Alta Via 1 in the Dolomites: Lago di Braies to Belluno, hut to hut

Which route should you choose?

The Alta Via 1 runs south from Lago di Braies (1,494 m) to Belluno (389 m), waymarked with a blue triangle and the number 1. The official route page gives about 125 km, with about 7,300 m of ascent and 8,400 m of descent; adding up the stage figures gives closer to 130 km. The biggest climb is from Fanes to Lagazuoi, about 1,070 m, and the biggest descent is the last day, about 1,900 m down to Belluno.

Most stages are graded E or EE: hiking paths, some steep and rocky. The main line has no full via ferrata, but the descent from Nuvolau to Passo Giau on stage 5 has a ladder and fixed ropes, and the tourist board advises a ferrata kit there; ask the hut about the way round it. Optional equipped variants are the restored First World War tunnel below Lagazuoi, the Castelletto tunnel on the Tofana and the Schiara via ferrata on stage 11, each with a path that avoids it. Passo Falzarego, Cortina, Passo Duran and La Pissa are the natural places to join or leave the route.

12-day The full route: Lago di Braies to Belluno, twelve stages itinerary at a glance

The itinerary below follows the twelve official stages. Day 1 climbs from the lake to Biella, about 900 m up. Day 2 crosses the Sennes plateau, drops steeply to Pederü (1,548 m) and climbs to the Fanes huts. Day 3 is the big one: over Passo di Limo and Forcella del Lago to the hut on the Lagazuoi summit. Day 4 crosses Forcella Col dei Bos and Passo Falzarego, passes the Cinque Torri and climbs to Nuvolau. Day 5 goes via Passo Giau and Croda da Lago; Day 6 passes below Monte Pelmo.

Days 7 to 10 cross the quieter southern half: the Civetta wall above Lago Coldai, the Moiazza, Passo Duran and the high, rocky Van de Città. Day 11 links Pian de Fontana and 7° Alpini, either by the Schiara via ferrata or by a longer path of about 13 km and 8 hours via Forcella Pis Pilon, without ferrata. Day 12 is the long descent past Case Bortot to Belluno. Many hikers instead finish from Pian de Fontana at the La Pissa bus stop, at about 448 m.

1. Day 1 Lago di Braies Rifugio Biella (Seekofelhütte) night at 2,327 m
2. Day 2 Rifugio Fanes (or Rifugio Lavarella nearby) night at 2,060 m
3. Day 3 Rifugio Lagazuoi via Forcella Lagazuoi 2,573 mnight at 2,752 m
4. Day 4 Rifugio Nuvolau (or Averau, Scoiattoli, Cinque Torri) via Forcella Col dei Bos 2,331 mnight at 2,575 m
5. Day 5 Rifugio Città di Fiume (or Croda da Lago) night at 1,917 m
6. Day 6 Palafavera, via Rifugio Venezia night at 1,507 m
7. Day 7 Rifugio Vazzoler, via Coldai and Tissi via Forcella di Col Negro 2,203 mnight at 1,714 m
8. Day 8 Rifugio Carestiato night at 1,834 m
9. Day 9 Rifugio Sommariva al Pramperét via Forcella del Moschesin 1,940 mnight at 1,857 m
10. Day 10 Rifugio Pian de Fontana via Forcella Sud dei Van de Città 2,395 mnight at 1,632 m
11. Day 11 Rifugio 7° Alpini night at 1,502 m
12. Day 12 Belluno night at 389 m

Hut altitudes are from the huts, the CAI booking portal and the Cortina and Dolomiti tourist boards. Where sources differ by a few metres we give one figure and note the other: Nuvolau 2,575 m (2,576 m on another line of the CAI portal), Città di Fiume 1,917 m (some pages give 1,918 m), Palafavera 1,507 m (one site gives 1,524 m), Tissi 2,250 m (2,252 m on dolomiti.it). Forcella Sud dei Van de Città is about 2,395 m. Rifugio 7° Alpini is at 1,502 m (Montagna.tv).

What it really costs

There is no permit or route fee. The cost of the Alta Via 1 is mostly the huts: a night of half board each day, plus drinks and showers. Add the bus to the start and the train back from Belluno, and any cable car you use.

Fees and estimates checked on 6 November 2026.

Insurance that covers Alta Via 1

Take a policy that covers hiking (and via ferrata if you plan the variants), medical treatment in Italy and helicopter rescue. In the Veneto, a rescue judged unjustified or without hospital admission can be billed at up to €90 a minute of flight, capped at €7,500; South Tyrol also charges a fee. Most travellers from outside Europe have no European health card (EHIC).

Alpine-club membership can include rescue cover, but check residence conditions before joining for the insurance: AVS covers only residents of Europe and the Mediterranean rim. In an emergency, call 112 (118 also works in the Veneto).

Staying connected in Italy

TIM, Vodafone, WindTre and Iliad sell SIMs and eSIMs; buying one in a shop needs your passport, and the shop can create a tax code for you. Signal is patchy at huts and in high valleys, and only some huts have Wi-Fi. Download offline maps before you start and carry a power bank.

Getting there and where to stay

The route is one-way: you start in the north, in South Tyrol, and finish in the south, about two hours by train from Venice. Venice (VCE) is the natural airport for both ends.

Gear: rent or buy

Huts provide blankets and meals, so you carry only a day's food, water and clothing, plus a liner. Pack light: you climb 500 m to 1,000 m most days. Expect cold nights at the higher huts and afternoon thunderstorms in summer: start early and be off exposed ridges by early afternoon.

• Hiking boots with a stiff sole for scree and rocky descentsBuy
• Backpack of 30–40 litresRent or buy
• Sleeping-bag liner (compulsory in CAI huts)Buy
• Waterproof jacket and trousersBuy
• Warm layer, hat and gloves for the evenings and early startsBuy
• Sun hat, sunglasses and high-factor sunscreenBuy
• Trekking poles for the long descentsRent or buy
• Headlamp, first-aid kit, power bank and some cashBuy
• Helmet, harness and via ferrata set to EN 958, for the Nuvolau–Giau descent and the Schiara, Lagazuoi tunnel or Castelletto variantsRent
• Offline map app or paper maps (Tabacco 31, 3, 15, 25 and 24 cover the route)Rent or buy

Add a few days in Italy

The route passes some of the Dolomites' best-known sights, and both ends link to places worth an extra day.

Frequently asked questions