The Best Places to Visit in the Dolomites From Venice

2. Lake Misurina

Lake Misurina is the easiest mountain lake to combine with Cortina. It sits on the road from Cortina towards the Tre Cime area, and most Venice day tours stop there, even the ones built around another lake.

Why go

• a dramatic mountain backdrop, with the Sorapiss group behind the water
• reflections on calm days
• an easy, level walk around the shore
• cafés and hotels on the lakeshore
• the road up towards Tre Cime starts nearby

Who it suits

• photographers
• anyone who wants a relaxed walk
• families
• first-time visitors
• travellers who do not want a serious hike

How long you need

One to two hours makes a good scenic stop. Some tours give you longer: From Venice: Dolomites Day Trip with Cortina and 2 Lakes spends about two and a quarter hours here, lunch included, while the Braies routes often stop for only a few minutes.

3. The Tre Cime di Lavaredo viewpoints

The three limestone towers of Tre Cime di Lavaredo are among the most recognisable landscapes in the Dolomites, and they appear on many itineraries. Seeing Tre Cime is not the same as hiking Tre Cime, though.

Most Venice day tours stop at a viewpoint. They may take you to scenic spots around Misurina, or to a short photo stop with the peaks in view, but the classic loop around the three towers is a separate walk of several hours that starts from the Rifugio Auronzo at the end of a toll road.

Why go

This is the landscape many people picture when they think of the Dolomites.

Who it suits

• anyone after the iconic mountain view
• photographers
• first-time visitors
• travellers who want dramatic scenery without a long hike

When to stay longer

If walking the Tre Cime loop is the main reason you are coming, stay overnight in the mountains instead of squeezing it into a day from Venice. Our page on Tre Cime tours from Venice sets out what a day trip can and cannot reach.

4. Lago di Braies

Lago di Braies (Pragser Wildsee) is the emerald lake with the wooden boathouse and rowing boats, and one of the most photographed places in the Alps. It lies farther north than Lake Misurina, in South Tyrol, so it is not on every Venice day tour.

This is one of the most common booking mistakes: travellers see a general “Dolomites tour” and assume Braies is included. Always check the list of stops.

Why go

• emerald water
• the famous boathouse
• dramatic cliffs rising straight from the lake
• a lakeside path that loops right round the shore
• one of the best-known views in the Dolomites

Who it suits

• photographers
• bucket-list travellers
• couples
• anyone who wants the classic Lago di Braies picture

The trade-off

Braies adds more driving. If it is not a must-see for you, Lake Misurina fits a Venice day more comfortably. If it is, book a route that names it: From Venice: Dolomiti, Lake Braies and Tre Cime di Lavaredo gives you about an hour and a half at the lake. Our Lago di Braies day-trip guide covers the valley’s summer access rules and the other tours that include it.

5. Lake Auronzo

Lake Auronzo is less famous than Braies or Misurina, which can work in its favour. It often appears on eastern-Dolomites day trips from Venice as a quieter scenic stop on the way up.

Why go

• mountain reflections
• fewer people than at the headline lakes
• a stop that fits naturally into the drive

Who it suits

• photographers
• travellers who prefer quieter places
• a balanced, multi-stop day

Should you choose it over Lago di Braies?

Not if Braies is on your bucket list. As part of a wider Cortina-and-lakes route, though, Auronzo works very well.

6. Pieve di Cadore

Pieve di Cadore is not the place people book the trip for, but it adds variety. It is a historic town in the Cadore area, the birthplace of Titian, and some Venice itineraries stop there for a viewpoint over the Centro Cadore lake before heading deeper into the mountains.

Why go

• a lived-in mountain town, not only natural scenery
• a gentler introduction to the mountains after the motorway
• the old town and its Cadore character

Who it suits

• travellers who like villages and small towns
• anyone with a cultural interest
• breaking up the drive north

Lago di Braies or Lake Misurina?

This is the most useful decision to make before you book.

Choose Lago di Braies if you want:

• the famous boathouse
• the most famous lake photograph in the region
• a bucket-list stop
• one dramatic place to remember the day by

Choose Lake Misurina if you want:

• easier routing from Venice
• more time in Cortina
• views towards Tre Cime
• a less rushed day

Lake Misurina sits on the standard Venice-to-Cortina route, while Braies means going farther north. Our Braies or Misurina comparison goes through the choice in more detail, and our Braies, Misurina or Cortina comparison adds the town stop to the decision.

