Mountain Passes Of The Italian Dolomites Worth Stopping For A Photograph

With plenty of hairpin turns, narrow roads, and locals who sometimes drive as if there is no tomorrow, only confirming the stereotypes about Italian drivers, driving through the Dolomites can be scary at times. As long as you take your time and keep your eyes on the road, you will be fine. Although the latter might prove itself difficult with the views you are about to encounter. 

The mountain passes of the Italian Dolomites offer excellent access to numerous hikes, via ferratas, and photography spots, so fasten your seatbelt and get ready for a beautiful ride through the Dolomites’ best mountain passes. 

10 Beautiful Mountain Passes In The Italian Dolomites That Are Accessible By Car

TIP: Click on individual icons, and a window with the name and photo of a pass will pop up on the left-hand side

1. Passo Rolle

Nestled right beneath the dramatic spires of the Pale Di San Martino group, Passo Rolle is a must-stop when driving between the Fassa Valley and San Martino di Castrozza. 

In the winter, the area around Passo Rolle turns into a world-class ski resort, and the summer transforms it into endless fields of colourful wildflowers. 

Two fantastic day hikes start at Passo Rolle: the challenging route to Passo Mulaz and the moderate hike to Monte Castellaz. Both routes pass by Baita Segantini and its reflective ponds – one of the iconic photography spots in the Dolomites. 

There are a few hotels directly at Passo Rolle, should you want to be close to all the action. Otherwise, your best option is to base yourself in San Martino Di Castrozza.

2. Passo Gardena

Passo Gardena is my favourite mountain pass in the Dolomites. Why is that, you may wonder? For adventure junkies and photography lovers like myself, the Gardena Pass is the perfect playground.

With access to two great via ferratas: Gran Cir and Brigata Tridentina, as well as jaw-dropping views over Sassolungo (Langkofel) and a vast larch tree forest turning gold during the autumn months, you will want to spend some time around here. 

If that wasn’t enough, Passo Gardena is one of the many passes crossed along the famous Alta Via 2 traverse of the Italian Dolomites. 

If you want to base yourself near the Gardena Pass, the nearest towns are Corvara in Badia, just a 15-minute drive away, or Selva in Val Gardena.

3. Passo Sella

Not far from the previously mentioned Gardena Pass is another incredible pass, Passo Sella. It takes its name from the Sella mountain group, which stands right in between those two passages. 

The Sella Pass is where you should stop if you want to get a closer look at the peaks of Sassolungo and Sassopiato.

If that’s not close enough, I highly recommend strapping on a helmet and harness and venturing into the heart of this group on the exhilarating via ferrata Oskar Schuster. 

There is a seasonal hotel open from June to September and during the winter ski months, directly on the pass, creatively called the Passo Sella resort.

The two nearby towns connected by the pass are Selva di Val Gardena and Canazei. 

4. Passo Giau

Passo Giau is certainly the most iconic pass on this list, mostly thanks to Instagram. The pass lies more or less halfway between Cortina d’Ampezzo and Selva di Cadore.

In the summer, you can often meet hikers here, crossing the path along the famous Alta Via 1 – a 140-kilometre-long backpacking trip across the Dolomites. 

The peak visible in the photo above is called Ra Gusela, and you can access its summit via a via ferrata. The view from the top is completely different to the one below, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to venture off the beaten path. 

Another icon visible from the pass is Marmolada, the highest peak in the Dolomites. 

5. Passo Falzarego

I have spent many days around Passo Falzarego exploring the area. There is a lot to do here, as you are about to find out. The pass is a 30-minute drive away from Cortina d’Ampezzo in the direction of San Cassiano in Val Badia. 

Just like the previously mentioned Passo Giau, the Falzarego mountain pass also lies on the Alta Via 1. Moreover, Rifugio Lagazuoi – one of the most photogenic mountain huts in the Dolomites- stands a few hundred meters above the pass.  

You can spend the day here hiking through the Lagazuoi Tunnels and learn about the gruelling history of this place, dating back to the First World War. 

