Finding a region in the Dolomites where you would like to spend your holidays is difficult. The choice isn’t easy, with many different valleys offering unique hikes via ferratas and photography spots. In this article, I will introduce you to one of my favourite Dolomiti regions, the Puster Valley, and show you the many great outdoor trails you can find here.
About Val Pusteria (Puster Valley)
Puster Valley runs along the northern border of the Dolomites and separates them from the Central Eastern Alps. The whole area belongs to the South Tyrol region of Italy. The valley stretches almost 100 kilometres from Lienz (Austria) in the East to Mühlbach (Italy) in the West.
One of the interesting facts I read about the Puster Valley relates to its streams and rivers. Namely, those that begin in the mountains surrounding the valley eventually empty into the Adriatic Sea and the Black Sea (Source: Wikipedia).
Although after the First World War and the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Puster Valley was annexed to Italy, and even today, over 100 years later, 80% of the local population continues to speak German.
Many Austrian traditions and cuisines are highly prevalent in the Puster Valley. When you visit, you might think you are actually in Austria instead of Italy.
Best towns to stay in around Val Pusteria / Pustertal
If you plan to stay a few days in Val Pusteria and explore its hiking trails or via ferratas consider staying in one of these towns. They are all located within a few miles of one another.
1. Dobbiaco (Toblach)
Toblach lies at the entry of the dramatic Val Di Landro (Höhlensteintal), which branches off Puster Valley. The Landro Valley separates two famous Dolomiti Nature Parks: Tre Cime and Fannes-Sennes-Braies.
I am pretty sure you have at least heard of Tre Cime. Dobbiaco’s location makes it an excellent spot to visit the parks’ highlights.
Toblach is also well known for its culture and many important events throughout the year, like the Gustav Mahler Musik Weeks. He was a famous Austrian composer who often visited the area and found inspiration in the sounds of the mountains and rivers.
Check for hotel prices in Dobbiaco (Toblach)
2. Sesto (Sexten)
Sesto is a small commune of 2,000 inhabitants in the Sexten Valley, which branches directly off the Pustertal.
Sesto should be on your radar if you plan on exploring the famous Tre Cime Nature Park, but without the usual crowds. Val Fiscalina, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful valleys in the Dolomites, and it lies only a stone’s throw away from Sesto. With plenty of trails and via ferratas at its doorstep, you won’t be bored in Sesto.
Check for hotel prices in Sesto (Sexten)
3. San Candido (Inninchen)
San Candido is a true mountain paradise with plenty of small cafes, restaurants, and shops and access to endless outdoor opportunities, from mountain biking in the summer to cross-country skiing in the winter.
San Candido is known for its historic village, particularly the Innichen Abbey. It is also home to the local natural history museum, “Dolomythos,” which includes exhibits of dinosaur fossils found in the area.
Check for hotel prices in San Candido (Innichen)
4. Monguelfo
Monguelfo is a great town to stay in if you want to focus on exploring the Fanes-Sennes-Braies National Park. It offers easy access to Lake Braies (Pragser Wildsee), its main attraction.
Each year, in the last week of August, Monguelfo hosts a chocolate festival. If, like me, you are a chocolate junkie, then you can’t miss that one!
Check for hotel prices in Monguelfo.
How to get to the Puster Valley
Val Pusteria is easily accessible by train or car from any major city in Italy, Austria, or Germany. Below are the approximate travel times by either train or car to Dobiacco in the Puster Valley.
From Munich (via Innsbruck)
- By train: approximately 4.5 hours
- By car: ca. 4 hours
- Distance: 295 km / 182 miles
From Milan
- By train: approximately 5.5 hours
- By car: ca. 4 hours 50 mins
- Distance: 374 km / 234 mi
TIP: If you are flying to Milan, it’s better to fly into Bergamo airport
From Venice
- By train: approximately 5 hours 20 mins
- By car: ca. 2 hours 45 mins
- Distance: 189 km / 117 mi
My favourite hikes around Val Pusteria / Puster Valley
1. Croda Fiscalina Circuit
Distance: 19.2 km / 11.8 mi
Elevation gain/loss: 1180 m / 3870 ft
Time required: 8-10 h
Difficulty level: hard
Trail numbers: 102, 103, 101, 102
If you asked me for my favourite hike in the Puster Valley region, my answer would be the Croda Fiscalina Circuit. The hike is also known as the ‘tour of the rifugios’ because it takes you through 4 different mountain huts, offering plenty of opportunities to have a meal amid stunning mountain scenery. You won’t be hungry on this hike.
