Planning a trip to Italy this summer to tackle some of the via ferrattas in the Dolomites.

Where would be the best place to base yourself for a bit of everything… Climbing, mtbing, good restaurants etc

Best airport?

Any accomodation reccomends?….

We are unsure if we should drive or fly yet so totally open to suggestions, obviously if we are camping/ taking the bike then we will drive…

Cheers all

Spent a few days in Cortina a few years back.

Lots of easy-access via ferrata from the valley with some much bigger stuff in the mountains above. I hired a bike for a day and just followed my nose; found some good stuff but a proper map/guide would be invaluable as there must be tons of rideable trails with lift access as well.

Cortina is nice, though a bit on the pricy side. Good campsite on the edge of town heading west.

Alta badia was excelent when we went there

and Livigno area also excelent

Dolomites are awesome

and the valduina ride was awesome

We came down it would not want to push up it like those fellas

Driving – last time it took a day and a half, but felt ok between two of us. We did end up sleeping in the car in an Austrian pass because all the campsites we could find were rammed…

I've flown in and out of Venice – it's a few hours' drive from Cortina/etc but much closer to the Lake Garda area. It was a very busy and slow drive to and from Cortina though.

I've camped near Colfosco and Cortina – nice sites, but they all tend to be very expensive (20 euros a night at least). Cortina's better for restaurants etc.

For better Via Ferrata, I'd stay further north – the stuff around Lake Garda never seems as much fun to me (not as high, not as exposed). It's also a lot hotter down there. That said, there's probably better biking there and it's pretty close to Venice for flights. I've no idea about biking further north (I've only climbed/walked/via ferrated in the Dolomites) – the road riding looks amazing though (and, much as I'd love to call myself a 'cyclist', I'm not, I'm a mountain biker – that's how good the road stuff looked!).

Enjoy it. Via Ferrata are awesome!

Cortina is good, stuff to do & a nice campsite on the edge of the town. I personally preferred the routes around Lake Garda – The ascent to Cima Sat via the never ending ladders is something you'll never forget!

Personally id hire a car and drive around – we only did 2 routes in Cortina, i'd have been bored if id have stayed there for the whole holiday.

Certainly worth having a car. We stayed at the campsite at Corvara [E side of Selva Pass].Took a day and a haf to drive the camper down from Zeebrugge. Some of my climbing mates have flown to Venice and then hired a car[2hrs drive I think]. Lots of Via Ferratta in stunning scenery. Didnt do any cyclng there but must be some great routes to do.

Oooh jealous. Only been to Selva myself, and did no biking so can't comment on that. LOVED the walking and the via ferrata. The Vallunga (valley at the top of Selva) is very accessible with some nice exposed via ferrata…
We did have a day trip to Lake Garda tho' and it was VERY hot

Some years ago a bunch of us flew into Venice and hired a car, then drove up to Arabba in the Alta Badia region. Stunning scenery and lots of Via Ferrata around, would definitely recommend you get a car otherwise you'll be stuck thumbing lifts or relying on public transport.

There's lots of choice so you can start easy and work your way up. If you haven't climbed before then I'd recommend you do that as some of the harder routes are quite strenuous and very long.

Get a Cicerone guide book, very useful. Eg:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Via-Ferrata-Scrambles-Horst-Hoffler/dp/1852840897/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277196691&sr=8-8

Here's some photos of our trip, and yes, that's snow in September! Go prepared as weather fronts can sweep in anytime.

http://tonydalton.smugmug.com/Vacation/Via-Ferrata-Sept-2003/5935503_RJAPZ#369743849_MVys6

Oh, and I can't remember exactly when, but something like July and August are prone to violent thunder storms so avoid if possible. You don't want to be attached to a wire running from the top of a high peak to the bottom with lightning all around you! Another group got hit by lightning while we were there, fortunately nobody seriously hurt but a couple got thrown and some nice entry/exit wounds where the lightning jumped off the wire and through them.

Don't know if there's riding locally as we didn't look, but we've ski'd/boarded there since so I'd be surprised if there's not.

Have fun, I'd love to go back and do some more!

Anyother vote for Selva. Lovely place and really enjoyed the Via Ferratta. We manged to get about my bus and cable car, but only cos the other couple knew where they were going. Otherwise I'd hire a ickle car.
Knocks spots off the Alps. Somehow the Italians do it so much better.

Canazei area is good

Dont bother with Garda, its full of tourists. Lake como is much better and the surrounding forests are littered with singletrack.

