We spent a week hiking through the Dolomites on the Alta Via 1 and it was hands down one of the best experiences of my life. What made the experience so special was the opportunity to stay in Rifugios in the Dolomites.
The great thing about visiting and staying in Rifugios in the Dolomites is that anyone can do it! You don’t have to be a hiker to be able to stay in these amazing places. Although, it is a lot of fun if you are! Here are 3 of my favorite Rifugios in the Dolomites, how to reach them, how to book them, and why you’ll love them!
#1 Rifugio Lagazoui
Without a doubt Rifugio Lagazoui is one of my favorite Rifugios in the Dolomites. It is also one of my favorite places we’ve stayed in the world. If you are visiting the Italian Dolomites, I beg you not to skip this spot.
How to get here
On Foot: We hiked here along the Alta Via 1. The night before we stayed at Rifugio Pederu (which is also on this list) we woke up in the morning and hiked 16.2 miles to reach Lagazoui. The following day we hiked to Rifugio Averau (also on this list), it was a 12.7 mile hiking day. If these hikes seem a little too long for you, there is another option.
By car/cable car: Make sure you research the time of year you plan to go. The Lagazoui cable car and parking lot have different hours for different times of year. But as long as you make proper arrangements, you could drive to the cable car, and take the cable car up to the Rifugio to stay for the night.
What is it like?
This Rifugio is literally on the top of a huge mountain in the Dolomites. As you would expect, it means that it is a pretty no frills place. Despite its difficult location we found it amazingly comfortable and cozy. We had a private room with 2 single beds lined up in a row. We slept head to head! You could also sleep in dorm style rooms for a cheaper cost. We had our own beautiful balcony, but the Rifugio also has an amazing deck with PLENTY of seating and views for miles!
When you book this Rifugio you can book a half board or full board option to include meals. We had an included dinner and breakfast with our stay. Many Rifugios in the Dolomites do meals this way. The dinner was fantastic and it brings about such a fun communal feel. You are seated among all of the other hikers and visitors. It’s so nice to chat about your day, where you’re heading next, etc. The meal is a 3 course dinner with a starter a main and a desert. We had some excellent pasta and a nice red wine to go with it.
The best part of this place is that after dinner you get to watch the most beautiful sunset possibly ever. To be honest I left the dinner table multiple times to go outside and take in the scene. Every single minute of it was lovely, starting with the cotton candy skies, and ending with the deep and beautiful sunset hues.
I also INSIST that you wake up for sunrise here as well. It was one of the most magical sunrises I’ve ever seen and with only the people in the Rigufio up on the mountain, you really get to enjoy it all to yourself.
This is also a unique place to stay because there are tunnels and small caves from WW1 all around the mountainside near the Rifugio. You can take hikes or guided tours to see some fo the areas and go into the tunnels. If you’re really into the history it is a really unique and special place to see it.
Important Things to Note
- It is important to note that you must pay to shower here. You had to pay for increments of 5 minutes. This can be common in some Rifugios in the Dolomites that are harder to reach. The shower was warm and had a mountain view!
- You need to bring a water purifier or buy bottled water here. Due to the location of the Rifugio they do not have drinkable running water.
- The cable cars do not run endlessly. Make sure you check the times or you’ll be stuck with quite a hike that you weren’t expecting.
- You need to book Rifugios in the Dolomites months in advance. These huts are popular (for good reason) and you don’t want to miss out. This is especially important when you are trekking hut to hut.
#2 Rifugio Pederu
The setting of this Rifugio is absolutely stunning. It looks like a movie scene when you first arrive. We hiked down into the valley from above and the Rifugio looked so tiny on our way down. When you arrive and relax on the lawn, entirely surround by mountains, you couldn’t imagine a better view.
How to get here
On foot: We hiked here from Lago Di Braies and it was about a 13 mile hike. We stayed the night in Cortina and got a ride to the Lake in the morning to start the hike.
