15 places in the Belluno Dolomites to discover beyond Cortina and the Tre Cime
The Belluno Dolomites — the Dolomiti Bellunesi in Italian — aren’t just Cortina d’Ampezzo and the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.
Behind the most photographed spots lies a much larger area — six different zones, from Alpago to Cadore, taking in the Feltrino and the Agordino — where the views are just as spectacular and the roads, often, far quieter.
This guide brings together 15 verified places, one per zone or so, designed for anyone planning a trip to the Belluno Dolomites beyond the usual names.
Each stop lists its reference zone, the approximate distance from Belluno or the nearest town, and the best time to visit.
Driving distances are approximate: always double-check them with a navigator before setting off.
01 — Alpago
Alpago: lakes, forests and villages between Belluno and Friuli
Alpago is the eastern gateway to the Belluno Dolomites, just a few kilometres from Belluno toward the border with Friuli. It’s the area best suited to those looking for water, ancient forests and a slower holiday pace.
Lake Santa Croce
Covering around 7.2 km² at 386 metres above sea level, Lake Santa Croce is the second-largest lake in the Veneto region and one of Italy’s benchmark spots for windsurfing, kitesurfing and sailing, thanks to a steady thermal wind (the “Ora”) especially between April and September.
The lake is ringed by a roughly 17 km cycling and walking path that passes through the villages of Farra d’Alpago, Puos d’Alpago and Santa Croce del Lago; on the southern shore lies the Baia delle Sirene area, a classic stop for a break by the water.
Cansiglio Forest
A plateau shared by the provinces of Belluno, Treviso and Pordenone, the Cansiglio is a beech forest that has been managed since 1548 by the Republic of Venice, which sourced timber here for its galley oars.
Today it’s home to the “Anna Vieceli” Museum of Man in Cansiglio, the “Giangio Lorenzoni” Alpine Botanical Garden and several mountain huts.
It’s a classic autumn destination for the deer rut, has around 10 km of cross-country ski trails in winter, and can be explored on foot or by bike the rest of the year. The village of Tambre, about 15 km from Belluno, is the handiest gateway to the plateau and has a small ski area.
Chies d’Alpago
A small municipality at the foot of the Teverone-Cavallo mountain range, on the border with Friuli, a good base for hiking, mountain biking or horse riding. It’s home to the Alpago Natural History Museum and several hamlets with historic churches; nearby are the remains of the medieval castle of Lamosano.
It’s also home to Agnello dell’Alpago lamb, a Slow Food Presidium.
02 — Sinistra Piave
Sinistra Piave: villages and mountain roads near Belluno
Sinistra Piave, the left bank of the Valbelluna, is the area closest to the city of Belluno and the least explored by visitors: Renaissance villages and one of Italy’s most striking mountain roads, just minutes from the provincial capital.
Mel (Borgo Valbelluna)
Mel is the most treasured historic centre of Borgo Valbelluna, recognised among Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages and awarded the Touring Club’s Orange Flag since 2017.
The heart of the village is Piazza Papa Luciani, an arcaded square ringed by historic buildings: Palazzo Zorzi, Palazzo delle Contesse and the thirteenth-century Casa Barbuio. It’s about 14 km from Belluno, 15-20 minutes by car.
Passo San Boldo and the Road of a Hundred Days
One of the most spectacular mountain roads in Italy: five tunnels carved into the rock, with hairpin bends inside them, that let the road climb a very steep slope, connecting Trichiana to Tovena, in the province of Treviso.
Begun in 1914 by engineer Giuseppe Carpanè, it was completed by the Austro-Hungarian army between February and June 1918 to move artillery through — hence the name.
Today it’s open to cars, motorbikes and bicycles; inside the tunnels traffic alternates in one direction, with a height limit that rules out buses and large campervans. Always check the road conditions before setting off, especially in winter.
Six areas, one journey
“The Belluno Dolomites change character with every valley: water, forests, villages, art and mountains.”
03 — Feltrino
Feltrino: walled towns, parks and mountain flavours
The Feltrino, around the town of Feltre, blends art, protected nature and local produce, with a different pace from the higher alpine valleys.
Feltre’s historic centre
Feltre’s old core sits on the Colle delle Capre and is still enclosed by its defensive walls, with three main gates.
Piazza Maggiore holds the Castello di Alboino, “Lombard-style” fountains and noble palazzi. Destroyed in 1509 during the War of the League of Cambrai, Feltre was rebuilt by the Republic of Venice, giving rise to its present-day Renaissance layout, with frescoed façades and porticoes.
The centre is also home to the Museo Civico, the Carlo Rizzarda Gallery of Modern Art and the Diocesan Museum. It’s about 30 km from Belluno, 30-35 minutes by car.
Piani Eterni, Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park
A vast high-altitude grassy plateau within the Piani Eterni-Errera-Val Falcina State Nature Reserve, ringed by limestone walls and dominated by Monte Pizzocco. It’s reached via guided hikes run by the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park starting from Val Canzoi, with around 1,100 metres of elevation gain: a demanding route, not suited to anyone after a short stroll. The Val Canzoi access point, from Cesiomaggiore, is about 10-15 km from Feltre.
Lamon
A small municipality at the foot of Monte Coppolo, known above all for the Fagiolo di Lamon della Vallata Bellunese, a PGI-protected bean looked after by its own dedicated consortium.
Monte Coppolo has access trails from “Le Ej” and from Passo Brocon. It’s about 20 km from Feltre, 25-30 minutes by car.
