Walks Team Q&A: Spending the Summer Walking in the Dolomites
Author : Lara Ehmler
30th October 2024
The Collett’s Walks Team plays a pivotal role in creating memorable experiences for guests, who book walking holidays in Italy’s Dolomites. It offers tailored advice on walks that best suit your preferences and fitness levels. It is also a reliable source of tips on local places of interest and other alpine activities available in the area, should you decide to take the occasional break from walking.
Here are its top walking recommendations, tips for the best Aperol Spritz in Corvara and information on how guests can get the most out of their centre-based walking holiday to the Dolomites with Collett’s.
Meet Our Dolomites Walk Team
Collett’s: Hey guys, could you tell us a little bit more about how long you’ve been working for Collett’s?
Ayelen: Of course, I’ve been working for Collett’s in the Dolomites for three seasons in a row now. I simply cannot get enough of the Dolomites! Every year I’m looking forward to coming back.
Floris: I couldn’t agree more. It was mine and Elisan’s first season but we both said that it definitely won’t be our last time in the Dolomites. It was a very special experience.
Collett’s: How would you describe walking in the Dolomites?
Floris: It’s a paradise for walkers of all levels. Whenever we headed out on walks in the area they not only lived up to my expectations, but exceeded them completely.
Elisan: Absolutely! They were some of the most dramatic and breathtaking views I have ever experienced.
Where are we based in the Dolomites?
Collett’s centre-based walking holidays in the Dolomites are based in Corvara, a picturesque village in the heart of the Alta Badia. This area is renowned for its dramatic landscapes, a mix of towering limestone peaks, verdant valleys, and pristine alpine meadows. The Alta Badia is an ideal base for walkers of all levels due to its extensive network of trails, ranging from gentle strolls to challenging high-altitude hikes.
During our uniquely flexible centre-based walking holidays, you can choose between a selection of memorable walks based on your ability, enabling you to explore the area at your own pace. Get a feel for this holiday by reading our guest reviews from Neil & Heather, who recently went on their first walking holiday in the Dolomites.
Our Walks Team is at hand daily to provide you with additional advice and local recommendations, ensuring you get the most out of your time in the mountains. So, let’s hear a few of their recommendations.
Our Favourite Walks in the Dolomites
Collett’s: What were your favourite walks this season?
Elisan: I’ll start! I remember the first couple of weeks as if it were yesterday. We had to check all the trails and routes to be sure everything was ready for the first guests. I remember the first time doing the Edelweis Terrace walk. The weather was very gloomy: low and grey clouds, rain and patchy visibility at times. I was a bit sceptical about how good the walk could be in these circumstances, but it was so beautiful! The meadows gave a dramatic contrast to the big massif on the other side of the valley and the clouds were extra mysterious.
A bit later in June, all the meadows turned into big fields of colourful flowers. With every walk I did I thought ‘wow’. Some years earlier Collett’s made a ‘flower book’ in collaboration with some very knowledgeable people on flora, specifically for this area of the Dolomites. I never studied flowers or plants before, but in these circumstances, how could I not? Of course, all the walks and flowers were very beautiful, but some of my favourite hikes were certainly on the Pralongia Plateau and around Santa Croce.
I could honestly go on and on!
Collett’s: Thank you for all those fantastic recommendations, Elisan. Floris, what are your favourite walks?
Floris: My top three would be the Sasso Longo, the Setsass line and the Puez Odle circuit.
The Sassolongo walk can be quite busy in the high season but it is just so diverse in terms of terrain and views that it has to be on top of my list. When the sun hits the Sassolongo rockface in the second part of the walk, you almost feel like you’ve left earth and landed in some fantasy world instead.
The Setsass Line is much quieter and a great walk for wildlife spotting. You often find yourself solely surrounded by marmots, trees, and the impressive Setsass rockface to your right. I think it’s the perfect way to start your day in peace and enjoy the views towards the Civetta and Col di Lana in silence.
The Puez Odle circuit starts with quite a steep initial ascent, but that’s exactly what I enjoy. Especially when such an ascent is rewarded, which certainly is the case on this walk! The ascent brings you up to the Puez plateau: a stunning rocky area where – due to the absence of cable cars, ski slopes and roads – you truly feel like you’re purely in the mountains.
Collett’s Walk Packs
All these walks (and more!) are part of our detailed Walk Packs, which make a significant contribution to your walking holiday package. It is another thing that sets our centre-based walking holidays apart, providing you with comprehensive guidance and ensuring your self-guided walks are simple and easy to navigate. Our Walk Packs include local maps, comprehensive walk notes for each of the walks we have carefully selected for you to choose from, plus access to digital navigation using the Ride with GPS App, to which we provide you with access throughout your stay.
Our Walks Team knows each walk well and daily it can answer your questions and provide you with local tips, so that every day is plain-sailing and hassle-free.
Food & Drink in the Dolomites
Collett’s: What are your favourite local food and drink spots?
Ayelen: The great thing about Corvara is that you have plenty of choice for excellent local food & drink. I would always recommend to guests to try some Apfelstrudle and local wine.
Elisan: Agreed! There are also plenty of mountain huts (known locally as rifugios) which feature on our walks. One of my favourites has to be the Runch Hut. It has one of the best Kaiserschmarren (a kind of pancake with cranberry sauce) in the area. The Lagazuoi Hut and the Kostner Hut both get a little busier busy, but they have the most amazing views I’ve seen. They’re also completely accessible by cable car if you just want an easy day.
Floris: I’d also recommend Rifugio Bioch, especially if you are a wine lover. Not only do they have an impressive selection of wines on their special wine menu, but they also make their own. Inside, there’s even a wine tasting room that you can book to try several of their wines.
Collett’s: How about the best spot for an Aperol Spritz?
Elisan: You can get a good Aperol in every mountain hut, but our favourite spot in Corvara must be the bar at the climbing gym and indoor tennis courts.
Floris: Absolutely, it’s an easy Number One pick for me, too. It is a bit hidden away and therefore mostly visited by locals, making it the perfect spot to end a good day of walking. Order an Aperol Spritz (only €4,50 there) or, even better, a gelato!
What makes Collett’s centre-based walking holidays to the Dolomites unique?
Floris: Definitely the personal approach. I’ve heard many times over the past season from many different guests how personal and helpful the whole Collett’s team has been from the initial online request to the end of their holiday. Most guests realise that we are a fairly small company, but a company that has excellent service at its heart. That must be part of the reason why Collett’s has so many returners every year. It’s this personal approach, in addition to taking away all the planning and the worries, that I believe causes guests to choose Colletts over and over again.
Ayelen: Agreed! I have met guests that have been to the Dolomites with Collett’s more than 15 times and still come back every year!
Collett’s: That is brilliant feedback. Thank you so much for spreading your enthusiasm, passion and knowledge for the Dolomites. We’ll see you back in the mountains soon!
Collett’s Walking Holidays to the Dolomites – Where carefully curated walks meet local expertise
At Collett’s, we understand that exploring a new destination can sometimes feel overwhelming. We have been planning walking holidays in the Dolomites for over 25 years, making us the experts when it comes to hiking in the Alta Badia and central Dolomites. Our uniquely flexible centre-based holidays provide you with the freedom to discover places at your own pace, whilst also having access to our expertise. With our tailored Walk Packs, you will build treasured mountain memories, all from one charming resort, where our Walks Team will welcome you, take a daily interest in the success of your walks, and ensure you a succession of unforgettable days. Find out more about this holiday here.
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