Corvara Travel Guide: 3-Day Itinerary

Day 1

While you might be in a rush to get here, I highly recommend you take your time and enjoy the views. The Dolomites are truly a wonder and one that should be enjoyed with calm. If you can have a full day here to make the most of it, you’ll be thankful. 

I’ll talk more about the different seasons in the “Travel Tips” section below but I do want to start off with a disclaimer that the driving suggestions are valid for both summer or winter. In spring and fall, the ski lifts and mountain huts (rifugio) close and aren’t open the entirety of these seasons. If traveling between April-June and October-December, be sure to check the exact opening and closing dates. 

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Enjoy the Drive In

Unfortunately there’s no train station in Corvara (the closest one is in Cortina), so you’ll either need to take the public bus or drive yourself. If you have the budget, I highly recommend a rental car so you can make stops along the way.

Most likely you’ll need to drive though Belluno (if coming from Venice) or Bolzano (if coming from Verona). Regardless, the drive will be stunning. From both Belluno and Bolzano the drive is about 1.5 hours. 

From Venice/Belluno

If coming from Belluno, I recommend:

• You start your day with a light breakfast in either Belluno or Agordo
• You take a slight detour to the chair lift at Rifugio Fedare or walk up the trail from there
• From there, you either hike to Rifugio Nuvolau or Rifugio Scoiattoli for lunch and admire Cinque Torri. 

Based on time and how much hiking you did, you can pop over to Cortina after lunch to walk around their old town or go straight to Corvara. While most shops in Italy close after lunch, in Cortina most things open back up around 3pm, so you should have some entertainment once you arrive. 

It’s important to note that Cinque Torri is one of the most famous locations in the Dolomites. While there are plenty of quieter trails you can hop on, the reason I mention this one as your stopping point is because it’s easily accessible, there’s a number of mountain huts at the top for you to choose from, and it really offers the “wow” factor if this is your first view of the Dolomites. 

From Verona/Bolzano

While I haven’t done this exact drive, I’ve done enough pieces of it to put it all together in one itinerary. If coming from Bolzano, I’d:

• Start with breakfast right in town (if coming from Verona, consider stopping in Trento for breakfast instead).
• Stop for a hike in Alpe di Siusi. I haven’t yet had the pleasure of hiking in this area but it looks incredible. Search for trails near the town Siusi and you’ll find options just 30 minutes from Bolzano. 
• Take your time on the Passo Gardena, one of the most scenic roads in all of the Dolomites. Don’t underestimate just how windy this road gets and keep in mind that it’s popular with cyclists and motorcycles so you’ll want to drive with care. If you want to soak up the views more, not behind the wheel, you can either walk or take the ski lift up to Jimmi Hut.

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Check-In

Now that you’ve thoroughly enjoyed your drive to town, it’s time to check-in and relax a bit before dinner. 

Here are some suggestions on where to stay, including the hotel we chose (and loved):

• Budget-Friendly Stay: Garnì Tofana: For those with a tighter budget, you won't sacrifice much more than the spa by staying here instead.
• Mid-Tier Stay: Rifugio Alpino Pralongià: This is a unique option because you'd actually be staying on top of the mountain, instead of in town. This rifugio is pictured below and really stunning. For those that only want to hike, bike, or ski and nothing else, this is a great option.
• Luxury Stay: Hotel Marmolada: This is where we stayed during our trip. This hotel has all of the amenities you could ask for, right in the center of town. You'll have everything that brought you to Corvara at your fingertips.

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Have a Hearty Dinner

Many hotels in the Dolomites offer a half-board stay, which means your breakfast and dinner are included. Unless you like the idea of searching for dinner each night, I recommend you take this option. From my experience, the food has always been great and it’s a relief not to have to worry about food after a long day on the trails or slopes. 

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Day 2

Now it’s time to fully enjoy Corvara and all the town has to offer. Since you enjoyed some of the surrounding area yesterday and will see more on your drive out tomorrow, today I suggest you leave the car parked and explore by bike, skis, or foot. It's no surprise that many of the best things to do in the Dolomites involve getting outdoors.

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Summer/Fall Option: Spend the Day Hiking or Biking

In the summer and fall, you’ll want to spend your day hiking or biking. Since we had 4 days in Corvara, we did one day biking and the next day hiking. Personally, I’m a bigger hiker than biker so I’m biased towards that sport but I can say, both are great options here.

There’s a number of designated biking paths and hiking trails so you can choose an option based on your desired level of exercise.

If you want to bike but don’t want to have to worry about the route, I highly recommend a guide. We organized ours with Bike-Hike Alta Badia and while it’s certainly not necessary to have a guide, I was thankful for one. There are 100s of trails in the area so it was really great to simply enjoy the day without having to check my map at every intersection. He also ensured we stayed on trails with minimal people and gauged our level to take us on a loop suitable for us.

For hiking, just like biking, there are truly an endless amount of trails to choose from. I’d start by understanding how much you and your group can take on and narrow down your options that way. We ended up asking a staff member at the hotel for one that’d give great views and the right amount of exercise, given my family was pretty new to the sport. Here’s our route. You could extend it by skipping the first ski lift and walking up instead. Even better, this one took us across 4 different mountain huts, giving us ample places to stop for a drink or a bite to eat.

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Winter/Spring Option: Spend the Day Skiing

If you’re instead visiting while the ski slopes are open, that’s how you’ll want to spend your day. From Corvara, there are 4 ski lifts right in town, making it super easy to get on the slopes that best match your skill level.

