This roadtrip probably isn't on the top of your wishlist, but man, it should be! Pairing the Dolomites with the Valpolicella wine region in northeastern Italy makes for one of the most unique and memorable roadtrips (and it's surprisingly very accessible from Venice)!
The Dolomites had long held a place on our travel wishlist and lucky for us, it exceeded every expectation we had! This place is stunningly beautiful and despite initial concerns about hiking dominating the experience (literally every travel blog we read talked about full day hikes to see certain peaks and lakes), we were pleasantly surprised to discover countless awe-inspiring locations accessible with minimal trekking.
And combining the Dolomites with Valpolicella is the most perfect pairing of adventure and relaxation. Valpolicella is a relatively unknown area of Italy producing some of our favorite Italian red wines, and within this region, there's some incredible hidden gems just waiting for you to explore (plus the beautiful Lake Garda is just to the west). So grab your camera, sneakers, packable down jacket, and a bathing suit (we know, strange combo) and get ready for this unforgettable trip!
Top 3 Must-Do’s for a Dolomites & Valpolicella Itinerary
Go to Santa Maddalena for the best view we've ever seen!
Drink a Hugo Spritz on the deck at Hotel Cir overlooking Grödner Joch
Enjoy a relaxing day on Lake Garda
Duration: 7 nights
Typical Daily Cost for two people: $354 (excludes any required airfare to/from Venice)
Best Time to Go: June - September
We went in early September and absolutely loved it! The weather was perfect, prices were cheaper, and there were very few tourists.
Table of Contents
The Dolomites & Valpolicella Roadtrip: Itinerary at a Glance
Day | Activities | Night |
Day 1 | Arrive at the Venice Airport in the morning/early afternoon and spend the rest of the day in Venice. | Venice |
Day 2 | Pickup your rental car from Venice Airport and drive 3 hours to the Dolomites. Stop for lunch in Selva di Cadore. Enjoy a leisurely walk to a beautiful viewpoint near your hotel in the Gardena Pass just before sunset. | Val Gardena |
Day 3 | Drive to Santa Maddalena for the most breathtaking view we've ever seen! | Val Gardena |
Day 4 | Walk through the valley of Vallunga and explore the town of Selva. | Val Gardena |
Day 5 | Drive to 3 hours to Valpolicella region, stopping for lunch at an agriturismo along the way. Relax by the pool at the hotel in the afternoon. | Valpolicella |
Day 6 | Head over to Lake Garda and explore the tiny towns of Sirmione and Peschiera del Garda. | Valpolicella |
Day 7 | Explore Verona in the morning, followed by a wine tasting in the afternoon. | Valpolicella |
Day 8 | Drive 1.5 hours to the Venice airport to head to your next adventure! |
Just the Facts
Stay
Venice: You're only in Venice for 1 night, so to make the most of it, we highly recommend you splurge a bit and get a hotel on the island on Venice. Don't worry too much about getting the perfect hotel as you'll be spending the majority of your day and night exploring the city. Here are a few options that are close to the train station for easy access so you don't have to hassle getting in and out:
The Dolomites: The Dolomites is an absolutely stunning region with seemingly infinite "must-see" places that look close on a map, but in reality, are hours apart due to the vast mountain ranges with never-ending switchback roads. To optimize our time in the Dolomites and ensure we got the best views all day long, we decided to stay at Hotel Cir, smack dab in the middle of arguably the most famous and picturesque mountain pass in all of the Dolomites - Gardena Pass. The hotel has insane 360 degree views of the Dolomites, hiking trails literally at the front door, and a great restaurant right on site (which was a requirement because there's no way we were driving down the switchback road to town for dinners!).
Valpolicella: Be sure to stay at Hotel Villa Giona - this is definitely the most beautiful hotel we've ever stayed at! It's a 16th century villa with incredibly well maintained grounds (and gardens!), a pool overlooking vineyards, an adorable wine bar, and a delicious restaurant on site - you'll be tempted to never leave! If for some very unfortunate reason Hotel Villa Giona is not available, here are some other great options in the area (with restaurants on site):
Eat
Venice:
La Bitta Venezia: Super cozy & small dinner spot with homemade pastas. Be sure to book a table.
Bacaro Vintido': If La Bitta Venezia is not available, book a table here - it's very similar with cozy vibes and homemade pastas.
L' Bacaro de' Bischeri: Super casual takeaway sandwich shop. Come here for lunch if you get to Venice early enough on your first day.
The Dolomites: All your dinners will be spent at the restaurant at Hotel Cir, so our recommendations are for lunches. Also a warning - we weren't overly impressed with any of the food we had in the Dolomites. There's a very strong Austrian influence, so don't expect as much traditional Italian food. What the Dolomites lacks in food, it more than makes up for with its stunning scenery!
Al Crot (Selva di Cadore): Stop here for lunch on your drive from Venice. It's a basic pizza/pasta restaurant with a cute outdoor area and a stunning view of the mountains.
Dreimädelhaus (Santa Maddalena): Pizza place close to Santa Maddalena with outdoor seating and great views.
