10 Days in Lake Como/Dolomites

Is that September of this year? We have a trip to Dolomites planned for September of this year. You would want to start booking lodging soon. Some of our choices were already booked.

It is a good plan and it doesn’t matter what order. Time you have allotted to the Dolomites is good. Certainly no less than 4 nights. As Jules said, get lodging set. We stay in Ortisei each time and we stay here https://www.residence-astoria.com/en/ambience.asp and I suspect they still have room as I just booked for September, if you are interested in self-catering. I also recommend http://www.garniwalter.it/eng/index.html and https://www.villaaurelia.info/ also in Ortisei.

We were in the Dolomites the last 2 years in September, in 2022 from Sept. 2-13, and in 2023 from Sept. 23-29. We had 2 days of rain in 2022, and perfect weather every day in 2023—warm and sunny T-shirt weather, cool nights and early morning. Crowds were lower during the later visit; our hotel on Alpe di Siusi was only half full and the lifts had no lines. None of them where we were had closed. In 2022 we encountered packed cablecars and the Refugio’s where we stopped for lunch were crowded (but our guided group had reservations for the lunch tables).

It is difficult to choose based on weather, because in any given year it could be totally different. We felt extraordinarily lucky to have 6 days in a row with such nice weather last September. I would say the crowd factor favors the later dates, but they were certainly not at oppressive levels in 2022.

I personally would favor more time in the Dolomites over Lake Como, but we like to hike every day and have our relaxation time in the evening. So for us I would plan 3/5 rather than 4 and 4 like you have. But we are all different.

I would divide my time between 2 locations in the Dolomites only with 5 nights there, not with 4. And even then I would want a very good reason to move around, such as a special hotel that might work for 2 nights but is too expensive for 5. With a car you can drive to different trailheads for hiking each day (and actually one can reach many of them without a car).

I would resist the temptation to try to “see it all” (Val Gardena, Alpe di Siusi, Tre Cime, Cortina, Lago de Braies, etc.). Some places, specifically Tre Cime, have become “Instagram hits” and are very crowded—-to the p[point that driving up the road to the parking for the trailhead is restricted because the parking lot fills up. We were there in 2022 with our guided group and the trail was very crowded.

We have been to the Dolomites 5 times not and still have not seen everything, but feel no need to as every place is beautiful.

Since it is your anniversary, you may want a special place to stay for part of your Dolomites time—-a hotel with spa and swimming pool for relaxation after hiking, and gorgeous views. A place like this on Alpe di Siusi:

https://www.saltria.com/en/

Two nights here and 3 in the Val Gardena, in Ortesei or nearby Santa Cristina (a smaller village which we prefer).

As has been suggested, if you enjoy hiking, take a day from Como and add it to the Dolomites. The hiking there is incredible and the possibilities are endless.