One of the questions I get asked most often is how many places to stay in the Dolomites. And I think a lot of people make the mistake of choosing too many.
I understand why. When you look at a map, the Dolomites seem fairly compact, and it's tempting to book a few nights in each area so you can see as much as possible.
But after 16 years of traveling to the Dolomites, I've learned that staying longer in fewer places often makes for a much better trip.
Here's how I'd decide.
My general recommendation
Nights in the DolomitesWhat I'd usually recommendUp to 5 nightsOne base6–10 nightsOne or two bases11 nights or moreTwo, sometimes three bases
These are starting points, not rules. Your hiking interests, whether you're renting a car, and the places you most want to see can all change the answer.
And I wouldn't automatically recommend two bases just because you have seven or eight nights. If most of what you want to see is in one area, there's nothing wrong with staying put.
Why I don't like changing hotels too often
Changing hotels doesn't necessarily mean losing an entire day. In fact, if you plan it properly, the drive between two bases can be a lovely sightseeing day.
But every move does take time. There's packing, checking out, driving, finding parking, and settling into another hotel.
And it's not just the time involved. It's the flexibility you lose.
One of the biggest advantages of staying four or five nights in the same village is being able to move your hiking days around depending on the weather.
If you've only booked two nights somewhere and the weather is terrible on your one full day, there's not much you can do about it.
That's one of the reasons I'm such a fan of staying longer in each base.
When one base is enough
If you have five nights or fewer, I'd almost always recommend one base.
But I'd also consider one base for a longer trip, particularly if you prefer exploring one area properly rather than trying to see every famous Dolomites attraction.
Val Gardena and Alta Badia are both wonderful for this because there's so much to do within easy reach.
I've spent two weeks in Corvara on two consecutive trips, and loved it enough to return the following year for another two weeks. There's so much to explore around Alta Badia that I never felt I needed to move somewhere else.
That's something I wish more first-time visitors understood. You don't have to keep changing hotels to have an incredible Dolomites trip.
I also recently worked on a seven-night trip where the couple stayed in Ortisei the entire time. Most of the places they wanted to visit were easily accessible from there.
The challenge was fitting in a couple of places much farther east, including Lago di Braies and Cadini di Misurina.
Those are the decisions you need to make before booking. Is that particular place important enough to justify a long day of driving?
Sometimes it is. Sometimes I'd suggest saving it for another trip.
When two bases make sense
For many first-time visitors spending a week or longer in the Dolomites, two bases can work beautifully.
Especially if you want to explore both the western and eastern Dolomites.
For example, Val Gardena gives you excellent access to Seceda and Alpe di Siusi, while staying around Cortina or San Candido puts you closer to places such as Tre Cime and Lago di Braies.
Rather than spending hours driving back and forth, you can divide your trip between the two areas.
I worked on another trip with eleven nights in the Dolomites. We divided the stay between five nights in Cortina and six in Ortisei.
That's the kind of split I like. Enough time to enjoy both areas without constantly packing up and moving on.
Generally, I'd aim for at least three nights in each base, preferably four or more.
When three bases might be worth it
I'm not against three bases. I just think there should be a good reason for choosing them.
On a longer trip, perhaps eleven nights or more, three bases can make sense if you're visiting quite different areas or combining the Dolomites with somewhere like Merano.
But I'd want each stop to earn its place in the itinerary.
What are you gaining by staying there rather than visiting from another base?
And will you actually have enough time to enjoy the area?
I should also mention that I stayed in four different bases during my trip this past summer!
There was a reason for it, though. I wanted to research different areas, explore them properly, and experience what moving between several bases actually feels like so I could better advise my clients.
Would I recommend four bases for a typical first-time visitor? Probably not. But that doesn't mean it's always the wrong choice. It depends on what you're trying to get out of your trip.
If you're changing hotels every two nights, I'd want to know why
Sometimes it's unavoidable. Hotel availability, flight arrangements or a particular experience might make a short stay sensible.
But quite often, I see people planning two nights here, two nights there, and another two somewhere else because they're afraid of missing something.
The Dolomites aren't a place where I think that approach works particularly well.
You're better off choosing the areas that genuinely suit what you want to do and giving yourself time to enjoy them.
And remember, an overnight stop near your arrival or departure airport is different from choosing another hiking base. I wouldn't count those in quite the same way.
How I'd make the final decision
Before deciding how many places to stay, I'd ask yourself:
Which hikes and places are your absolute priorities?
Are they mostly in one area, or spread across the Dolomites?
How much driving are you comfortable doing on a hiking day?
Do you enjoy moving between hotels, or would you rather unpack and settle in?
How much flexibility do you want for weather and rest days?
Those answers matter much more than following someone else's seven-day or ten-day itinerary.
Need help choosing your bases?
If you're still deciding where to stay, my free guides can help:
And if you've already started planning but aren't sure whether your bases and itinerary make sense, my Base & Itinerary Review gives you a personalized second opinion.
I'll look at your dates, where you're thinking of staying, and what you want to see, and tell you what I'd recommend changing before you book.