Which places fit into one day?

The most comfortable one-day combination is:

Venice → Pieve di Cadore → Lake Auronzo → Lake Misurina → Cortina → Venice

Our timed Dolomites itinerary from Venice gives the clock times for each stop.

That is the route From Venice: Dolomites Day Trip with Cortina and 2 Lakes follows in about nine hours, from about $182 per person and rated 4.9 from more than 1,150 reviews.

If Lago di Braies is your priority, the route changes:

Venice → Cortina → Tre Cime viewpoint → Lago di Braies → Lake Misurina → Venice

From Venice: Dolomiti, Lake Braies and Tre Cime di Lavaredo runs that way by minivan in about nine hours, from about $170 per person and rated 4.8 from more than 600 reviews. The Tre Cime and Misurina stops on it are short photo stops; most of the free time goes to Braies.

Which places to skip on a day trip

The common mistake is trying to add famous western-Dolomites sights because they appear all over Instagram. From Venice, these are usually poor choices for one day:

• Seceda
• Val Gardena
• the Alpe di Siusi
• Ortisei

They sit much farther west, and the day becomes mostly driving. Venice is much better placed for the eastern Dolomites around Cortina.

Best places by what you want

Best places for families

Lake Misurina is probably the easiest. It has a level walk, cafés, road access right to the shore, and beautiful scenery without a demanding hike. Cortina is also family-friendly, with toilets, restaurants and shops close together.

Best places for non-hikers

Cortina and Lake Misurina. You can enjoy both without setting foot on a mountain trail.

Best places in October

Cortina, Lake Misurina and Lago di Braies all work in October. You get fewer people and autumn colour on the larches; the cost is that some lifts and summer activities, such as boat hire, have closed. The October guide lists what is open.

Best places in winter

Cortina is the strongest all-round winter choice, because the town and its ski infrastructure are in full season. The lakes can still be beautiful, often frozen and snow-covered, but they look very different from the summer pictures. Our guide to the best Dolomites day trips from Venice in winter compares the routes that still work.

The best first combination

If you have never been to the Dolomites, Lake Misurina and Cortina make the most balanced pair. Together they give you:

• a classic alpine lake
• mountain views
• a famous town
• a route that fits comfortably into one day from Venice

Lago di Braies is more dramatic as a single place, but it adds more time on the road.

So, where should you go?

For a first day trip from Venice, put these first:

1. Cortina
2. Lake Misurina
3. The Tre Cime viewpoints

Add Lago di Braies if it is a must-see, add Lake Auronzo for a well-balanced scenic route, and leave the western Dolomites for another trip. If you are still unsure whether one day is enough, our guide to visiting the Dolomites from Venice in one day goes through it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best place to visit in the Dolomites from Venice?

Cortina and Lake Misurina are the most practical combination for a first day trip. From Venice: Dolomites Day Trip with Cortina and 2 Lakes covers both, plus Lake Auronzo and Pieve di Cadore.

Is Lago di Braies worth visiting from Venice?

Yes, especially if it is one of your main reasons for visiting the Dolomites. Pick a tour that names it, such as From Venice: Dolomiti, Lake Braies and Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

Can you visit Tre Cime in one day from Venice?

You can see the peaks from viewpoints, but the full hiking loop needs more time and is better done from an overnight stay.

Is Lake Misurina better than Lago di Braies?

Misurina is more practical for a day from Venice; Braies is more famous.

Is Cortina worth visiting?

Yes. It adds a town to a day of scenery and makes a good lunch or walking stop.

Can you visit all of these places in one day?

Not comfortably. Choose two to four stops.

What part of the Dolomites is closest to Venice?

The eastern Dolomites around Cortina are the most practical for a day trip.

Should you visit Seceda from Venice?

Not on a day trip. It is much farther west, in Val Gardena.

What is the best itinerary for first-time visitors?

Cortina, Lake Misurina and one more scenic stop, such as Lake Auronzo or a Tre Cime viewpoint.

Compare every route on the full list of departures, or read what to expect on the day before you book.