The Dolomites, spread across South Tyrol and the Province of Belluno, are at their most open from late June to late September. Huts are running, the lifts are up and the high trails are the draw. The lifts that reach the UNESCO landscapes run from May to November, so the shoulder months work too.
Pack a rain layer for any summer day on a ridge. Winter belongs to skiers, and autumn to the food festivals of the valleys.
At a glance
- Lifts open: May to November
- Warmest month: July, with a high of 73°F (23°C) in Cortina d’Ampezzo
- Wettest month: July, with 12 rainy days in Cortina d’Ampezzo
- Autumn food festivals: October and November
When is the best time to visit the Dolomites?
For most travelers, the best window runs from late June to September. The lifts are open, the huts are serving and the hiking trails are clear.
For hiking and sightseeing, July and August bring the warmest weather, with afternoon highs near 72°F (22°C) in Cortina d’Ampezzo. Cortina d’Ampezzo reaches 73°F (23°C) in July and 71°F (22°C) in August, and the valley city of Bolzano climbs to 86°F (30°C) in July. The Tre Cime loop is a classic walk of about 6 miles (9.5 to 10 km). It takes 3 to 4 hours at an easy to moderate pace and starts at Rifugio Auronzo, at 7,654 feet (2,333 m).
For a quieter trip, look at September and October. September in Cortina still reaches 63°F (17°C), and rainy days drop to about 8, against 12 in July. In October the highs fall to 53°F (12°C) and the lifts are still running until November. May has the lifts open too, but it brings 11 rainy days in Cortina.
Events can also set the date. In the valleys, chestnut and wine festivals fill October and early November.
- If you want to hike the high trails: late June to September
- If you want warm valley days for sightseeing: July and August, with the most rain in July
- If you want to ski: winter, when Val Gardena links to Dolomiti Superski, with 311 miles (500 km) of slopes
Dolomites weather by month
| Month | Average high | Rain | Rainy days | Sunshine per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 33°F (1°C) | 0.9 in (23 mm) | 5 | 3.3 h |
| February | 38°F (3°C) | 0.8 in (20 mm) | 4 | 4.3 h |
| March | 46°F (8°C) | 1.1 in (29 mm) | 5 | 4.8 h |
| April | 53°F (12°C) | 1.7 in (44 mm) | 7 | 5.3 h |
| May | 62°F (17°C) | 2.9 in (74 mm) | 11 | 5.7 h |
| June | 69°F (21°C) | 3.8 in (96 mm) | 12 | 6.7 h |
| July | 73°F (23°C) | 4.8 in (123 mm) | 12 | 7.5 h |
| August | 71°F (22°C) | 4.1 in (104 mm) | 12 | 6.9 h |
| September | 63°F (17°C) | 2.9 in (73 mm) | 8 | 6.0 h |
| October | 53°F (12°C) | 2.9 in (75 mm) | 7 | 4.9 h |
| November | 42°F (6°C) | 2.3 in (57 mm) | 7 | 3.4 h |
*Long-term monthly averages.*
The year runs from cold, dry winters to a warm, wet summer peak. Cortina d’Ampezzo sits in the heart of the mountains, and Bolzano shows what the valley floor feels like.
July tips the year to the warm side, at 73°F (23°C) in Cortina. January tips it the other way, with lows of 18°F (-8°C).
Winter is hardest for anyone who came to walk. Bolzano gets only 3 hours of sunshine a day in January, and the mountains stay near freezing. Skiers get the reward, as Seceda becomes a ski area in winter. November is gray in the valley too, with just 3 hours of daily sun in Bolzano.
When are the Dolomites cheapest and least crowded?
The calendar sets the busy stretch. Events and huts cluster between June and late September, from the Lavaredo Ultra Trail in late June to the Delicious Festival Dolomiti on September 25 and 26. Book rooms early for those weeks. October and November move the action to the valleys, with wine, chestnut and harvest festivals.
The Seiser Alm area offers hotels, apartments, guesthouses, farm holidays and mountain huts, and you can stay in Kastelruth, Seis am Schlern, Völs am Schlern or Tiers am Rosengarten. The 3 Zinnen region has five holiday villages, including Toblach and Innichen. The Dolomiti Bellunesi park has B&Bs, hostels and huts.
The cost of going late is what closes. The lifts stop after November, so the high trails are harder to reach after that.
The hardest months are July for rain and January for cold. July brings 12 rainy days in Cortina, so start walks early and keep a rain layer. January suits skiers, with Val Gardena’s 71 miles (115 km) of cross-country ski trails, and November 27 brings the nativity scenes of Ossana.
Festivals and events in the Dolomites through the year
Autumn harvest and wine festivals
The Völser Kuchlkastl culinary weeks take place in October in Völs am Schlern. MagnAmour Autumn runs October 9 to November 15 in Malé and Cles. Lana’s chestnut festival runs October 15 to November 8, and Velturno’s chestnut weeks run October 17 to November 8.
Autunno Gourmet in Naturno runs October 17 to November 20. Vipiteno holds its harvest festival on October 30 and 31. The Merano WineFestival runs from November 6 to 10.
Winter nativity scenes in Ossana
Ossana, a hamlet with almost 1,000 nativity scenes, shows them from November 27 to January 6, 2027.
Sources
- ncei.noaa.gov (https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/wmo-climate-normals), checked 2026-10-30
- open-meteo.com (https://open-meteo.com/en/docs/historical-weather-api), checked 2026-10-30
- dolomiti.it (https://www.dolomiti.it/en/passes-and-mountains/tre-cime-di-lavaredo), checked 2026-10-30
- cortina.dolomiti.org (https://cortina.dolomiti.org/en/event-details-en/?id=588503dc-99cd-40f1-a06c-13722494ad58), checked 2026-10-30
- dolomiti.it (https://www.dolomiti.it/it/alto-adige/eventi), checked 2026-10-30
- dolomiti.it (https://www.dolomiti.it/de/sospirolo/veranstaltungen/gefuhrte-besichtigungen-der-cadini-del-brenton), checked 2026-10-30
- valgardena.it (https://www.valgardena.it/it/), checked 2026-10-30
- ambwashingtondc.esteri.it (https://ambwashingtondc.esteri.it/en/chi-siamo/gli-uffici/), checked 2026-10-25