Region: Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Ampezzo, Dolomites, Italy
Places To Stay: To hike the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, you can stay in Dobbiaco, San Candido or slightly further away you have Cortina d’Ampezzo. There are also plenty of rural villages where you can stay and various types of hotels, B&B’s or hostels in the region. Looking for more Dolomites trails? Head to my ‘Dolomites Hiking Guides‘ page to see all regions and routes.
Below are a few ideas for day tours and transfers around San Candido, with GetYourGuide offering great discounts and easy booking + a huge amount of options in the Dolomites area.
For a wider choice of accommodation in the Dolomites, Booking.com has a huge variety to browse through.
The Tre Cime di Lavaredo peaks are one of, if not the most iconic peaks in the Alps. The three peaks are cutely named, ‘little peak’, ‘big peak’ and ‘western peak’ and are the symbol of this UNESCO World Heritage site, and when you see it, and also see the parks and the lakes you will easily understand why, it is truly breathtaking, and it was that reason why we decided to hike from the bottom, and not just drive up to the top and do a circular of the end part.
Getting There: Directions, GPX and Map
- Start/Finish: Lake Antorno car park/bus stop.
- Transport: There are seasonal buses from Cortina and other towns, we drove and parked at the lake, it was May and well out of season, but it was still very busy, and this car park filled up quickly.
- Download the GPX file here.
- Follow this route on my Outdooractive profile.
Travel Data: I use eSIMs to stay connected — quick setup and no roaming faff. Sim Local has been solid in Italy/Europe with good prices and coverage.
Hike Profile
- Distance: ~11m / 17km
- Duration: 7-8 hours (lots of sightseeing)
- Ascent/Descent: ~8041ft / 2450m
- Highest Point: Near Rifugio Scoiattoli (~2,255 m)
- Difficulty: Moderately difficult (steep short climbs), sometimes loose terrain through the woods, but season depending as snow can be thick in Spring.
- Terrain: Well-worn pathways most of the way around, good walking shoes are a must.
Route Overview (Clockwise from Bai de Dones)
| Section | From → To | Path | Distance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lago d’Antorno → Route T1-T2 | Wide Road | ~0.8 km | Lake side walk before joining the trail path |
| 2 | Route T1 – Rifugio Auronzo | Open alpine path | ~3 km | Scenic section with some steep climbs the towers in view |
| 3 | Rifugio Auronzo → Rifugio Lavaredo | Road then rocky paths | ~1.5 km | Walk anti-clockwise around the towers |
| 4 | Rifugio Lavaredo → Rifugio Locatelli | T1 | ~2 km | Quiet walk with wide views |
| 5 | Rifugio Locatelli → Rifugio Auronzo | T2 | ~5 km | Easy return back to the rifugio |
| 6 | Rifugio Auronzo → Lago d’Antorno | T2 | ~4 km | Downhill return along roads, and well marked trail paths |
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Hike Description
The hike to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Three Peaks) from the lake, isn’t too difficult, but it’s a long day, and in some places as you head up it is very steep. The paths are very well set out and you will more than likely see others walking up also.
We got there late May, and there was still lots of snow up high, and we did have to work our way through that, but again it wasn’t too bad, but it was very slippery and will obviously make it harder going than if you didn’t have snow, but for us it was all part of the experience, and we loved it.
The start point for this trail is from ‘Lake Antorno‘, there is parking there, but it does get full, and I would imagine during peak season, this will be full very early. You can drive up to the peaks, but I think to park there is very expensive, and is crazy busy in peak season, another reason to start here if you can.
It’s a beautiful start to the walk, with the pine trees lining the road and the lake on your right, the Tre Cime high up in front of you, and as you walk on further you leave the road, and start to make your way uphill through the woods, it is spectacular.
The woods as you would imagine start quite thick and gradually start to thin out, but it was nice to walk and listen to the nature around you and there is a nice feeling of walking through woods, around very large rocks and following a path to the Tre Cime which is always in front of you, inviting you up in the distance.
