A Guest Review of Via Ferrata holidays in the Dolomites
Author : Lara Ehmler
20th November 2024
At Collett’s Mountain Holidays, we pride ourselves on offering exceptional walking and skiing holidays in Europe. Our very first destination back in 1997 was the Italian Dolomites. Our much-loved centre-based walking holidays in the Dolomites happen to unfold in the home and birthplace of Via Ferrata, a unique way of climbing and traversing mountains using fixed cables, ladders and the occasional gorge-spanning wire bridge.
We caught up with Collett’s guest Nicola Turner, who recently joined us on a centre-based walking holiday in Italy’s crown jewels, the Dolomites. Nicola was a returning Collett’s guest, having previously joined us on another hiking holiday in the Dolomites with her son, Lewis. She was eager to sample a dose of high-altitude, exposed excitement. Here’s what she had to say about her latest adventure with us.
Collett’s: Hi Nicola! Can you tell us a little about yourself and who accompanied you on this trip?
Nicola: Lewis and I had previously been to the Dolomites with Collett’s to spend time exploring, and we’d had a great time and finally made it back this year! We’ve both done a lot of climbing in the past, as well as walking, and the Dolomites is a fantastic place for both. We remembered how stunning the views were, and we’d really enjoyed the Via Ferrata routes and the local food. I’m about to turn 60 and I’m largely retired from a career as a senior manager in public sector regeneration and economic development. I now work part-time freelance as a cycling instructor. I’ve lived in Manchester for the last 25 years, but I’m now based in Tobermory, Isle of Mull. Lewis is at university.
Why choose Via Ferrata on a Collett’s walking holiday?
Our centre-based walking holiday in the Dolomites is based in Corvara, the Alta Badia’s principle resort in a region renowned for having some of the best mountain walking in Europe. In addition, this is home to the largest concentration of Via Ferrata in the world, making it an unrivalled launchpad for climbers and scramblers. Via Ferrata in the Dolomites is an unforgettable way of traversing and ascending the most startling rock formations in the world by use of fixed cables and iron rungs. These routes open up unique views and landscapes that would otherwise be impossible to reach, giving you a truly sensational perspective of this UNESCO World Heritage site. A Via Ferrata holiday with Collett’s is basically treated as an optional, self-guided add-on to our centre-based walking holiday in the Dolomites, so you can either dedicate your holiday to Via Ferrata or mix it up with some heavenly hikes.
Collett’s has teamed up with great outdoors publisher, Cicerone, to provide climbers and Via Ferrata enthusiasts comprehensive route notes and map sections for 20 Via Ferratas local to Corvara. It all amounts to an invaluable VF Holiday Pack, loaded with essential information. Our relationship with Cicerone is long-standing: its first (and latest) edition of ‘Via Ferrata in the Dolomites’ were written by ex-members of the Collett’s Dolomites-based Walks Team.
Find Out MoreCollett’s: How did you find the overall experience of your holiday this time around?
Nicola: We had a fantastic time! The mountain scenery is truly spectacular, and the villages and valleys are so picturesque. What I love about Via Ferrata is that it opens up views and landscapes you wouldn’t get to see otherwise. We did a few amazing Via Ferrata routes, the Piz da Lech and Brigata Tridentina standing out as highlights. The ease of getting around by cable car, chairlift, and local buses made everything much more accessible. The food was also fantastic.
Collett’s: That sounds incredible! Did you get the chance to explore any of the walking routes?
Nicola: We were mostly there for the Via Ferrata, so we only did one of the walks from the Walk Pack, the Lake to Lake walk. It was great, and having the GPS file and hard copy of the notes made it easy to navigate. The instructions about which bus to take were also really helpful. Next time, we’d love to try more of the walks too.
Via Ferrata on a flexible centre-based holiday
Nicola’s experience highlights one of the key benefits of our centre-based holidays: flexibility. Whether you’re keen to explore the stunning Dolomites landscapes on foot, or eager to take on a Via Ferrata challenge, you can tailor your holiday to suit your preferences. Our Walks Team is always on hand to offer advice, and with the help of detailed Walk Packs and GPS files, even self-guided routes become a breeze. For Nicola, the flexibility of staying in self-catered accommodation was also a plus. Our wide range of accommodations, from self-catering apartments to handpicked hotels, ensures there’s something for everyone, whatever your budget, whether you’re looking for more independence or prefer a half-board experience. If you’re interested in adding Via Ferrata to your walking holiday, just add a note to your enquiry and your VF Pack will be made available online three or four weeks before you travel.
Sounding a bit too adventurous? If you would prefer to stick to waymarked trails on ‘terra firma, ‘ we recently caught up with first-time Collett’s guest, Catrin Jones, to see how she enjoyed the flexibility of her time on a Collett’s Dolomites walking holiday. You can read the blog here.
Discover Our HolidaysCollett’s: How did you find the Collett’s team on this trip?
Nicola: The staff we met during the transfer were really helpful and knowledgeable. The team I dealt with during booking were great too. On our previous trip, I had hired a car but found driving the mountain roads quite stressful. This time we used the airport transfer service and got around using the local buses and cable cars, which was much easier than I expected.
Collett’s: We’re glad to hear that. Do you have any plans to take more walking or Via Ferrata holidays in the future?
Nicola: Absolutely! We’d love to return to the Dolomites for another combined Via Ferrata and walking holiday. I’m also considering a cycling tour in Lithuania next year. I always incorporate walking into my holidays, but I have to say that Via Ferrata holidays are something special.
Collett’s: Thank you for speaking with us today, Nicola. We hope to welcome you back to the mountains soon.
Images: All photos in this article were taken by Nicola and her son, Lewis. You can follow Nicola on Instagram @nicola_turner_photography, where she captures the stunning landscapes of North Britain and beyond.
Explore the Dolomites with Collett’s
We have been planning walking holidays in the Alps since 1997, making us ‘the experts’ when it comes to destinations like the Dolomites. For guests like Nicola, booking with Collett’s takes the stress out of planning and adds an extra layer of confidence, knowing that all the logistics are handled by a team that knows the Dolomites inside and out.
So, whether you are seeking an intrepid Via Ferrata holiday, a hut-to-hut adventure high in the mountains, or our classic flexible centre-based walking holidays, the Dolomites is a winning mountain destination, which you will want to return to again and again.
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