Italy Travel Guide: 5 Day Campervan Trip in the Dolomites

The Dolomites had always been at the top of our bucket list - we had seen countless photos from fellow elopement photographers of the epic mountain views and famous Lago di Braies with its crystal clear blue waters. When travel started re-opening, we planned a summer trip to Iceland, but were unable to go to our second destination (Norway) because it was closed to tourists. So I hopped onto the Google Flights Explore page to see where we could fly to from Reykjavik. (Pro travel tip: Just put in your starting location and you'll be able to find out where you can fly to and even put filters like budget or non-stop only!) Just 16 days before we were leaving for Iceland, we decided to book a flight to Milan and rushed to plan the second half of our trip in just a few weeks. Luckily I had already mapped out most of the spots I wanted to go to on a Google Map, but it definitely wasn't without a few hiccups along the way. Check out our 5-day campervan itinerary in the Dolomites!

Tips for Visiting the Dolomites:

• Getting There: The closest airports to the Dolomites are the Bolzano Airport (2 hours away) and Venice Airport (2.5 hours away). However, we found that flights were much cheaper from Milan Bergamo Airport, so we ended up driving about 5 hours to our first stop at Lago di Braies.
• Getting Around: We planned this trip in just a few weeks, so were limited in our options on how to get around. Renting a campervan gave us a little bit of breathing room in being able to decide our itinerary closer to the date and allowed us to stay closer to the spots where we wanted to go. For example, the first night we drove from Milan and stayed overnight at Lago di Braies so that we could wake up early before the crowds came! You can't just camp anywhere in the Dolomites though, so it took some research to figure out where we wanted to stay every night.
• Driving Around: While the Dolomites were relatively easy to drive around, getting there was extremely stressful. Navigating the narrow streets and paying for toll booths made our first day from Milan a nightmare. For that reason, I would recommend leaving from a closer airport if you're not familiar with driving in Italy.

Day 1

• Wake up at sunrise to see the reflections of the canoes at Lago di Braies
• Stay the night at Rifugio Auronzo

Day 2

• Wake up at sunrise and hike 1.2 miles to Cadini di Misurina
• Take an afternoon break before setting off to hike the 6.2 mile loop of Tre Cime di Lavaredo

Day 3

• See the wildflowers bloom at Giau Pass

Day 4

• Climb up the via ferrata paths at some of the most famous routes of Piccola Cir and Gran Cir
• Sip a cup of coffee overlooking the most incredible view of the mountains at Jimmi Hut

Day 5

• Take the Col Raiser cable car to see the clouds drift over the peaks of Seceda
• Time your visit to make sure the road is open to Alpe de Suisi

Some of the highlights of our trip:

• Waking up at sunrise and hiking to Cadini di Misurina with no one else in sight: This was one of the places I was most excited to go to, and it didn't disappoint. While the viewpoint at the end of the hike was just as beautiful as we had seen in the photos, it was the walk back that surprised us! As we returned to our campervan, the low clouds hung beneath the mountains and the sun rose over the hills, lighting everything with a soft golden light.
• Climbing the via ferrata: We had climbed a via ferrata route once before in Peru, but this was the first time we had gone on our own. That day we had planned to just do a sunrise climb, but it ended up being so much fun that we did a few more climbs that afternoon! In between our climbs, we loved getting to just relax with a cup of coffee at Jimmi Hutt. It had started raining later in the day and we almost didn't go, but it ended up being one of the best parts of our trip. There's nothing like the satisfaction of making it up to the top together! Note from K here: One of the best parts of these hikes is that so many of them have small coffee shops in the refugios. Make sure you learn how to order a coffee there though! If you ask for a latte, you will get a glass of milk!

The Dolomites were so different from our last trip to Italy but definitely worth its own trip if you don't have time to do both. Some even say it's like Switzerland but less expensive. For fellow adventure seekers and outdoor lovers like us, it's a place not to miss!