However, food is not the only reason to tackle this hike. It offers a variety of views from the lush green valley, moon-like landscapes, and, of course, the iconic Three Peaks (Tre Cime), the most famous landmark in the Dolomites.
Read more: Hiking Guide To Croda Fiscalina Circuit Trail.
2. Dürrenstein Summit (Pico Di Vallandro)
Distance: 9.6 km / 6 mi
Elevation gain/loss: 800 meters / 2625 feet
Time required: 5-7 hours
Difficulty level: moderate
Trail numbers: 40
The summit of Dürrenstein (Pico Di Vallandro) is a classic route in the Puster Valley region. The hike comes to life in late autumn when the larches filling the surrounding valleys turn yellow. If you are looking for a summit experience, this is the hike for you.
Read more: Guide to Dürrenstein summit hike.
3. Monte Specie (Strudelkopf)
Distance: 9.25 km / 5.75 mi
Elevation gain/loss: 320 m / 1050 ft
Time required: 3-3.5 h
Difficulty level: easy
Trail numbers: 40A, 34
The hike to Monte Specie shares the same trailhead as the previously mentioned Dürrenstein. Monte Specie is its smaller sister. Distance-wise, they are the same, but to reach the summit of Monte Specie, you must do less than half of the elevation gain.
Though the views won’t be as elevated, they are still fantastic. The most prominent view is that of the Three Peaks (pictured above).
Read More: Guide to hiking Monte Specie (Strudelkopf)
4. Lago Di Braies Circuit
Distance: 4km / 2.5 mi
Elevation gain/loss: 70 m / 230 feet
Time required: 1-2 h
Difficulty level: easy
Trail numbers: 1
Many photographers visit the Dolomites, and Lago di Braies is a must-visit spot for venturing into the backcountry. Many hiking trails start at Lago di Braies, including the 11-day north-to-south traverse of the entire Dolomites known as Alta Via 1.
If you are not an avid hiker, the Lago di Braies Circuit might be the trail that changes that. It is an easy hike with one of the best effort-to-view ratios in the Dolomites.
Read more: How to visit Lago di Braies.
5. Seekofel Summit
Distance: 16.2 km / 10 mi
Elevation gain/loss: 1360 m / 4460 ft
Time required: 8-9 hours
Difficulty level: hard
Trail numbers: 1
Seekofel is the mountain overlooking Lago di Braies. Despite being one of the most photographed summits in the Dolomites, few visitors to the lake venture onto the trail to its summit.
It is a challenging hike, with almost 1400 meters of elevation gain. It is also exposed in some places. You can break it into two stages and spend the night at the Biella mountain hut; the refuge is located a few hundred vertical meters below its summit.
Read more: Guide to Seekofel summit hike.
6. Val Campo Di Dentro
Distance: 11.2 km / 7 mi
Elevation gain/loss: 390 m / 1280 ft
Time required: 3-4 hours
Difficulty level: easy
Trail numbers: 105
If you want another beginner-friendly hike in the Puster Valley region, consider hiking through Val Campo Di Dentro to Rifugio Tre Scarperi and back.
This is the first and easiest stage of Alta Via 4, another multiday traverse across the Dolomites. The first stage can be done independently, as a day hike. The walk through Val Campo Di Dentro is pleasant, with very gradual elevation gain.
7. Croda Rossa (Rotwand)
Distance: 12.1 km / 7.5 mi
Elevation gain/loss: 820 m / 2690 ft
Time required: 4-5 hours
Difficulty level: moderate
Trail numbers:
Croda Rossa lies right on the Austro-Italian border above the turquoise Antholz Lake. The hike starts at Passo Stalle, 2000 meters above sea level, and always runs above the treeline. You can expect fantastic views from start to finish.
The trailhead is at the North end of the Anterselva (Antholz) valley, one of the smaller valleys branching off the Pustertal. Although the hike reaches an elevation of 2817 meters (9242 ft) above sea level, the elevation gain is gradual and doesn´t feel strenuous. The only challenging part is near the top, but it will be over before you notice.
Read more: Guide to hiking Croda Rossa (Rotwand)
Top Via Ferratas Around Val Pusteria / Pustertal
1. Croda Rossa (Rotwandspitze)
Difficulty level: Beginner
Elevation gain: 1080 meters / 3530 ft
Time required: 4-5 hours
One of my most recent excursions in the Dolomites took me to the summit of Croda Rossa in the Tre Cime Nature Park. Please don’t mistake it for the previously mentioned hike. Two mountains within 1 hour of each other share the same name.
