5 of the best Locations in the Dolomites - A Photography Guide
I think I mentioned it a couple of times already, but I'm a landscape photographer based in Rosenheim/Germany.
The reason I'm saying this is because I'm fortunate to live quite close to one of the most beautiful mountain areas in the world.
Yes, guys, I'm talking about the Italian alps, aka the Dolomites. For me, it's only a three-hour drive to arrive in south Tyrol. That's where you enter those magical mountains.
It's such a beautiful area with so many incredible peaks, valleys, lakes and so on.
I love taking pictures of this wonderful landscape, and that's the reason why I decided to write a short blog post about my five favorite photography spots in the Dolomites.
I like them a lot because they're also quite easy to reach. As a chubby couch potato like myself, it can be hard sometimes to hike high altitude trails.
Maybe you know the locations already and if so, then I'm sure you do for a good reason.
When you plan on going there for the first time, then this might be interesting for you for sure. I will break them down from 5 till 1, and trust me; it was tough to rank.
The list is for the average hiker, so please don't expect any hardcore hiking trails or rock climbing.
Let's start with number 5:
Alpe di Siusi
A magical spring morning with some fog in the valley.
This legendary alpine plateau is such a fantastic place on our planet earth.
I simply love going there to take pictures but also to relax a bit.
So far, I've been there five times, and it was beautiful at every single one of those visits.
I photographed three sunrises and two sunsets/nights, and I can say that I prefer sunrise for sure.
It's so calm in the morning with no tourists around besides some photographers.
It is an accessible location, so you most likely won't be alone.
That's not much of a problem, in my opinion, since it's such a massive area with tons of space to walk around and get different compositions.
The golden light created a stunning 3d-effect in the foreground.
Please keep in mind that you're not allowed to use your car to get to the various photography spots.
You're only allowed to drive up to the parking lot at "Compatsch" (till 9 am and after 5 pm).
Then you have to walk or go by bike unless you have a reservation at one of the local Hotels up there.
It's a one hour hike to get to the most popular spots, but you can also shoot some lovely images on your way up there.
They're trying to protect nature as good as possible, and I love that fact. With almost no cars it's easy to relax and to enjoy the beautiful landscape.
However, there are a ton of tourists during the day, so as I said, I recommend going there in the morning.
Dramatic Clouds helped to get a pefect compostion of the peaks.
Composition wise you can't do much wrong, in my eyes.
There are countless little hills and huts around, which makes it a joy to photograph.
I love the huge mountains Langkofel and Plattkofel in the background.
They are a perfect subject together with the valley in front of them.
Whether you're using your wide-angle or telephoto lens, you will most certainly get away with some excellent images.
Number 4 – Passo delle Erbe
Although I'm going to the Dolomites on a regular basis since 2014, I haven't visited the amazing Passo delle Erbe until June 2019.
Well, I scouted the area in 2017, but I never made it back there until last year.
The spot is quite close to the small town Kastelruth so you can combine your visit with a trip to Alpe di Siusi quite easily.
The road up there is narrow, and you have to watch out for other cars, but all in all, it's not too hard to get to.
It’s hard to beat a starry night in the alps.
It's so worth getting up there. I love the landscape with the majestic Mountain "Peitlerkofel" in the background.
In the case of composition possibilities, you have a lot of options. Simply stop at the parking lot and walk into the small forest towards the mountain.
You will find some fantastic views with old trees and roots as a foreground element.
You can also walk further up the hill on the other side of the road to have a better overview of the area and get some shots with beautiful alpine huts in the foreground.
A dramatic sunset at the foot of Peitlerkofel
The good thing is that you can shoot it at sunrise and sunset because the light always has some interesting angles.
As a roundup, I can say its an excellent location, which is worth a visit.
Number 3 – Passo Giau
I visited this high mountain pass (2236m altitude) for the first time in 2015 during winter, and I was amazed by its beauty.
The landscape is so vast up there. You almost have 360-degree views around to so many awesome mountain tops.
One of the most famous sights is to the most prominent peak of the Dolomites, the "Marmolada." Although it's not the prettiest mountain, in my opinion, it's definitely impressive to watch.
Most of the images are taken of the peak called "Ra Gusela." It's also a fascinating subject with lots of foreground possibilities if you desire to use a wide-angle lens.
I love summer in the mountains, the golden light is so special.
You can simply stop your car at the big parking lot and start exploring right away.
If you hike up the little hill, you will have stunning views around the landscape.
There is also a hiking trail to an alpine plateau called "Mondeval," which takes you to a breathtaking place with almost no photographers around. It's a 1.5-2 hours hike depending on your stamina.
Still, it's so worth it, in my opinion, because the views towards "Monte Pelmo" – which is one of the most amazing mountains in the entire dolomites – are just priceless.
This peak is amazing during all seasons
If you plan to stay close to the road, then don't worry because you can also use your telephoto lens to get some beautiful close-ups of the peaks up there.
The last light is hitting the dramatic peaks
All in all, it's a stunning area and well worth a visit during every season and time of day.
Personally, I love sunrise the most because of the silence which you don't have during the day because of its popularity.
Number 2 – Passo Rolle Area
Alright, guys, we're getting close to my personal number one, and I'm sure already know what it is, but first, I want to talk about another amazing place in the Dolomites.
You probably did recognize that I used the word "amazing" quite a lot, but that's how it is when you visit this breathtaking landscape.
