, which is seen in the intimate town of Selva, Val Gardena, and visiting the beautiful town of Ortisei on market day (every Friday from 8am-1am in Via Stazione). ).
Do
Activities depend a lot on the particular town or area you are in, although most focus on the outdoors, or the simple pleasure of a good wine on a sunny terrace. Cortina d’Ampezzo is all about the hikes and e-bike tours through the fairytale playground of pine woods, valleys, lakes and wildflower meadows. Leo Trippi recommends rounding this off with a tasting menu at Alajmo Cortina, or for something really special, they can organize a 15 minute panoramic flight, landing at a Rifugio in the Cinque Torri area where a local sommelier will take punters through part of the best wines of the region followed by lunch.
As it progresses, the 10km Tre Cime di Lavaredo loop, starting at Rifugio Auronzo, is incredibly scenic, with a World War II tunnel system to explore along the way, as is the track to the gin-clear Lago di Sorapis. And for minimal effort with maximum reward, the Cortina D’Ampezzo hike on Tofana di Mezzo is a short and gentle trail with some of the most spectacular views across the rugged peaks and emerald green valleys.
Cyclists can take a labyrinth of paths through dense pine forests and glassy lake banks, depending on their starting point, and stables are dotted throughout the Dolomites, such as Farm Unterlanzin, for a picturesque horse ride through the wildflower meadows. There are many medieval towns in the Dolomites, such as the postcards of Ortisei and Cortina d’Ampezzo. They carry the legacy of Austro-Hungarian rule, some more flamboyant in style than others, such as Merano. This bone-shaded town sits smugly in its micro-trait in the Mediterranean, where giant palms line the pink walls and guests sunbathe in gardens, fountains trickle, and distant peaks scrape the clouds.
It is also worth checking if there are any festivals taking place, such as the Val Gardena Folklore Festival in Ortisei (August 4), where dance and processions are companions to the ancient soul of the Dolomites.
