With their explosive shapes and unique colours, the Dolomites are the crown jewels of the Alps, arguably the most striking mountains in the world. At every turn you are stopped in your tracks by their sheer magnificence. Little wonder this is a UNESCO World Heritage destination, a paradise for walkers, flower enthusiasts, artists, and photographers; indeed, anyone seeking out an idyllic alpine retreat. 

On every walk, unspoilt Tyrolean villages charm you with their wooden chalets in a landscape of wildflower-strewn pastures, while the colossal natural monuments, which are the Dolomites, tower above you; castles of rock, which soar to the sky as if frozen in mid-explosion. Heaved up 50 million years ago when Europe and Africa collided, ice and water have carved them into what we see today. As a backdrop for a walking holiday, they take some beating! 

Inevitably, people on our easy hikes enjoy the scenery in different ways, perhaps meandering casually on riverside tracks and across wildflower meadows, or venturing higher into woodland, upland pastures, and occasionally the easier trails of the massifs themselves. Many of these routes were originally hunting or smuggling trails, and are not too challenging. 

Welcoming mountain huts, known as rifugios, are dotted everywhere, each with its own sun terrace, where walkers soak up the magic over well-earned refreshment. Some walkers come with specific intentions: fossil collectors love the region’s rich geology; artists and photographers capture their own visions of the landscapes; bird and wildlife enthusiasts admire the diverse range of fauna and, whilst spotting a pair of golden eagles is fortunate, sightings of buzzards, chamois, deer and the comical marmots punctuate many idyllic easy walks in the Dolomites.

The Alta Badia is one of the prettiest valleys in the central Dolomites. It is our base and fabulous walks abound here. The valley has 5 resorts (Corvara, La Villa, San Cassiano, Colfosco & Badia), all linked by a labyrinth of footpaths. Each resort provides gondola and/or chairlift access to the start of numerous idyllic walks, which either return you to the village, or comprise a circular route bringing you back to where you started.

That said, whilst gondolas and chairlifts give you access to higher altitudes, you don’t have to use them to access your walks. There are plenty of options on trails that radiate from the villages into surrounding flower pastures and woodland. Either way, it is easy to find yourself somewhere heavenly, absorbed by flora, fauna and glorious alpine scenery. Furthermore, the villages are linked by efficient bus services, so it is feasible to walk to a neighbouring village and then hop on a bus to get back. 

Mountain passes are another key starting point for walks. We are near three: Campolongo, Gardena & Falzarego, each served by local buses. Many seasoned walkers use the passes as a launchpad into high terrain, but equally, the passes provide trailheads for picturesque walks back down to the villages down in the valley. It is a pleasure to take a bus to a local pass and wander back at your own pace with a bird’s eye view of the village loomed over by the magnificent peaks that keep guard over it.

You can read about the best time of year to hike the Italian Dolomites, here.