Your 6-Day South Tyrol Itinerary
Amongst the many places that I didn’t even know exist on this planet, South Tyrol (pronounced South Tee-rohl) has to be the place that knocked my socks off with its understated beauty and unabashed luxury. Just the experience of waking up to snow-capped mountains, breathing in crisp Alpine air, and sipping on hot chocolate as the Dolomites loom tall in the background, I would do it again in a heartbeat!
Did you know that South Tyrol wasn’t always a part of Italy? What is today an autonomous Italian province was actually a part of the Austro-Hungarian County of Tyrol until 1918. It was conquered by Italy after World War I. As a result, South Tyrol is a world by itself, neither Italian nor German; a place where Austrian climbing tradition, German practicality, and Italian romanticism come together to complement the grandeur of the Dolomites.
The Dolomites (pronounced doll-uh-mights in English and dolo-mee-tee in Italian) is a mountain range recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It dates back to millions of years, its unique limestone formations glowing pink hues at sunset (a phenomenon called Enrosadira). For mountain lovers and hikers, South Tyrol is a luxury paradise that is waiting to be discovered.
With world-class chalets, infinity pools overlooking the Alps, and Michelin-starred dining options, this is where nature meets pure indulgence. But it’s also a destination that makes you work for its treasures. Be warned, the best photo spots, ski slopes, and towns aren’t handed to you, you need to earn them.
A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that since they are in Italy, they can cover South Tyrol very easily. Nope! Because of the topography and the sheer distances, places in South Tyrol take time to get to. To reach most places you need to take either a train, car, long hikes, and sheer determination, so a trip to South Tyrol by itself will be a trip you’ll remember for a long time.
Here’s my ultimate 6-day itinerary to experience South Tyrol, the way I experienced it- in all its glory!
Best Time to Visit South Tyrol
· Winter Season: December- March
· Summer Season: May – September
Peaks, Passes, and Picture-Perfect Views
Day 1
Bruneck (a.k.a Brunico) - where cobblestone streets lead to mountain peaks
Rent a car and take a 3.5- to 4 hour scenic drive from Venice to arrive at Bruneck, the perfect base for exploring South Tyrol. The journey is beautiful; rolling hills blanketed in snow, quaint villages, and the dramatic Dolomites that slowly reveal themselves as you drive closer to the town.
Bruneck is the biggest city in South Tyrol. The majority of the population speaks German while only a handful speak Italian, a reminder that even though you are officially in Italy, in culture, you are in a delightful melting pot.
Stay@Bruneck (a.k.a Brunico)
When I checked into my hotel, the hotel manager greeted me like an old friend. Since it was my birthday, he surprised me with a room upgrade to one with a panoramic view of the mountains. Following are the hotels I explored and frankly, I loved all of them. Since Kronplatz is just 45 minutes away by car, you will find many hotels situated between Bruneck and Kronplatz. Quite a few are ski hotels are located right at the slopes or the ski lifts :
Hotel Rudolf
Hotel Winkler
Majestic Hotel and Spa Resort
Do@Bruneck (a.k.a Brunico)
After settling in my hotel, I wandered into town and discovered the historic Castle Bruneck (called “Schloss Bruneck” in German and “Castel Brunico” in Italian). Constructed between 1251 and 1288 AD, the episcopal castle kept expanding under the rule of various bishops. In 2011, the famous mountaineer Reinhold Messner inaugurated the MMM Ripa here, a museum dedicated to mountain people.
If you are not one for museums and ancient castles, take a stroll through the historic centre, starting at the "Graben" boulevard and enter through one of the 4 town gates. The Stadtgasse high street is lined with colourful facades, and the town centre has many shops, cafes, and ice cream parlours.
Walking past colorful facades
Lose yourself in Bruneck’s high street
Bruneck’s winter charm
Eat@Bruneck (a.k.a Brunico)
Both German and Italian influences reflect in the food and cuisine of Bruneck. Here are some of my favourite fine-dine restaurants in Bruneck:
Day 2
Kronplatz - A haven of alpine adventures and breathtaking panoramas
If you are staying at Bruneck, instead of taking a car, take a Ski Train, a cable car or a Ski Bus to get to Kronplatz (pronounced crawn-plaa-tz).
Stay@Kronplatz
Forestis Dolomites
Hotel Hubertus
Mirabell Dolomites Luxury Resort
Do@Kronplatz
Rent some skiing gear, head to the ski slopes and get ready to have the most invigorating time of your life! Your hotel can help book ski lessons from a nearby skiing school to build a little confidence before you go zipping down the slopes. Don’t worry, there are slopes that cater to everyone, whether you are a beginner or a pro. And it’s ok if you fall; to tell you the truth, I took a spectacular tumble, but it was well worth every laugh.
