Luxury Travel to the Dolomites: Italy’s UNESCO World Heritage Peaks
Sculpted peaks, alpine charm, and exclusive journeys: experience the Dolomites, Italy’s most iconic UNESCO mountains.
Be careful. The Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009, are a mountain range of more than 140,000 hectares with well-defined borders, yet they are often confused with other areas of the Alps. Italy is divided into twenty regions, and the Dolomites lie in the northeast, spanning three of them: Trentino-Alto Adige, Veneto, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. If your goal is to reach these rocky peaks—instantly recognizable for their sculptural shapes and barren slopes—you need to pay close attention to geography. There are plenty of spectacular spots nearby, of course, but right now we want to talk about those dreamy mountains.
Not long ago, things were very different. Apart from a few international connoisseurs, tourism here was mostly Italian and German. Then came the boom. What happened? Beyond the unquestionable beauty of the peaks—tinged pink at sunset in a phenomenon so unique it even has its own name, enrosadira—a group of visionary entrepreneurs realized the importance of sharing that beauty with a broader audience. With passion in their hearts and brochures in their suitcases, they began traveling the globe to tell the story not only of the Dolomites’ majesty but also of the excellence of the hospitality, the fine cuisine—even in remote mountain huts—the summer treks, and the off-piste “safaris” led by expert guides who know exactly how best to combine sport with Italian mountain lifestyle. And they were very convincing!
Explore the Dolomites’ top luxury Hotels
In Alta Badia, in Val Gardena, but also in Madonna di Campiglio, Cortina, and the (unjustly) less-familiar area between Udine and Pordenone, the seasons have been extended. Hotels stay open for longer, because beauty here has no off-season. Autumn arrives with its fiery palette of reds and golds, and its festivals celebrating chestnuts and new wine. Winter means skiing without ever having to repeat the same slope, thanks to the vast Dolomiti Superski area. Summer brings nature in full bloom, and while in the past many holiday makers skipped the mountains in favor of the beach, today it’s the preferred escape from heat and crowds and, above all, the place to practice sport. Chief among them: cycling. The Dolomites host world-famous races, such as the legendary Maratona dles Dolomites each July. Registration for this event - as Michil Costa, the eco-minded president and owner of the historic Hotel La Perla in Corvara reminds us each year — is required years in advance; out of 32,000 applicants, only 8,000 cyclists are selected by lottery to take part.
This winter, however, the spotlight will fall on Cortina which will co-host the 2026 Winter Olympics from February 6 to 22 alongside Milan. And while Cortina has long been established as an elite tourist destination, new hotels have opened for the occasion and old ones have been spruced up. Now it has also joined the prestigious circle of Altagamma Territories together with Madonna di Campiglio (also in the Dolomites), Courmayeur (on the western Alps), Capri, Porto Cervo, and soon Taormina as the epitome of Italian glamour getaways. Super-chic Cortina even has its own Fashion Weekend, featuring the sort of big-name maisons you’d expect in Milan, London, or Paris—Louis Vuitton, Prada—alongside heritage boutiques such as Franz Kraler, the century-old Cooperativa, and shops reviving traditional Alpine style with a modern twist.
And yes, there is even a “Cortina style.” Locals—and often visitors, too—don their updated traditional costumes, especially in the evenings, from aperitivo hour onwards. Houses and hotels also safeguard their beloved Tyrolean look: hand-painted wardrobes, deer antlers transformed into chair arms or lamp bases, and lots of loden wool and leather everywhere. These valleys await, ready to be admired from a sun-drenched terrace with a small glass of meditative grappa in hand.
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Story Sara Magro
