My wife and I would like to spend a week hiking in the Dolomites, mostly the central and eastern parts. We will have a rental car but are also going to use the country’s transit system (unless someone can make an argument that you don’t need a rental car) to get to trailheads. What is a good town to stay in that is a good base camp?
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
18098 posts
Ortisei and the Val Gardena in general is a good base, probably the best.
San Candido and Canazei are other popular bases.
Posted by
319 posts
Agree, Val Gardena great area hiking area and as it happens a great no-car-needed) area. You can easily occupy yourself for a week or more on public transit accessible trails. (See 'walking Italy's Val Gardena' by the Barton's)
Posted by
627 posts
you may as well use the public transport, you'll get Guest Pass that covers it https://www.suedtirolmobil.info/en/tickets/holidays-and-recreation/suedtirol-guest-pass . It's paid for out of the local tax added to the room bill
Network maps https://www.suedtirolmobil.info/en/my-journey/network-maps
Timetables (use map to find route number) https://www.suedtirolmobil.info/en/my-journey/timetables
Posted by
Washington, DC
118 posts
I'd stay in Corvara. it's one of the bigger towns, is centrally located, and has easy connections throughout the Dolomites.
Posted by
Bay Area, California
1916 posts
Another vote for Ortisei. It's convenient and the base for several cable cars. Driving and parking could be a headache.
Posted by
Seattle
199 posts
I just came back from our trip. We stayed 5 nights in Ortisei, without a car. Our hotel was Hotel Garni Snaltnerhof, in the town center piazza San Antonio. The bus station is right in front of our hotel, very convenient. You can easily ride the bus to other towns. We took bus from Brixen, went to rifugio Passo Sella as well.
The hotel is very close to the Seceda gondola and easy walk to Rasciesa furnicular and Mt Seuc gondola.
Hotel gave us free bus pass and free access to public pool.