Spending a weekend in the Dolomites makes for the perfect weekend getaway!

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Whether you’re into hiking or not, the area is dotted with adorable towns running the whole range from tucked away hamlets to bustling mountain towns.

The Dolomites covers a massive area, way more than you can see in one weekend. So we opted for a balance of quiet mountain getaway with some of the best sights! 

We stayed in a tiny little town called Caviola on the southeast end of the Dolomites. It was truly a tiny little place, which is what appealed for a relaxing weekend. In the winter, the town is a great jumping off point for skiers, and during the summer hikers tend to come out, though not in the numbers you see with ski season. I found our place on AirBnb – a cute spot with ten rooms of varying sizes, memorably named Malibu. Our place was a one-bedroom apartment that had tons of room for two and could sleep up to five if necessary. 

The town itself looked like something out of a movie: quaint chalets that look almost Swiss, trailing up the mountain to other tiny villages. A church sat at the highest point, crowning the town. Each morning I’d walk Wedge through the whole town, for myself as much for him, just soaking in the mountain air and beautiful scenery. In the late afternoons, the mountains glowed in the setting sun in a way that my camera couldn’t seem to capture. 

Naturally, our first night we ate dinner at the spot our host recommended, Pizzeria livia. We were delighted to find that unlike most of our parts of Italy, the Dolomite towns are situated close enough to Austria that they have excellent beer selections. Sharing a pizza and a mixed grilled platter, we dug in and loved every bite! Their menu is also packed with options, so you can 100% go multiple nights if you don’t want to drive.

The only downside to Caviola is that it’s so small it only has one restaurant. But never fear, because the next town over is less than a mile down the road and has plenty of options. My favorite spot in Falcade has to be Hotel Stella Alpina. The menu is extensive, but naturally I ordered the Piatto Dolomiti Unesco, which boasted three pastas that highlight local specialties. It included a herb ravioli, gnocci with smoked ricotta, and tagliatelle with sausage ragu. All three were delicious! It also had some of the best vino della casa (house wine) I’ve tasted so far in Italy. 

If you do go to Hotel Stella Alpina, you absolutely have to try their desserts. Every night they stock a display case with gorgeous patisserie that will have you paralyzed by the choices. They serve different options every night – I might know that because I insisted on swinging by the following night for round two of desserts. It was that good.

Our primary draw to spend a weekend in the Dolomites was hiking, which I’ve already shared about. It was stunningly beautiful and an excellent way to experience the Dolomites.

Even if hiking isn’t your thing, the entire area is stunning. It’s the kind of place where you can feel yourself unwinding, your muscles uncoiling from whatever stress you’re carrying. It’s perfect for sitting outside with a book on a warm afternoon.

Next week I’ll share more about the next best way to experience the Dolomites – after hiking, of course! The bonus is that it’s chock full of WWI history as well!

Can’t wait? Check out my Instagram for more photos and Insta highlights of the weekend!