After a short while we started to see snow, and it eventually became quite thick in places but it was warm, and you could always see where you needed to go, and in honesty we enjoyed ourselves by sliding in the snow, having a couple of snowball fights and it was fun to be able to experience all the conditions.
Then the snow stopped, and we were back to rocks and some steep short climbs, and then as you clear these steep sections the ‘Rifugio Auronzo’ is in sight, others have driven up, whilst you have walked up, nearly there!
Once at the ‘Rifugio Auronzo‘ you are at the start of the walk around the Tre Cime, we walked to the right and followed the path all the way around, there no point in me talking about it as it’s a simple route and depending what time of year you go, will depend how quick you can get around it, but take your time, you will have never seen anything like it.
The pictures below, tracks our hike around, through the snow, passing ‘Rifugio Lavaredo’ and then up to the shoulder right next to the peaks.
It’s worth mentioning again that on this attempt we only managed to walk up to that shoulder, we couldn’t walk any further because of the snow, so instead we turned around and walked back the same way. The route I have added to this post is the full route up and around the peaks, no turning back.
Unfortunately, as you will see the snow was pretty thick even late May, so it meant we couldn’t carry on walking, but it didn’t matter really, we experienced this mountain a different way and we absolutely loved it. So, we turned around and walked back the way we came, all the way back down.
On the way back down, the sun came back out, and we got to the see the valley below in full view and so had a different experience, then to walk back to the lake was amazing, we looked back at where we had walked too, and the feeling was indescribable.
The following pics are us walking back down and finishing off the walk.
Places to Stay in the Dolomites – My Picks
I’ve put together a few guides to make choosing a hotel in the Dolomites easier. If you’re after a romantic break, I’ve found some cosy hideaways. If it’s hiking that’s front and centre, I’ve rounded up the best hotels with trails right from the door. There are also ski-in ski-out favourites, family-friendly bases, and hotels with those wow-factor mountain views or even hot tubs to sink into after a long day.
- Most Romantic Hotels in the Dolomites ⇢
- Best Hotels for Hiking in the Dolomites ⇢
- Best Ski-In Ski-Out Hotels in the Dolomites ⇢
- Best Family Friendly Hotels in the Dolomites ⇢
- Best Hotels with Mountain Views in the Dolomites ⇢
- Best Hotels with Hot Tubs in the Dolomites ⇢
Places to Stay in Cortina
For a wider choice of accommodation in the Dolomites, Booking.com has a huge variety to browse through.
Recommended Stays
Right in the centre of the famous ski resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo, the 4-star Hotel De La Poste is set in an early 19th-century building. It features 2 restaurants and free WiFi throughout.
Parc Hotel Victoria is a great hotel to relax in Cortina, the staff are ready to help at all times and are very friendly. It is located very close to the promenade, shops and restaurants in Cortina, and simple access to the buses.
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Practicalities
- Start early: This is one of the busiest walks in the Dolomites — early starts make a huge difference.
- Cash: Rifugi still prefer cash for food, drinks, and toilets.
- Food & water: Plenty of huts, but still carry water on warm days.
- Weather: Conditions can change fast — bring a waterproof even if it’s blue skies.
- Footwear: Trail shoes are fine in dry conditions; boots help after rain.
- Best season: Late June to late September (snow dependent).
Cinque Torri Circular FAQs
How long is the Tre Cime circular walk?
Is this the classic Tre Cime route?
Do I need to pay to access the trail?
Can I do this walk without a car?
Is the walk suitable for beginners?
Is it suitable for kids?
Are dogs allowed?
Is it very busy?
Can I walk it clockwise?
Is it worth it despite the crowds?
Walk this route yourself in 3D!
The video is a 3D walkthrough of this route; it’ll give you a great idea of what to expect before you set foot on the mountain.
I’ve created 3D videos of my walks and shared them with the Outdooractive and Welsh Man Walking communities.
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