By car: the great thing about this Rifugio is that it is in a valley instead of up on a mountain, this makes it more accessible. You can drive here easily and park right at the Rifugio. You could also bike here and biking in this area is very popular.
What is it like?
I have already mentioned that this Rifugio is set in a beautiful valley. There are mountain views all around. I highly recommend getting a private room with a balcony. As far as Rifugios in the Dolomites go, this one could be considered luxury. Our room was very clean and comfortable, had towels and bed linens and felt a little more like a mountain hotel. Having the balcony to sit on and watch the sunrise and sunset was such an added bonus.
This Rifugio is known for its food and it did NOT disappoint. First of all they have incredible ice cream, so this is a great idea for a snack upon arrival from your daily activities! We also had an a la carte dinner here and absolutely loved everything we ate. The homemade pasta was our favorite and we tried two different kinds and loved them both.
This place also had a great “hang out” scene. This is one of the most fun parts of staying in Rifugios in the Dolomites. When you arrive from a day of hiking or adventuring there are people everywhere. The lawn is huge and they serve drinks and snacks etc. We had such a nice time just relaxing and playing cards and people watching etc. At night, it clears out and is really only the people who are staying there, which is very peaceful.
Important things to note
- You must book this spot early (especially if you want a private room). Rifugios in the DOlomites fill up quickly during all seasons.
- This Rifugio was the location of a number of cool activities, so if you’re not hiking in and out you may want to look into their offerings for mountain biking, hikes, and other activities.
Rifugio Averau
Another absolutely epic mountain top spot. This is one of those special places that takes a bit of effort to get to. The sunrise here was truly one of the most memorable of my entire life.
How to get there
On foot: We hiked from Rifugio Lagazoui and the hike was about 12.7 miles. This day was actually quite easy hiking wise though.
By car/cable car: To get here by car you’d also need to take a cable car. According to the website : During the summer you can park in Bai de Dones, Falzarego Pass, Giau Pass or at the Fedare Refuge and continue on foot or with the lift facilities.
What is it like?
Similar to Lagazoui, this spot is on top of a mountain. It also has an epic looking imposing mountain behind it, which makes for the most gorgeous setting. It is nearby to the 5 Torri, which is a very popular area for rock climbers. The area up here kind of feels like it’s own little world on top of the mountain. There are cable cars that can bring non-hikers up, so during the day it can be a busy area.
In the evening however, it is so quiet and peaceful. I watched sunrise here ENTIRELY by myself and it was the most beautiful experience you can imagine. This happened quite a few times at the different Rifugios in the Dolomites we stayed at.
The food here was wonderful and we loved that they had a lot of indoor and outdoor space to hang out. We had a great cheese and charcuterie board as well as a lovely piece of chocolate cake! Dinner was excellent and was a 3 course meal. We had a private room here and it was very clean and comfortable. We had a small balcony overlooking the mountains and we were very thankful for our own room here. There are also shared dorm rooms here if you’re looking to travel on more of a budget.
Important things to note
- If you are traveling by cable car make sure to know the schedule, the cars run at different times depending on the time of year.
- You can book private or dorm rooms here, if you want a private room it is best to book very early.
- There is an open air war museum up here where you can learn more about how the mountains played a role in WW1. there are some outdoor exhibits and it is really unique and interesting to hear about and see.
Additional Information
If you’re interested in hiking the Alta Via 1 (which I HIGHLY recommend). This hike took us through 5 different Rifugios in the Dolomites. Check out my post here —-> Everything You Need to Know to hike the Alta Via 1 in the Dolomites
If you’re looking for more information on mountain huts/rifugios in the Dolomites in general and what it is like to stay in them, check out my post here —–> Staying in a Rifugio in the Dolomites: Things to Know Before you Go
If you’re interested in organized tours in the Dolomites and things to do near the Rifugios in the Dolomites you can find some info here ——> Dolomites Tours
If you’re interested in staying in Cortina, a great base for visiting the Dolomites, you can check out options here ——> Cortina Hotels and my blog post here ——> Cortina Town
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