Hiking in the Dolomiti di Brenta

Arrive in Madonna di Campiglio on your own and check in to your hotel (private transfer available on request).
Madonna di Campiglio (1,550m / 5,085') is an elegant town nestled in a breathtaking valley, surrounded by Adamello Brenta Natural Park on three of its four sides. Set between the Dolomiti di Brenta (Brenta or Western Dolomites) and the glaciers of Adamello and Presanella, Madonna is one of Italy’s most fashionable ski resorts, second only to the Dolomites’ Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Quintessentially Italian, and vibrantly attractive, Madonna di Campiglio offers considerable traditional charm, with elegant buildings that date back to the 19th century. And, thanks to the completion of a tunnel bypass in 2000, today the town is virtually car-free!
Depending on when you arrive, you may have time for a short hike or to explore the town.

After breakfast, take the Grostè cable car and ride to the top station, Rifugio Stoppani, set on Passo del Grostè (the cable car ride, while optional, takes a bit of the sting out of this itinerary!).
Today you'll hike the Dolomiti di Brenta Trek Expert (DBT) trail. This long distance loop covers the most famous side and the wildest corners of the Brenta Dolomites, with 11 stages and four variant routes to accommodate both hikers and mountaineers, with sweeping vistas west to the white slopes of Adamello and the superb pyramid of Presanella. Your route takes you deep into the most rugged regions of the Brenta massif. As you continue your climb, the grandeur of the surrounding environment is incomparable: vertical walls of the Punte di Campiglio and Cima Mandron rise from the grassy expanse, and the frozen wall of Canalone Neri joins Crozzon di Brenta to Cima Tosa.

Departing from your rifugio, traverse the western flanks of the Cima Tosa, along the impressive karst depression of Pozza Tramontana, on a good path high along the eastern margins of the Brenta Range. Heading east, sneak through the Passo di Ceda high above the gorgeous Lago di Molveno, before entering the forest and descending toward the lakeshore and the lovely village of Molveno, and on to your hotel for tonight.
(~4 hours hiking, 9,4 km / 5,5 miles, 290m / 951' ascent, 1,888m / 6,194' descent. A more challenging hiking option is also available.)

Molveno (864m / 2,835') is located at the northern end Lago di Molveno, a 4-kilometer (2.5 mile) long lake at the foot of the Brenta Group and Paganella Mountain. The Italian novelist Antonio Fogazzaro (1842-1911) described the lake as "A precious pearl inside an even more precious chest," with deep iridescent blue waters that reflect the spires of the Brenta Dolomites. The town itself is characteristic of the region, with a historic center that is closed to traffic, and has been at the center of history multiple times, with relics that range from an old Roman bridge and road to Napoleonic fortifications.

While todays hike features a very long ascent, this trail doesn’t disappoint ­– it is considered by many a “not to miss” excursion in the Dolomiti di Brenta!

Just north of Molveno is the hamlet of Andalo (1,024m / 3,360') where you’ll begin your hike. Forests give way to smaller larch and scrub pine areas, and ultimately to patches of Dolomite, as the vertical walls of the Cima Dagnola emerge. Suddenly you’ll find yourself at a local rifugio adjacent to one of the few flat grassy glades in the rugged landscape of the southern Brenta. Catch your breath and continue your ascent to a mountain pass with fantastic sweeping views that can reach all the way to the northern chain of the Brenta on a clear day. Continue to Passo del Grostè, which you will recognize from the first day of this loop, and on to the cable car to descend into Madonna di Campiglio for your much-deserved victory celebrations!
(~6 hours hiking, 13,5 km / 8 miles, 2,053m / 6,736' ascent, 625m / 2,051' descent.)

Today you can choose to either rest your weary legs from hiking, or to hike one more day before you depart! If you choose to hike, you will experience a beautiful walk that showcases the pristine landscape that immediately surrounds the town of Madonna and makes the region so popular. This is a loop hike – and said to be one of Emperor Franz Josef’s favorites.
Starting from your hotel, you’ll walk first past the 19th century Santa Maria Antica church in the center of Madonna di Campiglio, before arriving at a notch in the rock overlooking Madonna di Campiglio: “Empress Square” and “Sissi Rock.” These stones sit in remembrance of where Empress Elizabeth of Austria used to stop to take in the panorama of Madonna di Campiglio during her walks, when the Empress and Emperor Franz Joseph were hosted by Madonna between 1889 and 1894. Continue your loop hike past a working shepherds hut and reach a local rifugio before returning to Madonna di Campiglio.
(~4-5 hours hiking, 13,2 km / 8 miles, 650m / 2,132' ascent and descent.)

Breakfast and departure on your own (private transfer available on request).