I know the area around Passo Falzarego like the back of my hand. I have hiked here plenty of times and ticked off almost every trail you can find on the map. Some of them, like the Lago Limedes – Cinque Torri circuit, I hiked multiple times. This great half-day circuit hike near Cortina D’Ampezzo kills two birds with one stone. It visits a beautiful alpine lake and explores the trenches around the famous Cinque Torri rock formation.
Total round-trip distance
8.2 kilometres / 5.1 miles
Elevation gain
470 meters / 1540 feet
Time required
3-4 hours
Overview of the Cinque Torri hike
Cinque Torri, in direct translation from Italian, means Five Towers. It’s a unique rock formation in the Dolomiti Ampezzane group. The towers lie southwest of Cortina d’Ampezzo and near the Falzarego Pass.
This is an excellent hike if you want to learn about the history of the battles fought here between Austro-Hungarian and Italian troops during World War I.
The whole area around Passo Falzarego was a battleground. Many trenches, tunnels, and dugouts remain, including the famous Lagazuoi Tunnels.
The map of the hike
Important info about the hike
The trail is accessible between June and October. If you want to photograph the reflections in Lake Limedes, you should go no later than August/beginning of September. Any time after that, the lake dries out. If you love autumn colours, consider visiting in the second half of October; that’s peak foliage time. The whole valley below is filled with larch trees, which turn bright orange in the fall.
Read more: Best autumn day hikes in the Italian Dolomites
When to go: June – October
Trail difficulty: moderate
Trail numbers: 419, 441, 440, 424
Type of hike: Circuit
Highest point: 2418 m / 7933 ft
Parking: 46.520289, 12.018675
Map required: Tabacco 03 (Dolomiti Ampezzane)
Nearest towns: Cortina D’Ampezzo, San Cassiano in Alta Badia
Getting there
The trailhead is near Rifugio Col Gallina. There’s ample parking close to the refuge right along the road. On the opposite side, you can find a small restaurant called “Da Strobel”.
By bus
Dolomiti Bus line no. 30 operates on a regular schedule between Cortina d’Ampezzo and Passo Falzarego in the high season (June to September). The bus stop where you need to get off is called Col Gallina. You can check the schedule on Google Maps or the Mooveit app.
By car
The trailhead is approximately 20 minutes from Cortina d’Ampezzo and 20 minutes from San Cassiano, the nearest towns. You can park your car free of charge in the lot directly opposite the restaurant ‘Da Strobel’.
Trail description
Stage 1: Rifugio Col Gallina to Lago Limedes (30 mins)
Follow signs for Lago Limedes and Rifugio Averau along path no. 419 for the first part of the hike, then 441. The trail climbs steadily through the larch forest. You should reach the lake in approximately 20-30 minutes.
Stage 2: Lago Limedes to Rifugio Averau (75-90 mins)
After spending some time at the lake, continue on trail no. 441 following the signs for Rifugio Averau. The trail now leads above the treeline and climbs up to Forcella Averau (Forcella means saddle), then flattens and circles around Monte Averau to the Averau hut.
Make sure to glance back now and again. You will have expansive views behind you, including the triangular Sass Di Stria, the dome-shaped Monte Lagazuoi, and the rose-shaped Tofane Di Rozes. Once you reach Rifugio Averau, you will get your first glimpse of Cinque Torri.
Stage 3: Rifugio Averau to Cinque Torri (30 mins)
From the Averau hut, the trail drops towards the second refuge – rifugio Scoiatolli. Once at the hut, you’ll see numerous paths toward Cinque Torri. Pick one and start exploring.
There are numerous main pathways and scattered desire lines that lead around Cinque Torri, up to their faces, and along the eastern side of these five great monoliths. Climbers are often seen at their summits or clinging precariously to their walls.
You can easily spend an hour exploring and then another hour taking in the views whilst lounging on one of the many deck chairs at Rifugio Scoiatolli.
TIP: If you are feeling under the weather but still want to explore the area around Cinque Torri, you can skip the hike and take the chairlift that runs directly to Rifugio Scoiatolli. Park your car at the bottom of the chairlift and get a round-trip ticket.
Stage 4: Cinque Torri to Rifugio Col Gallina (75-90 mins)
It’s time to get back to the trailhead. From Rifugio Scoiatalli, take path no. 440 back to where you started. The trail primarily runs through a dense larch forest. Thankfully, the views of the mountains on the other side of the valley will stay with you until the end.
Once you drop down to the road, follow trail no. 424 for another 500 meters back to the car park. The trail runs parallel to a small stream.
Overnight stay & dining possibilities
The great thing about hiking in the Dolomites is that you never have to worry about bringing food. There are always huts along the way where you can have your lunch. The Cinque Torri – Lago Limedes hike is no exception.
There are two mountain huts directly en route where you can stop for a meal: Rifugio Averau and Rifugio Scoiatolli. Both huts also offer overnight stays. I had the pleasure of staying at Rifugio Averau, as it lies directly on the Alta Via 1 traverse, which I backpacked a few years ago.
Read more: Everything you need to know before staying in a mountain hut in the Italian Dolomites.
Possible hike extensions
Option 1: Via Ferrata Averau (+ 2 hours)
If, like me, you’re a keen adventurer looking for a challenge, you can combine this hike with a scramble to the summit of Mount Averau. The trail to the summit starts near the Averau hut.
TIP: To complete this extension, you will need to bring ferrata equipment, which you can rent in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Option 2: Rifugio Nuvolau (+ 90 mins)
Once you reach the Averau hut, you can make a short detour and continue along path no 438 to Rifugio Nuvolau. I think this is one of the most photogenic mountain huts in the Dolomites, and the views from its deck are unreal! This will add another 170m of elevation gain from Rifugio Averau.
Where to stay nearby
To explore the area around Passo Falzarego, I recommend staying in Cortina d’Ampezzo for a few days. Cortina is a central hub for exploring the Dolomites and offers excellent access to Fanes-Sennes-Braies and Tre Cime Nature Parks. I developed a 2-5-day itinerary for Cortina that includes a range of adventure activities.
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If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below!
Hej
Undrar om man måste gå genom tunnlarna när man vandrar ditt förslag lago limedes -cinque torri? Eller de är en avstickare?
Nybörjarvandrare Camilla
Hi Camilla, no there are no tunnels on this hike. I hope that helps! Marta