Ciastel de Val (Selva di Val Gardena): Slightly upscale restaurant, good for lunch, serving traditional cuisine.
Restaurant Pizzeria Sun Valley Stübele (Selva di Val Gardena): Yet another pizza place, this one has an amazing deck overlooking the mountains.
Restaurant Costabella Pizzeria (Selva di Val Gardena): And one more pizzeria. No outdoor space at this one though.
Valpolicella: All your dinners will be spent at the restaurant at Hotel Villa Giona, so our recommendations are for lunches.
Ristorante al Palazzo: Stop here for a slow lunch on your drive from the Dolomites to Valpolicella. The restaurant is part of an agriturismo and has amazing Italian food and a beautiful outdoor seating area.
Pasta Salame (Peschiera del Garda): Nice spot for homemade pasta dishes, outdoor seating area as well.
Osteria La Poiana (Poiano): Beautiful restaurant with outdoor seating, lunch served Wednesday through Sunday. It's close to Verona, and we think the ambiance is way better than any place in Verona.
Osteria A Le Petarine: Very traditional Veronese cuisine in the center of Verona. Good pasta, you can also try horse meat here if you want (famous in Verona).
Packing Tips
Packing for this trip was a bit tricky as the climate in the Dolomites is very different from the Valpolicella region.
Dolomites: The Dolomites are high altitude, so warm layers are key. We went in early September and while the days were pleasant, the mornings and nights were cold! We brought thermal leggings, a thermal long sleeve, warm socks, light gloves, packable down jacket, and a rain jacket. For footwear, we brought hiking boots, but you can get away with just sneakers for the itinerary we are proposing. You won't need any fancy clothing for the Dolomites!
Valpolicella: The Valpolicella region (and Venice) had much more predictable summer weather in early September. Think sun dresses, sandals, shorts, and a light sweater for nighttime.
Map
Detailed Dolomites & Valpolicella Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive at the Venice Airport in the morning or early afternoon and take the Number 5 bus to Piazzale Roma. While this trip is really about seeing the Dolomites & Valpolicella region, we recommend spending your first night in Venice to relax a bit since the drive to the Dolomites is quite long (and not good to do while tired!).
Yes, Venice is a very touristy city, but it's also so charming and you can easily see the main sites in just an afternoon and evening. We recommend picking a hotel that is actually in Venice so you can really feel the atmosphere of Venice and not waste any time with transportation (we stayed across the water in Mastre and regretted it).
Spend the afternoon just wandering around the streets of Venice. Hit the main tourist sites of Piazza San Marco and the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, and make sure to get to the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute around sunset.
For dinner, book a table at either La Bitta Venezia or Bacaro Vintido' for some very cozy vibes and delicious homemade pastas.
Day 2
Take the bus back to the Venice Airport in the morning, pick up your rental car (we recommend getting a hybrid if that's an option as it will seriously cut down on gas costs!), and start your drive to Val Gardena in the Dolomites. It's about a 3 hour drive - the first hour will be a breeze on the highway, but be prepared for switchback mountain roads for the final 2 hours once you hit the Dolomites region. The roads are very well maintained, but it was still a bit scary at first!
Stop for lunch along the way in the small town of Selva di Cadore at Al Crot Pizzeria - it's a basic restaurant but they have a lovely outdoor area with great views of the mountains. After lunch, continue the final hour of switchbacks up through Gardena Pass to your hotel for the next 3 days - Hotel Cir. The location of Hotel Cir is incredible! It's right in the middle of the Gardena Pass (one of the most beautiful mountain passes in all of the Dolomites) and has 360 degrees views of the surrounding mountains.
No more driving for today, so once you've settled in to the hotel, put on some hiking shoes (or just sneakers) and take a walk along the path just to the back right of the hotel (note, this is not the path that goes up the mountain!). Continue walking on this relatively flat path until you reach a viewpoint that is about here. This was a great first introduction to the Dolomites and made us feel like we were living in the Sound of Music.
Head back to the hotel, enjoy a Hugo Spritz on the deck, and then have dinner at the hotel's restaurant (you'll eat at this restaurant the next 3 nights because there's no way anyone wants to drive down those switchbacks roads in the dark!).
Day 3
Get ready for the most incredible view you've ever seen! Today, you'll be heading to the picturesque town of Santa Maddalena, just over an hour drive from Hotel Cir. To get to the best viewpoint, we recommend you park your car in San Pietro close to the Tourism Office (just before Santa Maddalena) and then walk to the path that starts here. Continue walking along this dirt path for about 30-45 minutes (at some point you'll pass through a set of gates and some farmland) until you reach what we consider to be the best viewpoint we've ever seen.
Note: You can technically get the this viewpoint an easier way by going through the town of Santa Maddalena, but we think the walk from San Pietro is well worth it!
Once you've finished filling your camera with beautiful photos, head back to San Pietro (there's also a slightly lower path you can take) and then grab your car and drive just up the road to lunch at Dreimädelhaus.
