Twelve Beginner-Friendly Via Ferrata Routes To Try In The Italian Dolomites

There are over 700 via ferratas in the Dolomites. Their history dates back to the 1st World War when soldiers set up intricate mountain routes to fight the enemy. Since then, frayed ropes have been replaced with steel cables, and the via ferratas have turned into adventure sites for people who want to take hiking to the next level. If you want to explore the world of via ferrata in the Italian Dolomites but are unsure which beginner routes would be good to start with, you have come to the right place. 

Beginner Via Ferratas In The Italian Dolomites

I was a beginner just a few years ago. Still, after two full summer seasons in the Dolomites and my move to Tirol in Austria, I managed to tick off dozens of beginner, intermediate, and advanced routes. Here are a few that I consider great for novices. 

TIP: Are you new to the via ferratas? Read my beginner’s guide! 

The map of the routers

Click on individual icons, and the name and a link to an article about a via ferrata will pop up.

1. Via ferrata Gran Cir

Roundtrip Distance: 3.5 km / 2.17 mi

Elevation Gain: 380 meters / 1250 feet

Time Required: 2-3 hours

If you like getting great rewards for little effort, then Via Ferrata Gran Cir is for you. There is a good reason why this route is at the top of the list. It’s the easiest, and the ascent is only 60 to 90 minutes long. 

Starting at Passo Gardena, one of the most photogenic mountain passes in the Dolomites, the route will take you to the top of Gran Cir mountain, where you can enjoy beautiful views of the nearby Sella mountain group and Sassolungo. 

2. Via ferrata Innerkofler/De Luca

Roundtrip Distance: 9.9 km / 6.15 mi

Elevation Gain: 591 m / 1938 ft

Time Required: 5-6 hours

This gem is in the Italian Dolomites’ popular Tre Cime Nature Park. Via ferrata Innerkofler packs a hell of a punch considering it’s just a half-day excursion. 

The Ferrata starts near rifugio Locatelli (Dreizinnenhütte), one of the best mountain huts in the Italian Dolomites. It then takes you to the summit of Monte Paterno, at the foot of which the refuge was built.  

You can admire the famous three peaks from an elevated view and away from the crowds. Just make sure to leave early to have the summit all to yourself. Via ferrata Innerkofler isn’t exactly a hidden gem.

3. Via ferrata Passo Santner

Roundtrip Distance: 7.9 km / 4.9 mi

Elevation Gain: 875 m / 2870 ft

Time Required: 5-7 hours

This one is a bit harder than the two previously mentioned via ferratas for a beginner route. However, I decided to include it in the beginner list because it never presents any scary exposure. The protection, in the form of cables and iron rods, is excellent from start to finish.

The real challenge is to focus on the route and not the amazing views surrounding you. Rosengarten Nature Park, where via ferrata Passo Santner ferrata is located, is known for its many dramatic spires, many of which are visible on this route. 

The ferrata’s culmination is the Santner mountain pass, from which you can get an excellent view of the Vajolet towers—one of my favourite Dolomite photography subjects.

4. Via ferrata Catinnacio D’Antermoia

Roundtrip Distance: 16 km / 10 mi

Elevation Gain: 1252 m / 4108 ft

Time Required: 8-10 hours

At 3002 meters, Monte Catinaccio is the highest peak in the Rosengarten group. Thanks to the beginner via ferrata Catinnacio D’Antermoia and the proximity of the nearby Passo Principe mountain hut, you can have its summit under your belt in just a few hours.

The route starts at Rifugio Principe, which is built on the mountain pass and has the same name. If you study the photo above, you will notice the hut. It’s the most interesting hut I encountered in the Dolomites because it’s built right into the side of the mountain. 

This via ferrata doesn’t pose any significant challenges. The only real obstacle might be in your mind. Sure-footedness is a necessity on any of these routes.

5. Via ferrata Ra Gusela

Roundtrip Distance: 6.8 km / 4.2 mi

Elevation Gain: 337 m / 1105 ft

Time Required: 3-4 hours

If you’ve researched the Dolomites, I am sure you’ve seen at least one photo of the Giau mountain pass (Passo Giau).

The mountain standing on the pass – Ra Gusela, is a beloved photography subject for many who visit this area. However, few realise you can reach its summit along the beginner’s via ferrata Ra Gusela. 

There is nothing technical or complicated about this ferrata. The only scary thing is the few hundred meters high and nearly vertical walls on the other side of the mountain. Don’t worry, though, this is not the side you will be scrambling on.

6. Via ferrata Averau

Roundtrip Distance: 1.2 km / 0.75 mi (from Averau hut)

Elevation Gain: 230 meters / 750 feet (from Averau hut)

Time Required: 1.5 – 2 hours (from Averau hut)

Monte Averau is just two peaks across from Monte Ra Gusela. If I were to single out my favourite beginner via ferrata, it would be this one. You may wonder why? It’s because of the views from the summit.

