The Great Dolomite Road: Bolzano to Cortina (3 Days)

The Great Dolomite Road (Grande Strada delle Dolomiti) is only about 110 km from Bolzano to Cortina d’Ampezzo, but the climbing, hairpins and viewpoints turn it into a proper 2–3 day trip. It threads through the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, over a chain of high passes.

Italy drives on the right. The high passes are strongly seasonal: they typically open around late May or June and close with the first heavy snow, roughly by October — some can shut earlier or in bad weather. Check pass status before you go and never assume a winter crossing is possible. The Dolomite Road passes themselves are toll-free; you only pay Italy’s autostrada tolls if you use the motorway network to reach Bolzano.

Day 1 — Bolzano to Val di Fassa (40 km)

Leave Bolzano and climb east toward the Ladin-speaking valleys. Stop at emerald Lake Carezza (Karersee), mirroring the Latemar range, then cross Passo Costalunga (Karerpass, 1,752 m). Drop into the Val di Fassa and overnight around Vigo di Fassa or Canazei.

Day 2 — Val di Fassa to Passo Falzarego (45 km)

The dramatic day. Wind up to Passo Pordoi (2,239 m), the highest point on the road, where a cable car rises to Sass Pordoi for a plateau view over the Sella massif. Continue past the Sella’s sheer walls toward Passo Falzarego (2,105 m). Sleep near the pass or drop toward Cortina.

Day 3 — Passo Falzarego to Cortina d’Ampezzo (25 km)

At Passo Falzarego take the cable car up to Lagazuoi (about 2,778 m), where WWI tunnels are cut into the rock. Then descend the final stretch into Cortina d’Ampezzo, the chic mountain town, for shops, cafés and Ampezzo Dolomites views.

Costs

Use the cost calculator to price fuel and nights for your dates. Budget for fuel across 110 km of hard climbing, mountain hotels or rifugi (often €90–200+ per night in season), and cable-car tickets at each pass (typically €20–35 return). The passes are free; only autostrada tolls to reach Bolzano add a charge. Book rooms early in summer.