Valle del Biois (Agordino): skiing, art and history among the Pale di San Martino
The Valle del Biois, in the Agordino, looks toward the Pale di San Martino more than the “classic” Dolomites: two towns tell its story well, one tied to skiing and art, the other to the Church’s recent history.
Falcade
A mountain village at the foot of the Focobon group, an offshoot of the Pale di San Martino, linked to the Passo San Pellegrino and Passo Valles ski lifts. In summer it’s a base for hikes toward the Pale and the Focobon-San Pellegrino-Valles group. Falcade was the birthplace of sculptor Augusto Murer: the Studio-Museum dedicated to him, in the Molino district, holds sculptures and drawings from 1941 to 1985.
Canale d’Agordo
Birthplace of Albino Luciani, Pope John Paul I, born here on 17 October 1912. The MUSAL museum, in a restored sixteenth-century palazzo on Piazza Papa Luciani, traces his life across four floors; his birth house, on Via Rividella, has also been separately open to the public since 2019. It’s about 10-20 minutes by car from Agordo.
05 — Val di Zoldo
Val di Zoldo: between the Pelmo and Civetta, the valley of gelato
Val di Zoldo sits between two of the most recognisable massifs of the Belluno Dolomites — the Pelmo and the Civetta — and is also the valley where Italy’s tradition of gelato makers in Europe began.
Zoldo Alto and Palafavera
The Pecol ski area is part of the Ski Civetta network, which links Zoldo, Alleghe, Selva di Cadore and Palafavera in a wider ski resort area at the foot of the Civetta. Palafavera is a broad plateau at 1,514 metres, a starting point for hikes such as the Palafavera loop trail or the tougher climb to Rifugio Coldai and its lake. Nearby Monte Pelmetto also has the only documented dinosaur footprints in the Belluno Dolomites.
Forno di Zoldo
The name comes from the ancient smelting furnaces that produced nails for the Republic of Venice, a story told at the Palazzo del Capitaniato. The valley has deep historic ties to artisan gelato: the earliest written records of production date back to 1873, and after the Second World War many Zoldo gelato makers emigrated across Europe, founding the Uniteis association in Frankfurt in 1969. Part of the historic collection of Zoldo gelato makers can now be seen at the Carpigiani Gelato Museum in Bologna; always check locally for any temporary exhibitions dedicated to Forno di Zoldo before planning your visit.
06 — Valle del Boite
Valle del Boite: beyond Cortina, toward the authentic Cadore
Heading down from Cortina d’Ampezzo along the Valle del Boite, you come across much quieter towns, with the same views of the Dolomites and a completely different atmosphere.
San Vito di Cadore
About 15 minutes from Cortina along the SS51, San Vito di Cadore sits at the foot of Monte Antelao — the second-highest peak in the Dolomites after the Marmolada, often called “the king of the Dolomites” — with views over the Pelmo and Marcora too. The small Lake Mosigo is a well-known photo spot for its mountain reflections, and was a filming location for the RAI series “Un passo dal cielo”. Tour operators present it as a quieter alternative to Cortina, geared toward hiking and climbing.
Borca di Cadore and the Corte di Cadore
Between the late 1950s and 1962, ENI president Enrico Mattei commissioned architect Edoardo Gellner to build a holiday village for ENI employees at the foot of Monte Antelao: around 270-280 small houses, two hotels, a large children’s summer camp and the Church of Nostra Signora del Cadore, whose design Carlo Scarpa also worked on. Since 2014 the site has been undergoing a cultural restoration project, while part of the complex now operates as accommodation. Check opening times and visiting arrangements before you go, since part of the village is still being restored.
Cibiana di Cadore, the village of murals
Since July 1980, the residents of Cibiana di Cadore, on an initiative of the local Pro Loco and with artists such as Vico Calabrò, Aldo De Vidal and Giuliano De Rocco, have turned the fronts of their houses into an open-air gallery of trades, everyday life and mountain legends: today there are more than 50, spread across the hamlets of Pianezze, Cibiana di Sotto and Masariè along a signposted walking route. It’s about 25 minutes from Cortina, via the Forcella Cibiana.
A journey that changes with the seasons
Lakes and hiking make summer the easiest season to explore many of these areas. Autumn brings foliage and the deer rut in Cansiglio, while winter is best for the ski areas of Zoldo and Falcade.
Many villages and towns — such as Mel, Feltre, Cibiana and Canale d’Agordo — are instead worth visiting all year round.
Practical information
Frequently asked questions about the Belluno Dolomites
Qual è il periodo migliore per visitare le Belluno Dolomites?
It depends on the area and the activity: summer (June-September) is ideal for lakes and hiking, autumn for foliage and the deer rut in Cansiglio, winter for skiing in Zoldo and Falcade. Many of the villages and towns are well worth visiting all year round.
Questi luoghi sono adatti anche in gita di un giorno da Belluno?
Yes, almost all of them: the distances given in this article, with the exception of the Valle del Boite, can be covered by car in 20-50 minutes from the provincial capital.
Come ci si sposta tra queste zone senza auto?
Public transport in the smaller valleys is limited and doesn’t practically cover every stop in this article: for an itinerary across several areas in a single day, a car remains the most reliable option. Check the Dolomitibus regional bus timetables if you’re travelling without a car.
Vale comunque la pena visitare Cortina e le Tre Cime?
Yes: they remain iconic Dolomites landmarks. This article doesn’t replace them, but offers equally authentic alternatives for those with more days to spare or who want to avoid the crowds during peak months.