Loving Dolomites as my backdrop
Skiing @Kronplatz
Racing down the mountainside
Eat@Kronplatz
After working up an appetite, you can explore one of the quaint and oh-so-classy restaurants that dot the landscape. Here are some options you can explore for lunch:
Mountain Inn Graziani
Bivacco
Apres Ski Bar Pizzeria
La Para restaurant.
After you’ve soaked in the views and enjoyed a lazy lunch, head back to your hotel in Bruneck, or if you are staying in Kronplatz, an evening luxury spa session might just be the thing you need to relax your body and mind.
Day 3
Toblach & Lago di Braies - A charming village where nature, history, and the Dolomites unite.
Driving from Bruneck to Toblach (pronounced tho-blakh) is a delightful 30 minute journey. You can also take the train which takes just as long.
Also called Dobbiaco in Italian, Toblach is a picture-postcard perfect commune in The Three Peaks Dolomites region. If you are not a hiking/biking enthusiast, or you would rather enjoy the beauty of the Dolomites from a distance instead of climbing them, Doblach is the perfect place to drop anchor – or in this case – your hiking shoes.
Stay@ Toblach & Lago di Braies
Skyview Chalets
Naturhotel Leitlhof
Hotel Villa Monica
Do@ Toblach & Lago di Braies
A 20-minute drive away, in the midst of limestone mountains and forests sparkles the serene Lago di Braies, also known as The Pragser Wildsee, a glacial lake in the Prags Dolomites section. Located at an altitude of about 1,500 m above sea level in the picturesque Alta Pusteria / Hochpustertal, the mountain lake captivates with its turquoise-green colour and the imposing Seekofel massif (2,810 m) that surrounds it.
In the peak season - between mid-July and mid-September- the road leading to the lake is closed for private vehicles from 9am-4pm, so either arrive early or take a bus to get there.
I had the most amazing picnic at the edge of the lake ( like me, you can also pack some cheese and tomato sandwiches, cold cuts, muffins and coffee/juice/chai in your backpack). This was definitely one of the most unique picnics I have had till date – sitting next to an almost transparent azure lake surrounded by towering limestone cliffs from all sides!
After your picnic, come back to Toblach and explore this tranquil town and then head to any of these fantastic restaurants for dinner before retiring for the day:
In Toblach, every corner holds a story.
Leaving footprints in the snow
The warmth of Toblach’s Night charm
Eat@ Toblach & Lago di Braies
Day 4
Cortina d’Ampezzo - A glamorous alpine jewel, blending adventure and elegance.
If you have a car to go from Toblach to Cortina d’Ampezzo, then you are sorted, but if you don’t, the best way is to take a bus. Unlike major towns, buses here do not ply every 20-30 mins, so make sure you know their time-table otherwise you will end up waiting for hours to board one. I think the first bus starts at 10am then there is one every 2 hours. From what I remember, the last bus that comes back from Cortina d’Ampezzo to Toblach is around 3:30 pm, so unless you are planning on staying the night in Cortina d’Ampezzo, make sure you leave by the 3:30pm bus or you’ll get stuck there.
Even though this will be about a 1 hour zig-zag ride through the mountains, believe me, Cortina d’Ampezzo (pronounced korteena-daam-pedzzo) will make it worth the trouble. An upscale, glamorous ski resort on the Boite river in South Tyrol, Cortina d’Ampezzo is known as the “Queen of the Dolomites”, an epitome of Alpine chic, that blends natural beauty with high-end charm.
Stay@Cortina d’Ampezzo
If you decide not to drive back to Toblach and stay at Cortina d’Ampezzo, you will be spoilt for choice here. Following are my top picks for hotels in Cortina d’Ampezzo:
HOTEL de LËN
Grand Hotel Savoia Cortina
Rosapetra SPA Resort
Do@Cortina d’Ampezzo
If you go in winter, take the Ski Pass that gives you access to 12 different ski zones covering 758 miles of slope, making it the largest complex of ski courses in the world! In the summer, you can go golfing, horse-back riding, hiking, biking, kayaking and even bobsledding.
Cortina is a shopper’s paradise with about 250 stores to explore. From Italian high fashion and the best of Made in Italy to local crafts, art, jewellery, and antiques, there’s something for everyone. The main buzz is in Corso Italia, the town’s famous shopping street. It is always lively with tourists checking out the stylish shop windows, sipping coffee at trendy cafes, and just ‘livin la vida Corsina’. Whether you are window-shopping or splurging, Corso Italia is where all the action happens!
It's a shopper’s dreamland
Finding moments of stillness
Sipping rich Italian coffee
Eat@Cortina d’Ampezzo
Day 5
Val di Funes & St. Magdalena - Alpine beauty at its peak.