After lunch, you can drive into the town of Santa Maddalena to walk around a bit. On the way back to the hotel, we recommend stopping in Ortisei to walk around and grab a coffee at one of the cafes. Dinner tonight is at the hotel's restaurant.
Day 4
Today we recommend spending the majority of your time outside enjoying a leisurely walk through the valley of Vallunga. Vallunga is a quick 20 minute drive from Hotel Cir (Note: take the main road that goes down through Selva, do NOT follow Google's recommendation that tells you to go up the dirt road from the hotel!).
Vallunga has a stunning backdrop with mountains shooting up on either side of the valley. There's lots of well marked walking trails that are mainly flat and you can continue for as long or as short as you'd like. We recommend spending 2-3 hours here.
For lunch, you have a few options. Ciastel de Val is close to Vallunga and is a bit more upscale with traditional cuisine. If you'd rather something more casual, you can drive down to the town of Selva and choose either Restaurant Pizzeria Sun Valley Stübele (great outdoor deck overlooking the mountains) or Restaurant Costabella Pizzeria.
Wander around Selva after lunch and then head back up to the hotel. If you have extra time in the afternoon, opt for one of the many walking trails right outside the hotel (the front desk can give you recommendations). Enjoy a relaxing last night at the hotel.
Day 5
Time to say goodbye to the Dolomites and hello to the beautiful vineyards of Valpolicella! If you haven't tried Valpolicella wine, you're in for a treat - it's one of our favorite Italian red wines. It's about a 3 hour drive and we recommend stopping for lunch along the way at Ristorante al Palazzo, a beautiful agriturismo with classic Italian food and a nice outdoor area.
Arrive at Hotel Villa Giona in the mid-afternoon and prepared to be left speechless - this hotel is STUNNING! Spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing by the pool, wandering around the gardens, and having an aperitivo at the wine bar.
You'll have dinner at the hotel's restaurant tonight - we absolutely loved dinners here outside by the garden! This place is the definition of what we dream about when we think of Italy!
Day 6
After a relaxing breakfast out by the gardens of the hotel, grab your car and drive about 45 minutes to the tiny peninsula of Sirmione on Lake Garda (bring a bathing suit & towel!). Lake Garda is a very popular destination, and for good reason - it's beautiful! There's plenty of parking lots on the road leading up to Sirmione so grab a spot and walk to the town.
Wander through the streets of Sirmione, stop for some gelato, and then walk all the way to the tip of the peninsula to Jamaica Beach - this is a very popular rock beach with a fun beach bar to hang at for an hour or so.
We don't recommend staying in Sirmione for lunch, so once you've finished at the beach, drive just down the road to Peschiera del Garda, another small resort town on Lake Garda. There's tons of cute restaurants here to choose from - we recommend some fresh pasta at Pasta Salame.
Head back to the hotel in the late afternoon, and enjoy another relaxing evening of Valpolicella at the wine bar, followed by dinner outside.
Day 7
It's time to see the famous Romeo & Juliet city of Verona! Now you may be wondering, can I really see Verona in just a few hours - well, we think the answer is absolutely yes. And this may be an unpopular opinion, but we weren't overly impressed by Verona - we found it to be way too touristy for our tastes, but nevertheless, we do think it's worth spending a few hours.
Park your car across the river in this parking lot, and walk across the Ponte della Vittoria into the old town of Verona. Walk to the main square, Piazza Brà to see the Verona Arena, walk to a few other famous squares, Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza dei Signori, and take in the views of the city from the very pretty bridge, Ponte Pietra.
If you're dying to see Juliet's House, feel free to stop by, but we honestly felt it was so overhyped and not worth fighting the crowds.
You have a few options for lunch. If you're absolutely loving Verona and want to spend a bit more time here, we recommend going to Osteria A Le Petarine for some very traditional Veronese pasta (they serve horse meat here too). If you're ready to leave Verona, and get back to the beautiful countryside, then we highly recommend driving to Osteria La Poiana - it's a beautiful restaurant set in a courtyard garden.
Before heading back to the hotel, stop by Speri Viticoltori for a wine tasting of all the different varieties of Valpolicella! This winery is super close to the hotel and a great pitstop for a relaxing afternoon before your final evening at the hotel.
Day 8
That's it for the Dolomites and Valpolicella! Drive 1.5 hours back to the Venice Airport, drop off your rental car, and head off to your next adventure!
Cost Breakdown (2 people for 7 nights)
Note: Flights to/from Venice are not included in this cost breakdown.
Train to/from Venice Airport to Venice | $50 |
Hotel - Venice (1 night) | $250 |
Hotel - Dolomites (3 nights, dinner included) | $525 |
Hotel - Valpolicella (3 nights) | $450 |
Rental Car (includes gas, tolls, parking) | $400 |
Breakfast - included | $0 |
Lunch x 7 | $315 |
Dinner x 4 (2 entrees, 1 app, bottle of wine) | $300 |
Wine Tasting | $50 |
Cocktails/Drinks | $140 |
Total | $2,480 |
Daily Cost for 2 People | $354 |
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