Only a short hike away from the pass lies Lago Limides, another iconic photo spot in the Dolomites, where you can see the reflections of Tofana di Rozes – a mountain peak pictured above. Passo Falzarego also offers great access to the area around Cinque Torri and to the via ferrata Averau. 

As you can see, you could plan your holiday just around the Falzarego Pass and you wouldn’t get bored. 

6. Passo Tre Croci

The Tre Croci Pass connects Cortina d’Ampezzo with Misurina and Tre Cime Nature Park. It also stands on the divide between two mountain groups: Sorapiss and Cristallo. 

The latter, with its highest peak – Monte Cristallo, is pictured above. You can access its summit via an exciting via ferrata Marino Bianchi – one of my personal favourites. 

Passo Tre Croci is also where the trail to Lago di Sorapiss sets off. This is one of the day hikes in the Italian Dolomites, you shouldn’t miss. 

7. Passo Delle Erbe

Passo delle Erbe connects Val Badia with Val di Funes. It is a popular hiking destination. You can access the pass by driving from the town of Santa Magdalena in Val di Funes. I must warn you, though. The road leading to Passo delle Erbe is very narrow.

After driving through endless and narrow hairpins, you get to a parking lot at the foot of Sass de Putia, the mountain you can see in the photo above. Sass de Putia can be summited in a few hours via a great beginner via ferrata. Alternatively, you can circuit the mountain on a half-day Sass De Putia circuit hike.

8. Passo Compologno

Connecting the towns of Corvara and Arabba, the Compologno Pass is the perfect spot to break up the journey and take in the stunning views along the way. Together with Passo Sella, Passo Pordoi and Gardena, they form the famous Sella Ronda. It’s a ca. 60-kilometre ski or bike route that can be tackled in the winter or summer.

The mountain pictured above, which is visible from the pass, is called Sassongher. It’s accessible via a beginner-friendly via ferrata. Its summit measures over 2,700 meters above sea level, making it a great day outing. 

Another attraction nearby is the Boé Gondola. Boarding from Corvara, the gondola takes you up to the start of via ferrata Piz Da Lech, as well as a few different hikes in the Sella mountain group. 

9. Passo Fedaia

With a few choices of restaurants and hotels, as well as a regularly running bus, Passo Fedaia seems more like a small mountain town rather than just a pass. A man-made lake of the same name and a massive dam are two features which separate Passo Fedaia from the rest. 

The mountain in the photo above is none other than Marmolada, the queen of the Dolomites, their highest peak.   

The Fedaia Pass marks the start of an advanced via ferrata, Eterna Brigata Cadore, which ends at Punta Serauta, the lowest of several peaks on Marmolada.

So far, I had made four failed attempts to tackle this ferrata, each one interrupted by either poor weather conditions or my own laziness. I now have another good reason to come back. 

Just on the other side of the pass, you will find Malga Ciapela, where you can catch an aerial tramway to another of Marmolada’s peaks – Punta Rocca. This is where you can find the Musée de la Grande Guerre, also known as the Museum of the Great War.

10. Passo Pordoi

Passo Pordoi connects the towns of Canazei in Val di Fassa with Arabba. It’s one of several passes which I have crossed on my backpacking trip along the Alta Via 2.

An absolute must-do on the pass is catching the cable car to the top of Sass Pordoi for an elevated view of the surrounding mountains, including (once again) Marmolada.  

From the top of the gondola station, it’s only 90 minutes to the summit of Piz Boè, the highest in the Sella mountain group.

Here, you can grab a lunch or even book an overnight stay in the second-highest mountain refuge in the Dolomites, Rifugio Capanna Fassa. It’s one of my favourite huts I have stayed at. 

If you don’t want to spend the money on the gondola, you can hike along path number 601 from Passo Pordoi to Rifugio Viél Dal Pan. It’s a great beginner hike with beautiful views over Marmolada and Lake Fedaia.