Top 3 Hikes in the Dolomites for Epic Mountain Meals

Hiking in Europe hits completely differently. When you're overwhelmed by choices on where to hike in the Italian Alps, these are the top 3 trails you absolutely have to try.

In the Dolomites, the rugged trails are brilliantly contrasted by mountain huts (known as Rifugios) and farm-to-table restaurants serving hearty food - proteins, carbs, and vegegies - to fill you back up. We’re talking wild herb soups, hand made pastas and Michelin-recognized farm raised cattle, all waiting for you at the end of the trail.

If you want to do the hikes from my Instagram Reel, book the following reservations and hike:

• Day 1: Mont Seuc gondola (must book tickets ahead of time) > Alpe di Siusi hike (1.5h one way hike) > Gostner Schwaige

• Day 2:  Bai de Dones chairlift (free parking, no reservations) > Cinque Torre (1.5h one way hike)> Rifugio Averau

• Day 3: Reserve parking for the trail > Tre Cime Trail 101 > Lerchner's in Runggen (make reservations ahead) 

For more details, I've expanded on each day below! 

🥾 Hike 1: Alpe di Siusi

The Hike | I loved this hike. You trek across the largest alpine meadow in Europe. Take the Mont Sëuc gondola up from Ortisei to 2,000 meters and admire the views of the Sassolungo peaks on the way up. This ticket you can buy ahead of time, which I highly recommend as the parking in Ortisei was a nightmare (if you have a pre-purchased ticket, there is reserved parking). 

From the gondola exit, it is a gentle, incredibly scenic 1.5-hour walk (via Trail 9) through open green pastures with some hills to climb up and down. You'll make your way up to Gostner Schwaige which is tucked away behind some rolling hills. 

The Payoff: Gostner Schwaige | Gostner Schwaige is a completely off-grid, family-run farm restaurant. You are hiking here for their legendary "Heusuppe" - a 25-wild herb hay soup, which is served boiling hot inside a hollowed out loaf of bread. It's brewed using up to 24 different alpine herbs and edible flowers picked straight from the surrounding meadows. It comes boiling hot inside a hollowed out rustic bread bowl, resting on a bed of actual mountain hay. 

We also got to chat with Chef Franz Mulser, who left a career in Michelin starred restaurants to take over his family's rustic hut, focusing on zero waste, self-sustaining mountain cuisine. It's totally worth the hike. They don’t take reservations and it was packed by 1pm, so make sure you leave around 10am to hike there by noon.

I’ve had a lot of soup in my life, but nothing compares to what Chef Franz Mulser is doing at Gostner Schwaige. After an 8km hike through the vast Alpe di Siusi plateau, this 350-year-old alpine hut is the ultimate reward.

🥾 Hike 2: Cinque Torri to Rifugio Averau

The Hike | Take the Bai de Dones chairlift up to the Cinque Torri (Five Towers). You don't need a reservation for parking here, and there is an overflow lot. This is a beautiful hike through an open air World War I trench museum and massive, jagged rock towers. It is about a 60-minute uphill push from the chairlift to get to your lunch spot at the top of the hill.

The Payoff: Rifugio Averau | After a steep scramble up through the Cinque Torri, you emerge at Rifugio Averau, a family run restaurant. Order their hearty herb dumplings and their signature baked pheasant timbale (think of it as a rich, cheesy lasagna made with delicate crepes, which was delicious). 

Pair your meal with a glass of local white wine from their massive label wine cellar while soaking in the 360-degree panoramic terrace views. You don't need to make a reservation as there is a huge dining space. 

While the views are epic, you are here for their signature pastas and timbales, which are like lasagna but made with crepes instead of pasta.

🥾 Hike 3: Tre Cime di Lavaredo to Lerchner's

The Hike | Tre Cime was my bucket-list hike in the Dolomites. You should book your parking ticket in advance; there is a gated toll road to enter and without a ticket you cannot do the hike. Drive up to Rifugio Auronzo to start your trek, and walk the flat, wide gravel path (Trail 101) right up to the base of the towering three peaks. You can climb a small hill to get a better look at the peaks, or continue to see the lake. Bonus: Hike south on Trail 117 to the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint for a razor-edge mountain view.

The Payoff: Lerchner's in Runggen | Once you conquer the Tre Cime trails, head down into Corvara for dinner at Lerchner's. This sleek restaurant perfectly blends alpine traditions with food from their garden, making it a worthy Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant. They specialize in fresh, garden-to-table salads and incredible farm raised steaks sourced straight from their mountain cattle. The food clearly focuses on local, high quality ingredients indigenous to the area.

Make a reservation in advance - when we ate there, every table was full by 8pm. After a long day of hiking, sitting down to this level of elevated gastronomy is the perfect way to reward yourself.

They have an incredible meat selection, making it the perfect protein reload after burning thousands of calories on the trail.