There's a bike park not far either, monte… something or other.

Also a few ski resrts within spitting distance for a day of uplifts.

Hi all and thanks for your great replies…looks like we will prob head to Selva.

As usual I seem to complicate matters as I will be out in France watching the TDF ( Avoriaz area) the week before and with no work in between my adventurous mind is working overtime thinking about ways of getting over to Italy to meet up with my other half for our Italian job.

However

It might not be fair lol to expect her to drive solo across Europe…( it isnt an option at all tbh).

So do I come back and then drive down as we will be camping and need tents etc..? Or is there loads of accomodation available?

Decisions decisions :^)

Used to work in Pedraces (Alta Badia) for Colletts.

I would probably stay in or near Corvara from experience, or Cortina if I was going first time. I think there's probably more biking over at Cortina but Corvara has the uber-classic Tridentina VF 10 minutes up the road. Get there early!

Give Colletts a call, very friendly bunch. They might even offer you a deal if you tell them I sent you… (or might tell you to p'ss off!)

+1 for Colletts.

When we were in Arabba we went down to speak with the Colletts bunch – very friendly and helpful even though we weren't with them. They lent us maps and route guides. I'd actually consider using them in future off the back of that experience, and usually I like to DIY.

+1 also for Tridentina, it's a great route but as Jimmy says get there early. We didn't and got log jammed most of the way up, great excuse to stop and rest/enjoy the views though!

Went to Cortina last year, flew into Venice and hired a car between 3 of us. Stayed at a great campsite, need to travel light though with only 15kg bag allowance. Did the following Via Ferrata; Strobel, Ettore Bovero, Tridentina, Cristallo and Dibona with an overnight here…

Been to the Dolomites twice for a total of 5 weeks. This was when I was a climber and not so much a biker.

Flew both times with Squeezyjet, once to "Milan" (Bergamo) and once to Venice. Venice is nearer and recommended if you can get flights. Driving would be quite a long way so hire a car there.

I'm assuming you're competent climbers/scramblers and not complete novices.

Best bases IMO are Cortina, Campatello/Canazei and Madonna di Campiglio

Done loads of good Via Ferrata which I can't remember the names of off the top of my head (as they're all in Italian).

Madonna is a little bit away from the bulk of the Dolomites and is the Brenta area which has many of the classic style of Via Ferratas you've seen pictures of where the path follows a long shelf seemingly carved into the side of a vertical cliff.

Campitello/Canazei is just south of the spectacular Sella Pass. Tons of good climbing and Via Ferratas. There is also some awesome darkside biking here. Camping sites in both towns.

Cortina is a bit more chic. Again loads of good climbing and Via Ferratas including the famous Cinque Torre (of which I think one has fallen down). Several campsites a few miles south in Zuel.

We also spent a bit of time around Lake Garda. The southern side is ghastly and overcrowded but Riva del Garda and Arco to the north are quite nice.

If you want specific route recommendations I'll have to get my guidebook out from home

Royston

Action Dan – That looks familiar, Cristallo Range? Brings back some memories….

We visited there in 2003, flew into Venice for 2 days sightseeing then toured up past Lake Garda to Cortina for the week, camped a short distance south of town. I wanted to introduce my girlfriend to a Via Ferrata, so I found one in the guidebook that looked that right for our abilities. 3-4hr roundtrip, big views, exposure but nothing too technical. Checked the weather forecast that morning, warm & sunny and it was all clear for the day.

Climbing up, all good:

Over the next 30mins, the clouds rolled in and then it started to snow. Luckily made the call pretty soon and forgot about the summit, started to head back. Suddenly everybody else on the route was beating a hasty retreat too and the panic levels started to rise a bit as everybody queued for ladders in a raging blizzard (note the Specialized fingerless gloves! Luckily we had proper spares in the pack)

10mins later and it was a full-on blizzard. Gusting winds, heavy snow and to top it all off, lightening. Trying to decide whether to stay attached to a metal cable at the top of a mountain in a lightening storm was not very pleasant! Anyway, to summarize, we got back just after the storm blew past with just a mild case of frostnip on the fingers and a very relived hot chocolate in the cabin. At least 2 other people who were further up the trail didn't make it back on their own and were helicoptered off:

Fun times! Next day we stuck to cycling, renting some dodgy hardtails in town and took the cable car back up to the mid-station to do a 14km valley descent back to town. Just as well that it was all downhill, my girlfriend's rear mech exploded 5mins into it and we didn't have a chaintool. 14km of freewheeling back to town. 🙂