Filled with World War I History, this is a great beginner Ferrata, with straightforward scrambling. From the summit, you can see peaks of not only the Italian but also the Austrian and Slovenian Alps, including Mount Triglav – Slovenia’s highest peak.
Read More: Guide to Via Ferrata Croda Rossa & Zandonella
2. Via Ferrata Zandonella
Difficulty level: intermediate
Elevation gain: 1080 m / 3530 ft
Time required: 5-7 hours (when done together with Croda Rossa)
Via Ferrata Zandonella also leads to the summit of Croda Rossa, but it follows a different route on the mountain’s south side. It offers glimpses into the beautiful Popera Valley and is slightly more challenging.
For a full day of climbing adventure in the Tre Cime Nature Park, you can combine Via Ferrata Zandonella with the Via Ferrata Croda Rossa.
Read More: Guide to Via Ferrata Zandonella & Croda Rossa
2. Strada Degli Alpini (Alpinisteig)
Difficulty level: beginner
Elevation gain: 1134 m / 3722 ft
Time required: 7-9 hours
Via Ferrata Strada Degli Alpini, known as the Alpinisteig, is one of my favourite iron paths in the Dolomites.
This is all thanks to the stunning views you get when traversing along the western flanks of Cima Undici. I am primarily discussing the views of the dramatic Croda dei Toni (Zwölferkofel) pictured above.
Read more: Guide to Via Ferrata Strada degli Alpini
3. Severino Casara
Difficulty level: intermediate
Elevation gain: 1585 meters / 5200 feet
Time required: 8-10 hours
Via Ferrata Severino Casara circles the previously mentioned Croda Dei Toni (Zwölferkofel) and offers spectacular views over Lake Auronzo and the Marmarole mountain group.
It’s a fantastic full-day excursion that lets you visit, dine, or even stay overnight at some of my favourite mountain huts in the Tre Cime Nature Park.
Read More: Guide to Via Ferrata Severino Casara
My Favourite Photography Spots Near Val Pusteria
1. Lago Di Braies (Pragser Wildsee)
Far from being a hidden gem. On the contrary, Lago di Braies is the most-visited spot in the Dolomites. Don’t let the serenity in the photo above fool you.
Only a few hundred meters away, there is a vast car park, a hotel, tourist stands, and hundreds of people trying to photograph the lake while simultaneously fighting for a spot along the shoreline.
Is it off-putting enough to make me want to skip it? No, I still think Lago di Braies is beautiful. You can still find solitude there as long as you walk away from the main boat jetty and venture onto the previously mentioned circuit trail around the lake.
2. Lago Dobiacco (Toblacher See)
Lake Dobiacco (Toblacher See) is a shallow alpine lake with a maximum depth of only 3.5 meters.
This, along with its location in a deep, sheltered Landro valley, often means the photographic conditions are perfect. The surrounding peaks usually reflect in the lake’s shallow waters.
3. Lago Di Landro (Dürrensee)
Only a few kilometres from Lake Dobiacco, in the Landro Valley, lies another lake – Lago di Landro. The lake is known for its beautiful turquoise colour, particularly on a sunny day with blue skies and when the water level is at its highest. In autumn, the lake shrinks to the size of a larger pond.
Sunrise, when the peaks light up bright orange, is an excellent time to visit the lake and photograph the reflections of Monte Cristallo.
4. Val Fiscalina (Fiscalina Valley)
My favourite photography spot in the Val Pusteria region is Val Fiscalina. I love the dramatic look of Croda Fiscalina and Croda Dei Toni contrasting against the serene green fields at the bottom of the valley.
The valley is also filled with larch trees, making it an excellent spot for autumn photography, when the whole valley turns from green to yellow to bright orange.
Other regions in the Dolomites that are worth visiting
- Fassa Valley (Val Di Fassa)
- Gardena Valley (Val Gardena)
- Funes Valley (Val Di Funes)
- Primero Valley (Val Primero)
- Badia Valley (Val Badia / Alta Badia)
- Cortina D’Ampezzo & Central Dolomites
- Tre Cime Nature Park
More travel and hiking resources in the Dolomites
- Photography spots in the Italian Dolomites
- Regions in the Italian Dolomites
- Itineraries for the Italian Dolomites
- Via ferratas in the Italian Dolomites
- Day hikes in the Italian Dolomites
- Hut-to-hut treks in the Italian Dolomites
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