Dolomite Road, what to see, where to stop, general advice and experiences?

We left Venice in May 2007 and had plans to drive the Great Dolomite road as outlined in Rick's book. Our plan was to drive it in a day and get a room maybe in Bolzano. This was the last week of our 3 week trip and we were winging it so no concrete plans. We fell in love with the area and wound up taking 3 days and spending two nights in the Dolomites. Having a keen interest in photography I stopped every few miles it seems to take photos of the stunning scenery. We spent our last night at the Alpi di Siusi and after leaving there went on to Bolzano to visit Otzi the ice man which was well worth the stop. We then drove on through Italy to Heiligenblut, Austria for a night's stay and then up to the Grossglockner, the highest peak in Austria. All of that area that we visited is a great place to spend a week or so if you enjoy small towns and beautiful views.

Hi John,

I'll start with this, our 2 recent "trip reports" which cover some of the best of the Dolomites:

www.fodors.com/community/europe/our-short-trip-to-austria-the-dolomites-and-bavaria.cfm

www.fodors.com/community/europe/my-first-trip-report---part-1--bavaria-and-austria.cfm

and our photos:

www.worldisround.com/home/pja1/index.html

www.worldisround.com/home/pja1/travel15.html

Paul

Hi again John,

No need to drive the "Dolomite Road". A drive over practically and pass or passes in the region will do.

A favorite "best of the Dolomites drive" of ours is a loop drive:
From Val Gardena over the Gardena Pass to Colfosco, over the Campolongo Pass to Arabba, the Passo di Pordoi to Canazei and then the Sella Pass back to Val Gardena.
Of course, this works starting anywhere in the area. This is an easy day trip. Distances in the Dolomites are not that far.

A terrific website for descriptions and photo's of the Dolomite Passes is:

www.alpineroads.com/dolomites.php

Our favorite place to stay is the Ciasa Montanara in La Villa, Alta Badia.

www.montanara.it

Worth seeing/doing:

First and foremost (for me at least) drive over some passes.
Brixen/Bressanone (www.brixen.org)
Bruneck/Brunico (www.bruneck.it/WELCOME/welcome.html)
Ice Man exhibit at the Museum of Archaeology in Bozen/Bolzano
www.archaeologiemuseum.it/en/
Lagazoui cable car on the Falzarego Pass
Mont Seuc cable car in Ortisei (Val Gardena)
www.alpedisiusi-seiseralm.com/index.html

Hope this helps.

Paul

Great trip report Paul. You provide some good information on places to stay and sites to see. Thanks for sharing. The view from your balcony in Bergland is amazing.

Thanks Paul!

Hey John,

I'm just "throwing" ideas out there.

What works much better is if you let us know a few things:

What is your interest in visiting the Dolomites

What are your interests in general

What time of year you plan on traveling

Where you'll be coming from and then going to (before/after the Dolomites)

How you plan on getting around (car is much better in the Dolomites)

I (we) can be of much more specific help knowing some of these things.

Paul