Best Towns for Hiking in the Dolomites

San Candido (Innichen) and Dobbiaco (Toblach) are the standout choices for train travelers. Both sit on the Puster Valley railway (Fortezza/Franzensfeste to San Candido), which connects to the Brenner main line at Fortezza. From Bolzano, the journey takes approximately 2 hours with a change at Fortezza; from Innsbruck, roughly 3 hours via Lienz. Both towns also have access to the seasonal shuttle to Tre Cime di Lavaredo (line 444, originating from Dobbiaco station) and to Lago di Braies (line 442 from Dobbiaco), making them the only bases where you can reach the most visited Dolomites landmarks without a car. Cortina and Corvara have no train access - the nearest station to Cortina is Calalzo di Cadore, roughly 35 km21.7 mi away.

Corvara in Badia at 1,568 m5,144 ft is the highest village base among the five main Dolomites hiking towns, sitting approximately 350 m1,148 ft higher than Cortina d'Ampezzo (1,224 m4,016 ft) and roughly 400 m1,312 ft above San Candido (1,175 m3,855 ft). That extra elevation is not trivial: trails from Corvara start well above the treeline zone, and the approach to the Sella Group and the Fanes plateau requires significantly less vertical effort than from any lower base. The Piz Boè summit at 3,152 m10,341 ft is reachable in a long day from Corvara. Dobbiaco, at approximately 1,241 m4,072 ft, sits marginally higher than Cortina but does not have Corvara's direct high-altitude access.

Dobbiaco or San Candido - both work well as bases. The key logistics: bus line 444 (SAD) runs from Dobbiaco station to Rifugio Auronzo from late June through September; San Candido travelers connect via Dobbiaco (one train stop west). From Dobbiaco, the bus ride is roughly 50 minutes. Dobbiaco is consistently cheaper for accommodation and slightly less crowded, making it the better value choice if you have no other priorities in the area. If you want more dining options and a wider choice of hotels, San Candido wins. Either way, book the rifugio for your overnight stay well in advance - Rifugio Auronzo and Rifugio Lavaredo fill by January for July and August nights.

Corvara is the best base for the Alta Via 1's central and most scenic stages, covering the Fanes plateau and the high ridge between the Sella and Marmolada groups. Days 2 through 4 of the standard AV1 itinerary pass directly through the Alta Badia valley system, and Corvara sits at the geographic midpoint. The Rifugio Fanes and Rifugio Lavarella - two of the most celebrated huts on the entire route - are accessible as day targets or overnight stops from Corvara. For the northern stages of the AV1 (starting from Lago di Braies), Dobbiaco or San Candido are the logical arrival points before you begin the walk south. For our full multi-day itinerary, see the Alta Via 1 route guide.

Ortisei in Val Gardena has three separate cable car systems operating from within the valley: the Seceda gondola rising to the Odle ridgeline at 2,518 m8,261 ft, the Mont Sëuc gondola climbing onto the Alpe di Siusi plateau at around 2,000 m6,562 ft, and the Ciampinoi gondola above Selva toward the Sella Group. No other single Dolomites valley compresses three independent high-altitude access systems into one base. Cortina has two main systems (Faloria and Cristallo) plus the Cinque Torri chairlift, while Corvara has the Boè gondola and Sella Ronda lifts. If maximising the variety of cable-car-accessible terrain is your priority, Ortisei is the clear answer.

Dobbiaco is consistently the most affordable of the five main hiking bases. It is quieter than San Candido (5 km3.1 mi away) and far less commercialised than Cortina, and accommodation prices typically run 15 to 25 percent below the Cortina/Ortisei premium. The town has all essential services - supermarkets, gear shops, a decent restaurant selection - without the resort pricing that Cortina and Corvara attract. For budget-conscious hikers, the combination of Puster Valley railway access and direct bus links to both Tre Cime and Lago di Braies makes Dobbiaco the strongest value proposition in the eastern Dolomites. Alta Badia (Corvara) tends to be the most expensive base overall due to its Sella Ronda ski resort infrastructure.