Vias Ferratas of the Italian Dolomites

The Italian Dolomites have some of the most magnificent mountain scenery on the planet and some of the most iconic. High rocky spires and rugged mountain ranges are interspersed with gentle valleys and idyllic mountain villages. The Dolomites are also home to the world's highest concentration of via ferratas, mountain routes or climbs protected by a series of cables, metal rungs, stakes and ladders.

Many via ferratas were originally built to aid the movements of Alpine military units during the First World War, and now represent one of the major attractions of the Dolomites. They are a series of protected routes, with fixed cables, ladders and even bridges across gorges, which facilitate the ascent to places normally reserved for expert climbers. In recent years, old war routes have been restored and many new routes have been added to give a network of routes around the entire Dolomite region. Some of the new ferratas are 'sport routes', often technically quite hard, as can be seen in our evaluation of the qualities. The Italian Alpine Club, CAI (Club Alpino Italiano), regularly checks, maintains and marks the routes.

Practical guide

When to go?

Mainly mid-June to late September in the higher mountains. Avoid August if you can, as you may encounter crowds. The Lake Garda area can be climbed all year round.

Cities & Services

Arabba, Auronzo, Badia, Bolzano, Brunico, Canazei, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Corvara, La Villa, Misurina, Moena, Ortisei, Pozza, San Cassiano, Santa Cristina, Selva, Sesto.

Bolzano, Valle di Primiero and San Martino di Castrozza, Agordino, Belluno, Bassano del Grappa, Vicenza, Brenta, Trento, Riva, Lake Garda".Rovereto.

Difficulties and advice

• Levels of exposure and commitment depending on the route, from short and easy sections to serious and strenuous high mountain itineraries with a high level of exposure.
• Via ferrata kit (helmet, harness and VF lanyard) required for all routes in this guide.
• Choose a route of difficulty and exposure appropriate to your experience and technique.

Not to be missed

Some of the most unique and magnificent mountain scenery on the planet; Corvara, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Selva, Alta Badia, Falzarego, Giau, Sella, Marmolada, Tre Cime (Drei Zinnen), Tofana, Lagazuoi, Val Gardena, Via Ferrata Tridentina, Fanis, Fanes, Passo Fedaia, Lago di Sorapiss, Croda da Lago, Sassolungo, Alpe di Siusi, Val di Fassa, Langkofel, Catinaccio (Rosengarten).

All the via ferratas described are great, but don't overdo it.

Via ferratas

Northern, central and eastern mountain ranges

It covers the northern, central and eastern regions, including Cortina, Fassa, Sesto, Canazei and Corvara:

• VAL DI FASSA/CANAZEI /// Sentiero Massimiliano / Via Ferrata Laurenzi / Via Ferrata Passo Santner / Via Ferrata Roda di Vaèl / Via Ferrata Masare / Via Ferrata Catinaccio d'Antermoia / Via Ferrata Franco Gadotti / Via Ferrata I Magnifici Quattro / Via Ferrata Kaiserjäger / Sentiero Attrezzato Bepi Zac / Via Ferrata Paolin-Piccolin / Via Ferrata dei Finanzieri / Via Ferrata Hans Seyffert / Via Ferrata Eterna Brigata Cadore /
• SELVA /// Via Ferrata Sass Rigais Est/Sud / Sentiero Attrezzato Piz Duledes / Via Ferrata Sandro Pertini / Via Ferrata Oskar Schuster / Via Ferrata Col Rodella / Via Ferrata Mesules (Pössnecker) /
• BADIA/LA VILLA /// Sentiero Attrezzato Günther Messner / Sentiero Attrezzato Sass de Putia / Via Ferrata Sasso Santa Croce / Sentiero Attrezzato Piz de les Conturines / Via Ferrata Furcia Rossa /
• CORVARA /// Via Ferrata Piz da Cir V / Sentiero Attrezzato Gran Cir / Via Ferrata Brigata Tridentina / Via Ferrata Vallon / Via Ferrata Piz da Lech / Sentiero Attrezzato Sassongher /
• ARABBA /// Via Ferrata Cesare Piazzetta / Via Ferrata delle Trincee / Via Ferrata Sass de Rocia / Sentiero Attrezzato Col di Lana /
• FALZAREGO /// Sentiero Attrezzato Sass de Stria / Via Ferrata Cesco Tomaselli / Sentiero dei Kaiserjäger / Sentiero Attrezzato Galleria del Lagazuoi / Via Ferrata degli Alpini al Col dei Bos / Via Ferrata Averau / Via Ferrata Ra Gusela /
• CORTINA /// Via Ferrata Scala del Menighel / Via Ferrata Giovanni Lipella / Sentiero Attrezzato Grotta di Tofana / Sentiero Astaldi / Via Ferrata Punta Anna and Gianni Aglio / Via Ferrata Lamon and Formenton / Sentiero Giuseppe Olivieri / Via Ferrata Maria e Andrea Ferrari / Sentiero Attrezzato Giovanni Barbara/Lucio Dalati/Cengia de Mattia / Via Ferrata Ettore Bovero / Via Ferrata Michielli Strobel / Sentiero Attrezzato Terza Cengia del Pomagagnon / Sentiero Attrezzato Renè de Pol / Via Ferrata Ivano Dibona / Via Ferrata Marino Bianchi / Via Ferrata Sci Club 18 / Via Ferrata Giro del Sorapiss/
• MISURINA /// Sentiero Attrezzato Capitano Bilgeri/Monte Piana/Monte Piano / Via Ferrata Merlone / Sentiero Attrezzato Alberto Bonacossa / Sentiero delle Forcelle / Via Ferrata De Luca/Innerkofler / Via Ferrata delle Scalette/Curato Militare Hosp /
• SESTO /// Via Ferrata Strada degli Alpini / Via Ferrata Nord / Via Ferrata Mario Zandonella / Via Ferrata Aldo Roghel/Cengia Gabriella / Via Ferrata Mazzetta /
• AURONZO /// Sentiero Cengia del Doge / Sentiero degli Alpini / Sentiero Attrezzato Amalio da Pra / Via Ferrata Sartor / Via Ferrata Via di Guerra/CAI Portogruaro /

Southern Dolomites, Brenta and Lake Garda

Guide to ferrata routes in the Italian Dolomites in the southern regions of Brenta and Garda. It covers the southern Dolomite regions, in 10 areas including Belluno, Brenta, Trento, Lake Garda, the "Piccole Dolomites" and San Martino di Castrozza.

• Bolzano
• Valle di Primiero and San Martino di Castrozza
• Agordino
• Belluno
• Bassano del Grappa
• Vicenza
• Brenta
• Trento
• Riva, Lake Garda
• Rovereto