The Dolomites aren’t just mountains—they’re a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Italian Alps’ most unforgettable places to hike and explore. These jagged limestone peaks in northern Italy rise straight out of meadows and forests, casting long shadows across Alpine valleys and mirror-still lakes.
But this isn’t just scenery to admire from a distance. The Dolomites are built for moving through: hiking trails that traverse wildflowers, bike routes that wind past Alpine farms and rivers that carve through deep valleys. They’re meant to be explored. And if you’re in your 30s or 40s, there’s no better time. You have the energy to climb ridgelines, the wisdom to appreciate stillness and—let’s be honest—the desire for a comfortable place to land at night.
Backroads offers two unforgettable ways to experience the Dolomites: an immersive Hut-to-Hut Hiking Adventure and a diverse Multi-Adventure Tour. Both showcase the region’s magic, but in different styles.
The Hut-to-Hut Hiking Adventure: Alpine Immersion
If you’ve ever dreamed of waking up in a rustic mountain hut high above the tree line, the Hut-to-Hut Hiking Tour is for you. Each day, you set out across dramatic ridges and Alpine meadows, routes leading into protected parks like Fanes-Sennes-Braies and the Puez-Odle. The terrain is varied—forests in the morning, rocky passes by midday, wildflower meadows in the afternoon. Your nights are just as memorable. At Rifugio Pederü or Col Pradat Lodge, you share hearty meals with fellow hikers, sip wine while the sun sets behind jagged peaks and fall asleep to mountain silence. It’s a rhythm that strips life back to its essentials: walk, eat, connect, rest. This trip is for those who love being fully in the mountains. You’ll earn every panoramic view with steady effort, but the reward is waking each morning in the heart of the Dolomites, already surrounded by the landscape others drive hours to see.
The Multi-Adventure Tour: Variety & Balance
Prefer to mix things up? The Multi-Adventure Tour itinerary blends day hiking with biking, rafting and downtime. One day you’re pedaling along quiet Alpine roads with glacier views, the next you’re hiking beneath waterfalls in the Brenta Dolomites, and later you might raft a mountain river. It’s active, but never repetitive. The hotels reflect this balance. You’ll stay at Capanna Presena, a sleek rifugio perched near a glacier, and later at Bio Hotel Hermitage in Madonna di Campiglio, a property known for its spa and sweeping vistas. After a day of riding or hiking, you can sink into wellness treatments or simply toast the sunset from a terrace. This trip is ideal if you want variety and comfort in equal measure. It’s a chance to sample the Dolomites in different ways, all while enjoying the ease of great hotels and guided flexibility.
Why the Dolomites? Why Now?
There are countless mountain ranges in the world, but the Dolomites stand apart. The culture is a fascinating blend of Italian and Tyrolean, reflected in everything from the language—the ancient Ladin is still spoken in valleys—to the cuisine, where hearty dumplings meet perfect espresso. And while they feel remote, the Dolomites are wonderfully accessible from not just Italy, but within easy striking distance from Germany, Austria and Switzerland as well. A morning train from Venice or Munich can have you on the trail by afternoon.
But the Dolomites aren’t just a summer playground. In early 2026, they’ll take center stage as a hub for the Winter Olympics, with Alpine skiing in Cortina and Nordic events in Val di Fiemme. To be on these trails and passes in the greener season is a reminder of how much these mountains give year-round.
Two Trips, One Promise
Whether you choose the Hut-to-Hut Hiking Adventure or the Multi-Adventure Tour, you’ll experience the Dolomites the Backroads way: with expert Trip Leaders, flexible route options and the support that makes real adventure possible without the stress of logistics. Both trips deliver what so many of us crave: time outdoors, shared effort and the thrill of landscapes that feel bigger than life. So which version calls to you? Either way, for travelers in their 30s and 40s, the bucket-list timing couldn’t be better. These adventures aren’t about checking boxes—they’re about coming home with a story you’ll tell for years.
