Dolomites and Bolzano. Questions and general info.

The town of Ortisei is charming and has lifts up to the mountains which offer areas for nice walks. There is casual dining up in the mts too.

I’ve not traveled to the Dolomites (yet), but when I do, I plan to read this book by Laurel, a great contributor to this forum: Walking Italy’s Val Gardena

Wishing you a wonderful trip!

I would love to visit San Candido/Innichen which looks to be along the way from Lienz to Bolzano. Check out the 24/7 webcam via Skyline Webcams (has sound).

Edit: I second the recommendation of checking out Laurel's book.

Merano is a short train ride from Bolzano. Easy and picturesque walking opportunities there: the Promenades next to the Passer River. The Gardens at Trauttmansdorff Castle.

I’m planning a trip to the area this summer, but I’ll share a few of the sights we plan to visit via gondola. I found this site very helpful for researching the area: https://www.gardenacard.com/en/Default.asp

From Ortesei, you have several options for great views with minimal effort: the gondolas to Seceda and Mont Seuc, as well as the funicular to Resciesa. Each of these have restaurants very close to the station, where you can enjoy the view. Or you can venture out on short (or long) walks.

If you drive a few minutes past Ortesei, there is another gondola near Santa Cristina called Col Raiser. Driving a little further to Selva, you could take the Dantercepies gondola. All of these lifts are covered by the Gardena card from the link above. This is a multi-day pass (either 3 or 6 days).

Another option would be to drive to Siusi and take the Seiser Alm gondola to Compatch. From here you can walk or take the bus all around the plateau. This gondola is not covered by the Gardena card. There are other gondolas and chairlifts on the plateau, also not covered by Gardena pass. You can get separate passes for that area. https://www.seiser-alm.it/en/

Sounds like we will be in the Dolomites the week before you! Here are some suggestions:

• visit Lago di Braies and its less-visited neighbor, Lago di Dobbiaco
• drive to Rifugio Auronzo, the starting point of the Tre Cime trail. While you may not be able to take the trail, the Rifugio is still a beautiful setting
• taking any of the gondolas found around Alpe di Siusi and Val Gardena should be stunning even if you just wander a bit at the top
• Castelrotto/Kastelruth looks charming for a visit, as does Cortina d'Ampezzo
• In Bolzano, you can visit Ötzi the Iceman at the Museum of Archaeology and the beautiful Assumption of Our Lady Cathedral.
  

I'm sure there's lots more, but this is a start. Have fun!

I second the suggestion to view Ötzi the Iceman. Fascinating story, interesting museum.

Don't forget to bring trekking poles.

I think the Tre Cime Loop hike is too demanding for your friend. Stick with the cable rides in Val Gardena.

Wow! Thank you all for the replies. Definitely some great suggestions, we will most certainly look into all of them.

A gentle hike in the Dolomites that is very accessible is Lago di Carezza. It is about 30-40 minutes away from Bolzano and offers stunning views of the Latemar Group and the Rosengarten Group. https://throneandvine.com/lago-di-carezza-karersee-guide/

There are also some great hikes on the Renon plateau above Bolzano. You can take the cable car near the city center city and visit the bewitching Earth pyramids, which are easy to reach. The views of Mt. Schlern from the plateau are among my favorites in the entire region. Have a wonderful trip!