The cable section on this route is quite intense but very short. After that, it’s a straightforward path to the summit, where some of the best views I have witnessed in the Dolomites await you.

Several different approaches are available to reach Via Ferrata Averau. The route can also be connected with the previously mentioned Ra Gusela. Together, they will make for an exciting mountain day.

7. Via ferrata Sass Rigais

Roundtrip Distance: 12.2 km / 7.6 mi

Elevation Gain: 980 m / 3215 ft

Time Required: 6-8 hours

This great beginner via ferrata will allow you to summit the highest peak of the Seceda ridgeline—one of the most iconic photo spots in the Dolomites. The peak is called Sass Rigais and reaches over 3000 meters.

Due to a relatively long approach, this ferrata is a bit harder than the others mentioned in this article. The exposure along the cable section is also greater. I debated whether to include it on my intermediate list, but decided against it. 

If you have a head for heights, you shouldn’t have problems completing this via ferrata. The route is straightforward, and there are always great spots to place your feet. For more information about this route, check out my other article. 

8. Via Ferrata Sassongher

Roundtrip Distance: 6.6 km / 4.1 mi

Elevation Gain: 510 m / 1670 ft

Time Required: 3-4 hours

Sassongher is a distinct peak standing over the town of Corvara. It also lies within the borders of the Puez Odle Nature Park, home to the famous Seceda ridgeline.

When I first saw Sassongher, I thought it was unattainable for a mere mortal like myself. Looking at it from Corvara, all you see are 90-degree steep walls.

Luckily, the slopes on the other side of the mountain, where the path runs, are a lot more gentle, making the via ferrata Sassongher one of the easiest on this list. 

The cable-protected section lasts for only around 100 meters. After that, you have another 30-45 minutes of switchbacks to reach the summit. The total round-trip time to the top is 3-4 hours, which makes for a great half-day trip. 

9. Via Ferrata Sass de Putia

Roundtrip Distance: 12.1 km / 7.5 mi

Elevation Gain: 930 m / 3050 ft

Time Required: 5-7 hours

The hike to the summit of Sass de Putia begins at Passo Delle Erbe near the village of Santa Maddalena in Val Di Funes.

Sass de Putia has two summits. The lower one can be reached via a day hike, but to reach the true summit, you must tackle the via ferrata section, stretching for around 200 vertical meters before the top. The whole route takes around 5-7 hours to complete.

Via Ferrata Sass de Putia can also extend the popular long-distance trek Alta Via 2, which runs nearby. I chose this option when hiking it during one of the summer seasons I spent in the Dolomites. 

Read more: Guide to Via Ferrata Sass De Putia.

10. Via Ferrata Strada Degli Alpini

Roundtrip Distance: 16 km / 10 mi

Elevation Gain: 1134 m / 3722 ft

Time Required: 7-9 h

I have deliberately decided to leave the best for last. If you spend as much time in the mountains as I do, you can quickly become what I call the ‘view snob’. Regular green rolling hills no longer quench my thirst for amazing views.

I need sheer walls and dramatic spires, and Via Ferrata Strada degli Alpini delivers precisely that. It remains within the beginner level, attainable even for those without any via ferrata experience. 

11. Via Ferrata Sentiero Bonacossa

Roundtrip Distance: 7.3 km / 4.5 mi

Elevation Gain: 504 meters / 1653 feet

Time Required: 4-5 hours

Via ferrata Sentiero Bonacossa runs between Rifugio Auronzo in the Tre Cime Nature Park and Col De Varda, which lies just outside the park’s border. It’s one of the very few via ferratas in the Dolomites that can be walked in either direction.

The highlight of the via ferrata Sentiero Bonacossa is the viewpoint of the Cadini di Misurina group. The cable-protected section starts right after the viewpoint.

TIP: Via ferrata Sentiero Bonacossa connects well with the intermediate via ferrata Merlone. You can stay overnight in Rifugio Fonda Savio to complete both routes.

12. Via Ferrata Croda Rossa

Roundtrip Distance: 10.2 km / 6.3 mi

Elevation Gain: 1080 m / 3543 ft

Time Required: 4-5 hours

If you like bagging summits, this one is for you. Croda Rossa is a mountain in the northern part of the Sesto / Sextener Dolomites. On a good weather day, you can spot the highest summit of Slovenia – Mount Triglav, from the summit of Croda Rossa. The route is filled with World War I memorabilia.

Via ferrata Croda Rossa can be completed on its own (if you ascend and descend the same route) or in conjunction with via ferrata Zandonella, which runs on the opposite side of the summit. You can complete it as part of a multiday traverse across the Sextener Dolomites like I did.

Shop my via ferrata gear essentials