The easiest way to go from Cortina d’Ampezzo to Val di Funes is by taking a bus (or a car if you have your own). Val di Funes, also known as Villnöss, is a valley dotted with rolling meadows and picture-perfect churches that somehow get dwarfed by the mighty towering Dolomite peaks. Famous for its mountain hiking and biking trails, snowshoeing and tobogganing, Val di Funes is one of the last remaining unspoiled Alpine valleys.
Stay@ Val di Funes & St. Magdalena
Val di Funes, just like every other municipality in South Tyrol, is peppered with luxurious, minimalistic hotels. Their typical Scandinavian-aesthetics inspired interiors made me feel like I was cocooned in the lap of quiet decadence and class. Here are some of my top luxury hotels in Val di Funes :
Forestis Dolomites
Hotel Montchalet
Haller Suites and Restaurant
Do@ Val di Funes & St. Magdalena
I tried tobogganing for the first time here in Val di Funes, and I can tell you, it brought out the 8 year old in me – I was competing with kids and giggling with delight!
The highlight of Val di Funes is the Church of St. Magdalena (also known as Santa Maddalena), a spot straight out of a fairy tale. Sitting cosily in the middle of pristine rural countryside, the church is characterised by Baroque interiors and an altar dedicated to St Magdalene, its patron saint. A 15-minute walk away is the San Giovanni Church, the Instagram-famous tiny church that commands a presence amidst the looming forests and mountains that surround it.
You will find many sign boards around the vast green beautifully manicured fields in and around St. Magdalena which point you to Insta-famous photo spots, but be warned, you need to walk a lot to get to those spots.
The iconic church
A picture-perfect Alpine village
Its South Tyrol’s hidden gem
Eat@ Val di Funes & St. Magdalena
Day 6
Bolzano - A vibrant blend of Alpine and Mediterranean culture.
A lot of people like to start their South Tyrol trip with Bolzano, but I decided to keep it for the last leg, because it allowed me a change of pace (from all the skiing, tobogganing, snowshoeing and hiking!) and helped me ‘chill’ on the last day before I went onwards to Venice.
The capital of Trentino Alto Adige, Bolzano is a charming city and a tourist hot-spot in the beautiful valley of Val d'Adige. Bolzano's geography made it an important trade destination in the Middle Ages, as it was located at the meeting point of two main Alpine crossings. Today it has become a bucket-list destination for millions of travellers across the world.
Stay@ Bolzano
Bolzano has some phenomenal hotels and apartment rentals:
Castel Hörtenberg
Chalet Al Foss
Hotel Weinegg
Do@ Bolzano
Bolzano is a ‘walking city’ because it’s small enough that you won’t need to take public transport to wherever you need to go.
Start your day with a visit to South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, which has now become even more famous because of Otzi, a 5000-year old iceman displayed there that was discovered in this area. Once you’ve had your fill of all things ancient, stroll through the vibrant street markets where the smell of homemade sausages and aged cheese will waft through to make you drool. Spend a couple of hours browsing through the little shops and cheese stores or take a coffee break at one of the tiny cafes and take in the views of squeaky clean cobbled/bricked streets with flower beds outside shops and bicycles parked outside as people walk by.
From Piazza Walther, you can walk to Duomo di Bolzano (entry is free). Also called Duomo Maria Assunta, it is a gothic-style cathedral with beautiful green, black and yellow roof tiles that glint in the morning sun. The interior is rather plain as compared to other cathedrals, but the stained glass windows on the sidewalls and the rose window above the entrance are quite striking.
Bolzano is also known as the ‘Capital of Christmas’ because of its world-famous Christmas Markets that come up during the holiday season. So if you are there in winter, make sure you have some buffer on your onward journey because you might just get tempted to extend your trip by a day!
During the summer, the Bolzano Tourist Board offers a variety of special offers for those coming to the city for the Jazzfestival, Bolzano Danza and the Bolzano Festival Bozen, which include reduced price tickets for concerts, shows and various events organised during the special occasions.
If you are there in August, you are in for a treat. Every year in August, Bolzano invites you to Calici di Stelle ( which literally translates into ‘Goblets of Stars’) a wine-tasting event that brings in wine-lovers from all over Italy. It is also a great opportunity to meet the wine producers in person and hear their stories.
Capital of Christmas
South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology
Mesmerizing Walks
Eat@ Bolzano
Pure magic in every breath
After a leisurely stay in Bolzano, get ready for your onward journey to continue ahead in Europe or come back home. Venice is the closest place to fly out from, so you can drive your rental car back to or take a cab or train to Venice. South Tyrol is a destination that applauds effort. For me, from the thrill of conquering its snowy slopes to the quiet joy of discovering hidden gems, this trip gave me more than just stunning photos, it gave me stories and memories and friendships to cherish. Whether you are here for the luxury, the landscapes, or the adventure, one thing is for sure, South Tyrol will leave you awestruck and mesmerised.
