In July 2025, my family and I had the chance to visit the Italian Dolomites for the first time. I’ve been to the Alps quite a few times before, but the Dolomites are something else entirely. Even driving through the valleys below, you’re met with scenes that look almost cinematic โ the landscape feels surreal. And once you make your way up into the mountains, the beauty around you becomes even more breathtaking. The one thing that slightly takes away from the experience is the crowds โ popular and easily accessible spots tend to be quite busy. But if you’re looking for solitude, simply head to the next valley or around the nearest peak, and chances are you’ll have the place entirely to yourself.
But let’s get to the photos. I’m not entirely satisfied with them, as I ended up focusing more on family time than on shooting โ but that’s perfectly fine. Maybe next time I’ll head out on my own and come back with better images.
The photos are from four locations:
Tre Cime
We took a bus up to the majestic Tre Cime rocks, as private cars were not allowed on the road. By the time we reached the far end of the cliffs, dark clouds were rolling in fast and a storm seemed imminent. We made our way back to the parking lot and joined the queue in front of the still-closed bus doors โ and that’s when a heavy downpour started. The bus wasn’t due to leave for another 20 minutes, but people standing in the rain were quickly losing patience and began banging on the bus windows, demanding the driver let them in. When he finally opened the front doors, the crowd surged forward and any notion of “Western civilization” went straight out the window. Some people even pushed their way through the back doors without paying. We somehow managed to squeeze in too, and in the end everything worked out fine.
The two photos below do not show the Tre Cime massif itself, which everyone photographs, but rather the view of the surrounding mountains from the foot of these famous rocks.
Passo di Giau
The next location we visited was the mountain pass of Passo di Giau, easily reached by car via a winding mountain road from the town of Cortina d’Ampezzo. At the pass itself there is a large car park and a restaurant, and it serves as a starting point for hikes in the surrounding area.
Most people head north along the red trail towards the main massif. We chose to go south instead, and with just a handful of other hikers made our way towards the beautiful saddle of Forcella de Col Piombin. Before that, we stopped briefly at the small hill of Punta di Zonia, which offers a stunning and arguably the most iconic view of the Nuvolau massif (Gruppo del Nuvolau).
Lago di Braies
We arrived at the iconic Lago di Braies late in the afternoon, and it turned out to be the best decision we could have made. The sun was already lower in the sky, creating much better conditions for photography, and the crowds had thinned out considerably. The lake can be walked all the way around, allowing you to take in the contrast between the vivid turquoise surface and the majestic surrounding mountains from every angle.
Gruppo del Sella
The final three photographs are from the Gruppo del Sella area, better known as Sella Ronda โ one of the most famous ski resorts in the Italian Dolomites.
