Autumn in the Dolomites: The Ultimate Guide
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The Dolomites in Italy are stunning all year round, but autumn in the Dolomites is truly special and probably my favourite season!
Leaves turn into all sorts of beautiful colours, the larches turn golden and the tourist crowds slowly disappear.
After visiting the Dolomites in October 2025 and absolutely loving my time there, I figured I would put together this guide with the best time to visit the Dolomites for the peak autumn foliage, best places to visit and general tips for autumn in the Dolomites.
- Best time to visit for a colourful autumn
- How many days and where to stay
- Best places to visit during autumn in the Dolomites
- Best autumn hike in the Dolomites
1. Best time to visit for a colourful autumn in the Dolomites
I wish the answer was straight forward and simple but the reality is: it depends.
Autumn in the Dolomites is generally considered best from mid to end of October. But peak foliage depends on multiple factors like altitude and weather.
I visited the Dolomites in 2025 for only 3 days, from 12-15th of October. Popular places like Lago di Braies are located at lower altitude and did not reach their full peak yet at this time.
But the (arguably) best autumn hike in the Dolomites is located at much higher elevation and already reached it’s peak during my visit. More on that later in this blog post about autumn in the Dolomites.
So, depending which places you want to see with the best foliage, you might consider visiting during mid October or 10-15 days later.
If temperatures fall earlier in the month, larches and other trees also change their colours earlier, so a bit of luck or spontaneous planning also plays a big part to your visit.
2. How many days and where to stay for autumn in the Dolomites?
As mentioned earlier, I personally only spent 3 days during autumn in the Dolomites in 2025, simply because I did not have more time. I would however recommend at least 5 days, depending how many places you want to visit and if you are visiting this region in Northern Italy for the first time.
If you want to see all these places at their autumn peak colours and aren’t short on time, you could even spend two full weeks here from mid to end of October. You could start with spots sitting at higher elevations like Lago Federa around mid October and leave places at lower elevation like Lago di Braies for the end of October. That way you also could have some spare days in case the weather does not always allow for hikes or exploration.
Apart from the places mentioned above, there are so many more stunning towns, passes and hikes to see during autumn that you definitely would not get bored.
Depending on how much time you have to visit the Dolomites during fall, I would stay for 2-3 nights at 2-3 different locations.
Where to stay in the Dolomites?
The Dolomites have an insane amount of beautiful stays all over the region, so you can search for a suitable hotel here:
Here’s a selection of great stays in the Dolomites for all budgets:
Low budget stays / hotels:
- Hotel Serena (Tre Cime views)
- Hotel Sorapis (near Lago Sorapis)
- Soggiorno Dolomiti (near Lago di Carrezza)
Mid range stays / hotels:
- Hotel Simpaty (near Lago di Braies)
- Hotel Miralago (at Lago di Misurina)
- Ciasa Vervei (near Cortina d’Ampezzo)
- Hotel Fines (in Val di Funes)
Luxury stays / hotels:
- Hotel Torfana Cortina (in Cortina d’Ampezzo)
- Hotel Fanes (between the two major areas of interest)
- Hirben Naturlaub (near Lago di Braies)
- AKI Family Resort Plose (in Val di Funes)
3. Best places to visit during autumn in the Dolomites
Lago Federa – The #1 best place to visit during autumn in the Dolomites
My very favourite spot in the Dolomites for fall foliage. Also the best hike during autumn in the Dolomites, more details further down in the next chapter.
Lago di Braies – The most popular lake in the Dolomites
The most popular lake in the Dolomites for a good reason. It’s easily accessible and simply stunning. Lago di Braies is always super busy, also in autumn. Make sure to come here early in the day to avoid crowds. As mentioned above, due to it’s lower elevation gain, autumn colours at Lago di Braies usually peak a bit later in October.
You can walk around the entire lake on the scenic circular route and even rent a traditional wooden boat, if you are ready to wait in line a pay a little fortune for it.
Lago di Dobbiaco – A hidden gem in the Dolomites
One of my favourite hidden gems in the region – especially pretty during autumn in the Dolomites.
It’s located en route from Lago di Braies to Tre Cime and perfect for a quick stop. Around the shores of the lake there are deciduous trees, which typically peak a little earlier than larches. When I visited, I got lucky to have 3 majestic swans swim right along the shores of Lago di Dobbiaco, making my visit even more special.
Lago di Antorno – The underrated mountain lake below Tre Cime
At the bottom of Tre Cime, this lake is also located just by the road and an easy stop without much effort. It’s surrounded by larches, but the elevation there also isn’t super high, so peak is also forecasted to later in October.
Passo Giau – One of the most scenic passes in the region
This is one of the most stunning places in the Dolomites and even though it’s above the tree level and therefor not ideal for fall foliage by itself, the road leading up to the pass is surrounded by larches and simply gorgeous in autumn. I stopped countless times and some of my favourite autumn content from the Dolomites was taken there. Passo Giau itself is also well worth a visit.
