dimakruchenetsky1615

Hi guys,

It is my first post here at Fodor's

I need some help planning my 3-day stay in the Dolomites area on 7-9/May/2023, when we booked Hotels and plane tickets we didn't think about the offseason issue and that some places won't be accessible because of the snow

so that is why I need your help, as most places that talk about the Dolomites are not for early May travelers.



As I mentioned, we will be in the area from the 7th to the 10th of May.

On the 7th morning, we will leave from Verona and drive toward the Dolomites area by car.

On the 10th morning, we will leave for Venice

The hotel we staying in is B&B Hotel Passo Tre Croci Cortina



The place we do know we want to visit on those days are:

• Bolzano
• Lake Antorno, Lake Lago di Braiesm, Lake Misurina

If someone can help me with a more detailed plan for those days at that time of year I will very much appreciate it.



P.S

Neither of us are in great shape for hiking hard trails, but we will happily take one or two hours hikes if the weather permits.



Thanks,

Dima K.

neckervd

Don't worry! There is actually no snow at Cortina d'Ampezzo and not much snow at Misurina, Passo Tre Croci and Lago Antorno..It will most probably have melted until you arrive.. All these places are rather close to each otgher and of easy reach.
The road to Lago Braies is open; it will be closed in July only.
Bolzano/Bozen and Misurina are both along the itinerary from Verona to Passo Tre Croci.

Jean

Are you starting your car rental in Verona?

Bolzano is a bit out of the way compared to the other sights/stops on your list. Were you planning to stop in Bolzano on your way from Verona to the B&B? That's about a 4-hour drive without the stop. (Rather than stick to highways after Bolzano, going via Brunico and Dobbiaco, I'd go through the mountains via Ortisei, Selva, Corvara.) If you were going to day trip to Bolzano from your B&B, that would be 4+ hours round trip. I would probably reconsider Bolzano, but if you keep it on the list I'd drive different routes to and from so that you see more/different sights.

Misurina and Antorno are just a few kilometers from your B&B. You could drive to both and back to the B&B in less than an hour.

On the day you drive to Lago di Braies (which will take you past Misurina again), if you want to wander farther, you could head to Brunico/Bruneck. Just south of the town is a very interesting and unique cemetery dating from World War I... Kriegerfriedhof. In Brunico is the Messner Mountain Museum housed in Bruneck Castle. We found the castle interesting.

https://throneandvine.com/soldier-ce...o-south-tyrol/

Museum / Messner Mountain Museen

I wouldn't think much about hiking as it may still be too wet/muddy, and you don't have a lot of spare time if you hope to drive over several mountain passes. Play it by ear and weather. You'll see trailheads everywhere you drive.

Unless you need to be in Venice by noon, I'd keep sightseeing in the mountains as long as possible. I assume you know your B&B is not IN Cortina. (It looks nice, BTW!)

dimakruchenetsky1615

Thanks for your replies neckervd and Jean,
We are actually taking a car a few days earlier in Milano.

We are considering spending a half day in Verona on May 6th and then driving to Bolzano and staying there for a night.
On the 7th, see a little bit of Bolzano till early noon then drive to "B&B Hotel Passo Tre Croci " and maybe you can recommend stopping in some place on the way to the Hotel?
8th and 9th we will have to find out what to do.
and on the morning of the 10th, we will leave for Venice.

Jean

You are picking up the car in Milan and dropping it in Venice... And you're ok with the one-way rental surcharge??

Weighing a half day in Verona against more time in the Dolomites, I'd skip Verona. Are you spending the prior night there? If so, I'd just walk around the town after you arrive, after dinner, etc., and leave Verona for Bolzano first thing in the morning. Unless you plan to visit the Ice Man Museum in Bolzano, I'd skip Bolzano. But if you left Verona early in the morning, you could get to the Ice Man Museum when it opens (10:00 a.m.), have lunch in Bolzano after the museum and then continue your drive. I would drop the night in Bolzano and stay one night in Ortisei on the way to the B&B. Bolzano is a nice enough town, but the Dolomites are spectacular. I would want as much time as possible in the mountains, driving the passes, etc.

dimakruchenetsky1615

Jean
Yes, I'm aware of the one-way charge at the car rental, but we are doing a kinda small euro trip starting in Germany and ending in Venice.
Verona is must stop location for us, at least for a few hours to visit prime locations, we are not spending the prior night in the city
but getting there in the morning somewhere around 8 AM to 9 AM.

So if we leave Verona around 17:00 and drive about 2 hours to Ortisei, skipping on Bolzano we could spend the evening and night at Ortisei,
So on the next morning which is May 7th, what should we do during the day? while slowly getting to the "B&B Hotel Passo Tre Croci".
Also, what to do in the next two days in the area?

Thanks, Jean

Jean

Saturday, May 6. Milan to Verona. The drive Milan-Verona will take at least 2 hours. Then Verona to Ortisei, about 2.5 hours. Spend the night in Ortisei. That is a very long day if you intend to leave Milan around 6:00 a.m.

Sunday, May 7. Depending on the weather and your interest, you could take the cable car from Ortisei to a higher elevation for a short walk or just to see the views. Then you would have the rest of the day to explore the area between Ortisei and the B&B. If you just drove directly to the B&B, it would take between 2 and 2.5 hours, but there are several passes you can drive over (not all on the same road), perhaps ride another cable car that is open, and stop in several places for the views. You will also want to have lunch somewhere. There are restaurants at nearly all the passes, and you will pass through many small towns. If you happen to reach Cortina while there is still daylight, you could wander the town a bit before going to the B&B.

Note: If you have interest in World War I sights, there are forts and museums you could plan your day around.

Monday, May 8. See the three lakes on your list. Perhaps add Tre Cime di Lavaredo between Antorno and Braeis and do a short walk/hike. If there is time and daylight left, explore farther, perhaps to Brunnico and then drive a different route back to the B&B... SS244 via Villa Stern.

Tuesday, May 9. You could go west back into the heart of the Dolomites and a bit south to parts you didn't see on Sunday. Perhaps the Marmolada Glacier, San Pellegrino, Paneveggio, Passo Rolle. Or, you could stay north and east of the B&B. Drive a loop north to Dobbiaco, east to San Candido, to Auronzo and back to the B&B. You will not run out of spectacular scenery whatever you do.

Wednesday, May 10. Drive to Venice. It should take about 2.5 hours, and only the first hour is interesting.

dimakruchenetsky1615

Wow, thank you very much Jean for the detailed response.
Just have one last question, do you know where there is an open cable car at this time of year?
I just checked the cable car in Ortisei, and it unfortunately closed.

Jean

Oh, sorry. I forgot how early in May you are visiting. There probably will not be any open in the Dolomites that week.

But don't worry. You will have wonderful scenery from the roads. Drive over as many passes as possible.