The Dolomiti Superski website does a really great job highlighting the different slopes in an area, helping you to easily plan your day. Most often, you’ll have the option to buy a ski ticket for the specific mountain you choose or a ticket that can be used anywhere in the Dolomites. It’s just slightly more expensive for the inclusive ticket, which is what I would recommend so your day is completely open to you.

The most popular option for those in Corvara is to complete the Sellaronda route. This route takes you around the entire Sella group over 23km of slopes. While we do snowboard, we haven’t yet done this route. We’re hoping that now that we live closer in Belluno, we’ll be able to give this one a go this winter. 

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Unwind at the Spa

Since you spent at least most of your day outside hiking, biking, or skiing, take the rest of the afternoon to unwind. I highly recommend you book a hotel that has at least a sauna so you can relax your muscles. 

Keep in mind that it’s not uncommon in this region for saunas to be clothing prohibited. You can wear a towel but know that most are mixed gender spas and not everyone is modest. 

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Day 3

Unfortunately it’s time to pack up your bags and say goodbye, or hopefully a ‘see ya later’ to Corvara. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the hotel and then hit the road.

Enjoy the Drive Out

If you have the time to spare, I recommend you take your time on your drive out, just like you did on your way here. 

If heading back towards Belluno, I suggest stopping at Alleghe this time. This is a small town built on a lake. You can either walk around the entirety of the lake or take the gondola up for hiking, skiing, or simply enjoying the views. If you’re in it for the views entirely, I recommend you take the gondola then the ski lift to Col dei Baldi. 

If instead you’re going back towards Bolzano, consider stopping at Ortisei. This small town is home to Austrian architecture and a few ski lifts for you to either enjoy more mountain views or do some last minute hiking or skiing. Just as a heads up, this town sits at one of the ski lifts for Seceda, a mountain that has gotten incredibly popular in the last few years. 

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Corvara Travel Tips

You’re almost ready to enjoy Corvara, let me first just share a few helpful tips. These tips have been compiled from countless trips in the area and now living in the Dolomites myself. 

Avoid the Pull to See Too Much

The hardest part about planning a trip to the Dolomites is avoiding the urge to see and do it all. Trust me, our first trip to the area had us driving from one end of the mountain range to the other for 2 specific trails. We’ve since learned that there really is no “best” trail here. The entirety of the area is stunning, mountain huts are everywhere, and you really don’t need to spread yourself too thin to “see it all.”

If you also decide to base yourself in Corvara, make some stops on the drive, but otherwise simply stay in Corvara. You could spend weeks here and not come close to seeing all the trails or slopes in the area. All it takes is a single curve for the view to change completely.  

For more options on where to base yourself, I’ve covered other areas to stay in the Dolomites here.

Best Time to Visit

The time of the year you visit will greatly change your trip. Corvara gets 4 true seasons, with late spring and late fall as “off season.” 

While the exact dates change based on the weather, you can expect the ski slopes to be open from mid-December until the end of March and the trails to be open from mid-June to end of September. These dates also coincide with the mountain huts and the ski lifts.

For those that would prefer to see the Dolomites at a quieter time of the year and are happy to enjoy the views from the road, rather than a trail, April-June and October-November would be calm times to visit. Just know that many things will be closed for a rest between the two peak seasons.

How to Get Around

The best way to arrive to Corvara is by car. You can also get here by public bus but the complexity of that bus route will depend on exactly where you’re coming from. Once you arrive to the area, you can easily take the bus from town to town. Otherwise, the best way to get around is by bike or by foot. If you take advantage of the ski lifts, you can also get to other towns via the Sellaronda route. 

Local Foods to Try

Corvara is located in the Italian region, South Tyrol. Up until WW1 this region was actually part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire so you won’t be surprised to see that the food is a hybrid between Austrian and Italian cuisine. 

While you're in South Tyrol, skip over the Italian classics you know and love and try these local foods instead:

• Tris di Canederli: Canederli are like large dumplings, usually served in broth. This particular plate comes with 3 different types of dumplings.
• Cervo (deer): This and other game meat can often be found on menus throughout the Dolomites. I recommend goulash di cervo for a really tasty and filling plate.
• Spätzle: This dish of gnocchi-like spinach pasta is common in Germany and Hungary and also a big hitter in South Tyrol. It's typically served with ham and a cheesy sauce.
• Mezzelune: Similar to ravioli, only in a half moon shape, like the name suggests. They're typically made with buckwheat flour and filled with spinach, ricotta, onion, and garlic.
• Strudel di Mele: Apple strudel is another dish that many associate with Germany and Austria but is also a super popular dessert throughout the Dolomites.

Not only is this blend of cultures prevalent in the food, you’ll also hear it in the language. Most signs will be in Italian, German, and Ladin (the local dialect) and locals tend to speak all 3 languages fluently. Most who work in hospitality also speak great English given the popularity of the region for international tourists. 

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How Will You Spend Your Trip to Corvara?

The best way to spend your time in Corvara is to get outside - but I think you already knew that. In the winter, hit the slopes and in the summer hop on a bike or a hiking trail. While spring and fall tend to be sleepier, you’ll love watching the leaves change colors and the wildflowers in bloom.

No matter which sport you enjoy or you’re just here for the fresh air, you really are in for a treat.