Private Heart of the Dolomites Tour by Car from Bolzano

From Bolzano through the Puster Valley

Bolzano, the capital of South Tyrol, is the classic gateway to the Dolomites, and this private Dolomites day trip from Bolzano begins as soon as you leave the city. Your driver follows the Isarco valley north past orchards and castles, then turns east into the Puster Valley, a wide green valley of farms, church spires and wooden barns, with the first pale peaks rising to the south.

The drive to the first lake takes about 1 h 45, and because the car is yours alone you can ask to pause at a viewpoint, a village square or a roadside chapel. Your driver-guide uses this time to explain how the Dolomites formed from ancient coral reefs, why the rock glows pink at sunset and how the people of these valleys still speak German, Italian and Ladin.

Lake Braies (Pragser Wildsee)

Lake Braies is one of the most photographed lakes in the Alps: a deep emerald-green basin at about 1,496 m, closed at its southern end by the sheer wall of the Croda del Becco. Wooden rowing boats wait at the old boathouse in summer, and a flat path circles the whole lake in about an hour, passing pebble beaches and forest shade. Even a short walk to the far shore gives beautiful reflections.

Is Lake Braies worth visiting? Absolutely, and the best time to visit Lake Braies is early in the day, before the crowds arrive, which is exactly why we start at 08:00. In high summer road access to the lake is regulated during the day, so your driver may adjust the order of the stops to keep the day smooth. Allow around an hour here for photos and a gentle walk.

Lake Misurina

Lake Misurina lies at about 1,754 m in the Cadore area, on a sunny plateau surrounded by some of the most famous peaks of the Dolomites. The lake is small and calm, with an easy path of about 2.6 km around its shore, benches facing the water and a row of mountain hotels and cafés at its northern end. On still mornings the surrounding summits are mirrored perfectly in its surface.

The pure, dry air of Misurina has long made it a place for rest and recovery, and today it is a favourite stop on any Dolomites road trip. From here the road climbs towards the Tre Cime, and the view back over the lake with the Sorapiss group behind it is one of the loveliest of the day. We usually spend 30 to 45 minutes at the lake, enough for a coffee and a short stroll.

Tre Cime di Lavaredo

The Tre Cime di Lavaredo, the Three Peaks, are the symbol of the Dolomites: three gigantic towers of pale rock, the highest reaching almost 3,000 m. Their north faces are among the most famous walls in the Alps, and during the First World War the front line between Italy and Austria-Hungary ran right across these slopes, where tunnels and trenches can still be seen.

On this private Tre Cime di Lavaredo tour your driver takes you to the best viewpoints around Misurina and the approach roads, depending on the season and road conditions, so you can photograph the peaks from different angles. If your group would like more time with the mountains, simply tell your driver-guide; the private format means the schedule can stretch here and shorten elsewhere.

Cortina d'Ampezzo

Cortina d'Ampezzo, the queen of the Dolomites, sits in a wide green basin at about 1,224 m, ringed by the Tofane, Cristallo and Pomagagnon massifs. It hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956 and again, together with Milan, in 2026. Its pedestrian main street is lined with boutiques, bakeries and cafés, and the tall bell tower of the parish church rises above the rooftops.

You have free time here, usually about an hour and a quarter, to stroll, shop and have lunch. Vegetarian dishes and fresh pasta are easy to find, while halal food is limited in the mountains, so ask us and we will advise. The return drive to Bolzano crosses the high passes or the valleys depending on the season, giving one last series of mountain views before we drop you back at your hotel.