Everything is AMAZING!
The Passo Rolle area is one of those places. So far I've been there about five times, and I always got an image which I liked.
I've been there during summer and winter. I love winter the most because the white blanked makes it easier to find compositions, in my opinion.
It's a busy area with lots of small houses, roads, and people, but everything calms down on a cold winter morning.
The main attraction is the majestic mountain "Cimon dela Pala" also called the theater of the alps.
When you experience this peak in front of you, then you know why it has its name.
The peaks look like out of a fairytale.
You again have so many options to shoot up there. The road is easy to drive, and once you're up at the top, you can simply park your car at one of the many parking lots.
There are several hiking trails which you can take to get to some beautiful places to shoot.
One is to the hut Malga "Segantini". I've been there in June and March.
Summer is way easier to hike because of the well-maintained trail, but winter is more beautiful because of the massive amount of snow you can get.
Remember, we are at around 2000 meters altitude.
You most likely need some decent snowshoes if you decide to go there during the cold months of the year, but it's not too hard since it's also a popular ski area.
Strong winds were blowing around the fresh snow.
Midday light can also be an advantage sometimes
Another trail up to the peak "Cavallazza" also offers some breathtaking views of the area. There are some small lakes as a gorgeous foreground possibility.
So far I've been there only once during summer but without my camera.
It was more of a scouting mission to check how long it takes me to get up there.
I'm not a good hiker, so it took me almost three hours.
Some experienced mountain goats can probably do it in less than one hour.
The effort is definitely worth it, though. Just check google for "Cavallazza," and you will know why.
You don't have to spend your shooting time at the top of Passo Rolle only, though.
You can also explore the surrounding places to get some excellent images.
I can highly recommend the beautiful "Val Venegia", which is quite close.
It's a winter location, in my opinion, because if there is lots of snow, it's much easier to find compositions.
This is still one of my favorite shots of all time.
The green grass and all the stones are too busy foreground in my eyes.
The location isn't hard to reach. You simply stop your car at the parking lot where it says "Val Venegia" and hike the easy trail for about 20 min.
After your arrival, you'll see the majestic mountains called "Pala Group," which are a part of the theater of the alps.
You also have a lot of shooting options along the trail because of the beautiful creek running through the forest.
That's also what I love as a foreground element together with the stunning peaks in the background.
All in all, the Passo Rolle area offers so much, and I probably only mentioned a few options up there.
Number 1 – Tre Cime di Lavaredo
When you're thinking about the Dolomites, which mountains come to your mind first?
I'm pretty sure that most of you think about my favorite place in the entire area. The Tre Cime – three peaks – are one of the most visited mountains in the world and for a very good reason.
It's hard to describe this place with words; someone has to see it believe me.
Dramatic summer light made all the difference in this shot
I went there in September 2015 for the first time, and nine visits followed after it.
I simply fell in love with the landscape up there. One of the reasons why it's so popular is that it's easily accessible by car, or at the least the parking lot is.
You can drive up the winding road to about 2300 meters elevation and stop at a large parking lot but keep in mind that you have to pay a toll down at the start of the mountain pass.
It's about 25 Euros per car so not too cheap but so worth it when you consider the views you get after arriving at the Auronzo hut.
Once you're up there, you can already imagine how beautiful the peaks must be.
First, you have to walk around them to get the famous composition.
There is a well-maintained hiking trail up there with abut 250 meters elevation gains in total.
The view is so popular for a good reason
It takes about three hours to hike around the peaks, depending on the amount of time which you spent on your photography, of course.
You can shoot the mountains from so many different angles, which is incredible, considering it's always the same subject. Still, it looks so different depending on which side you are.
Personally, I like to start my hike towards the Lavaredo hut. On the way there, you also get some stunning views on the dramatic peaks of "Cadini di Misurina."
The crazy light often happens after a summer storm
They are also a popular subject to photograph and almost worth the drive up there by itself.
After an easy 30 minutes, you arrive at the ridge where you have to gain some elevation and which gives you the first impressive views on the Tre Cime.
I love hiking further up the steep ridge towards the old bunker of WW I.
You get a fascinating panoramic view after you reached the top.
The views are simply breathtakeking
There are several other excellent locations where you can shoot the Tre Cime from whether at sunrise, sunset, or night.
The most obvious is the famous "Drei Zinnen hut," which can be seen as soon as you reach the top of the first ridgeline.
It's not too brutal to get there but definitely takes some stamina, especially for the inexperienced hiker who carries a lot of camera gear.
One more lovely composition is when you face the peaks right in front of you.
You have to hike down the valley further or start from the other side of the mountain when you are at the Auronzo area.
The path leads you to the beautiful hut called "Langalm". The peaks are so huge and dramatic but so beautiful at the same time.
All in all I can't get enough of them and I'm going to visit this place again and again in the future.
Starry nights in the mountains are priceless
There are so many amazing places in the Dolomites, and I only named a few of them. You have the highlights and also so many hidden gems that want to be explored.
It's definitely a photographer's paradise.
I hope you liked my description of my five favorite places, and trust me, it was not easy to narrow it down to only five.
What about you? Have you ever been to the Dolomites? If so, what are your favorite spots?
Let me know in the comments. And If you have any questions, feel free to contact me, I'm always there to help.
Best wishes
Daniel