Lago di Misurina – An easy and rewarding stop along the road
Another easy stop along the way, located very close to Lake Antorno. With multiple parking possibilities right along the lake, it’s a perfect quick stop for beautiful views and a coffee break. Lago di Misurina also located relatively low and therefore peaks quite late in autumn.
Val di Funes – A must visit places during autumn in the Dolomites
One of the most popular and beautiful places in the Dolomites. Here you can find a lot of deciduous trees that peak earlier than larches, so during my visit in mid October, fall colours were already very pretty there.
This valley is a visit year-round and cannot be missed on your Dolomites itinerary!
Lago Limides – A secret spot in the Dolomites
A hidden gem and perfect spot during autumn in the Dolomites. It’s located quite high up, a short hike from Passo di Falzarego and therefore peaks quite early in autumn. On the way to the small lake as well as around the lake itself, there are a lot of beautiful golden larches, perfect for pictures!
Cinema delle Odle – One of the most iconic photos pots in the Dolomites
If you are looking for the best photo spots in the Dolomites – you can’t miss this one! It’s one of the most beautiful places in the entire region and worth a visit throughout the year. The mountain views here are truly special and nothing compares to a sunset at Cinema delle Odle. To get there, you can hike the beautiful Adolf Munkel trail, where you can find a lot of larches on the way too.
Tre Cime di Lavaredo – A classic in the Dolomites
This is one of the places in the Dolomites that you should see at least once in your life! While the Tre Cime are located above tree level, and therefore not the best place for fall foliage, this hike is still an absolute must, even in autumn. If visiting Tre Cime, also make sure to take a quick detour to the gorgeous Cadini di Misurina – one of the best photo spots in the Dolomites.
Cinque Torri – One of the Dolomite’s best kept secrets
This is one of my favourite hidden gems in the Dolomites and a very unique place you should absolutely visit! Some of the craziest rock formations I have ever seen. The Cinque Torri (or 5 towers) are located just above tree line, so you can see larch forests carpeting the lower slopes directly beneath the towers. Peak at this elevation usually is around mid October.
Passo Gardena – A scenic pass in the Dolomites
Another scenic pass that is always worth a visit, especially during autumn in the Dolomites.
It sits at an altitude of 2.121 meters and is therefore one of the earlier places to see autumn colours. it’s lower slopes are full of beautiful larches, turning golden in autumn. It’s perfect for a quick, picturesque stop along the road but also starting point for many great hikes in the Dolomites.
Alpe di Siusi – A timeless beauty in the Dolomites
A fantastic place all year round, also in autumn. The rolling grasslands turn into beautiful shades of copper and gold and the outer edges of the plateau are lined with golden larches.
This is the only place on my list I did not visit myself in autumn but pictures of it look truly stunning, so I figured I might include it anyways.
Other places worth visiting during fall in the Dolomites:
- Lago di Carrezza
- Seceda
- Lago Welsperg
- Lago di Sorapis (though often mostly out of water in autumn)
- Col de la Puina
- Rifugio Lagazuoi
- Baita Segantini
- Lago di San Pellegrino
4. Best autumn hike in the Dolomites: Lago Federa
This is THE place to visit during autumn in the Dolomites. If you only have time for one hike during your visit – this is it!
In this part of the blog post, i will share some details about the hike and tips for parking, photos spots, etc.
First off, there are a few different routes to get to Lago Federa. I took the most direct one from Pocol to the lake. There are a few different parking lots in town, I stayed at this one, which was free at the time.
The lake sits at around 2.050m above sea level and is one of the earlier places for peak fall foliage in the Dolomites. I went on the hike on the 13th of October 2025 and had perfect conditions.
Facts about the hike to Lago Federa:
- Distance: 13 km out and back
- Altitude gain: 838m
- Duration: 5-7 hours
- Difficulty: Intermediate – hard
The hike is quite easy in the beginning as well as towards the end. In between there’s the harder part of around 3 kilometres that are pretty steep uphill with the entire 800m of elevation gain.
Not super easy, but definitely doable for experienced hikers. If you are a beginner, I might recommend trying a shorter, less steep hike first and do this one after successful completion of the first.
The entire route takes you through beautiful larch forests that turn more and more golden the further you get up. There’s a beautiful viewpoint along the way and you can also see the majestic Cinque Torri in the distance every now and then.
Once you reach Lago Federa, make sure to walk around it and stop for a refreshment at the Rifugio Croda di Lago, which is located right by the lake and should still be open mid October. (At least it was in 2025)
There are gorgeous photo spots all along the lake but my favourite was opposite from the Rifugio, a bit up the hill with larches in the foreground and the Rifugio and it’s perfect reflection in the lake water as the main object.
Another great spot for photos is towards the Northern end of the lake with the stunning peak of Becco di Mezzodi in the background.
Make sure to start the hike early in the day to be able to spend some time around the lake and before the sun disappears behind the mountain and leaves the lake without sunlight.
