When to Visit the Dolomites for Photography

This article is part of the Complete Guide to Photography in the Dolomites

There are advantages to most seasons for photography, and we can often adapt our style to make the most of any destination. When planning a photography trip, we might prefer winter snow or autumn colours, but it’s usually possible to plan a rewarding trip whenever we are available to travel. However, seasonal changes in the Dolomites can be extreme, and photographing the mountains is a very different experience at different times of year.

In summer, the area is spectacular for hiking, and it’s easy to get around thanks to cable cars, public transport, and a wide network of rifugios in the mountains for multi-day hiking.

In winter, the Dolomites become primarily a skiing destination, and both the infrastructure and the landscape are arranged to facilitate sliding down the mountains rather than walking around to photograph them.

Between summer and winter are stark off-seasons, when hotels and restaurants close and entire towns feel empty until the next visitor peak.

It’s important to pick the right time of year to visit the Dolomites for photography, and travelling in each season can be a very different experience. This article will help you decide the best timing for your journey.

Summer | Autumn | Winter | Off-Season

Visiting the Dolomites in Summer (June - September)

In early summer, the snow melts and it becomes possible to access the mountains and hiking trails of the Dolomites. The timing is different each year, but things start to open by early June, and most locations around the Dolomites are accessible by the end of the month.

July and August are peak hiking season in the Dolomites, and you’ll find the full range of facilities available. With such a short summer, the region can get very busy. However, the long days and particularly early sunrises mean it’s still possible to find quiet spots during the best light. While some logistics are easier in summer, with restaurants open and accommodation widely available, early sunrises and late sunsets mean you’ll need a good plan to be in the right place at the right time.

Summer in the Dolomites is the best time for wildflowers, and you can capture colourful scenes across the mountains. The angle of light at sunrise and sunset shifts over the course of the year, and some locations are best in summer. Perhaps the most famous example is Tre Cime di Lavaredo, which only catches the light on its main face until late September, after which the sun moves further south and rises and sets behind the mountains.

September is a transitional month, when the wildflowers have faded but the autumn colour has not yet peaked. Snow is very unlikely in September, so the region remains fully accessible, though some of the colourful foliage is still to come. Don’t visit in September expecting full autumn colour (it usually peaks in October) but consider it the end of summer, with easier access and slightly fewer visitors.

Visiting the Dolomites in Autumn (Late September - Early November)

The Dolomites are covered in larches, a deciduous conifer commonly found in mountainous areas where the climate is between temperate and cold. There are uniform ranks of rich green trees in summer, but larches turn golden yellow in autumn, and their colour comes to define the Dolomites landscape.

Catching the autumn colour in the Dolomites can require a bit of luck, and the exact timing changes each year depending on rainfall, temperature, and other climate factors. Leaves turn first at higher altitudes, and the Dolomites have such wide coverage of a single tree species that you can often see the colour descending the slopes as the weeks progress. I recommend visiting in the middle two weeks of October for your best chance.

Many of the great Dolomites photography locations look incredible in autumn, especially lakes and mountain passes at mid-altitude. As the colour descends the hills, different locations take on an autumn atmosphere, and you may need to focus on areas around the altitude where the larches have turned. Some higher-altitude locations, like Torri di Vajolet and Tre Cime di Lavaredo, sit above the tree line and are less affected by the autumn colour.

The logistics of travelling in October can be more complex than in summer. Many cable cars will be closed, and the rifugios (and many hotels) shut for the season. By the end of October, many restaurants will also have closed temporarily, waiting for the start of ski season. However, the Dolomites are much quieter in October and it’s even possible to experience iconic photography spots completely alone during spectacular light.

Visiting the Dolomites in Winter (December - April)

The Dolomites are a major ski destination, and the architecture and restaurants give a strong sense of the cosy atmosphere of a snowy alpine town, whatever time of year you visit. However, visiting the Dolomites for photography in winter can be challenging, and I don’t recommend the colder months for your first visit to the range.

Some locations remain accessible in the snow, but many of the most beautiful and interesting spots are either unreachable or look very different from the images you may have seen. Lakes are often frozen and not reflective, many of the trees are bare, and it’s difficult to explore each location to find new angles for photography.

If you have experience in snowy conditions or want to plan a trip that combines skiing and photography, visiting in winter can offer a perspective on the region that most photographers don’t experience. The mountains look different in the snow, you can capture unusual versions of well-known scenes, and the ski lifts make some locations easier to reach. However, most photographers find the Dolomites harder to navigate and capture in the winter.

Visiting the Dolomites in the Off-Season

The low season can be a great time to photograph many destinations, when the landscape is quieter but often just as beautiful to shoot. However, the Dolomites have an extreme off-season, when many businesses shut completely, and it’s not unusual to drive through large towns with shuttered windows and empty streets. While there are some advantages to visiting the Dolomites in the off-season, you should think carefully before planning a trip just before or after winter.

November

There is still some autumn colour in the Dolomites in November, but most areas will have experienced their first snow. That can be a beautiful contrast, but heavier snow can quickly limit your options to move around the landscape and explore.

It’s likely you’ll miss some great locations, such as Tre Cime di Lavaredo, and it’s harder to access other high-altitude spots like Seceda, with the cable cars closed for the season and the hiking routes beginning to get snowed in. The logistics will also be difficult, and you will find fewer accommodation options and many restaurants closed for the season.

May

Ski season ends in April, when the snow begins to melt and the Dolomites enter another quiet time, after the skiers have left but before the summer hikers arrive. This can be a peaceful time to visit, and you’ll find full waterfalls and a contrast between snow-covered peaks and colourful valleys.

However, most high-altitude locations are still covered in snow and difficult to access in May, and many remote hiking trails will be hard to traverse. Accommodation and food options again become limited, and you’ll find it harder to arrange the logistics of your trip before the hikers return to the area in June. 

Dolomites Photography Seasons Summary

It’s important to consider the season when planning a photography trip to the mountains, and it can be more difficult to adapt to different conditions than it might be in other destinations. The Dolomites are easiest to explore in summer and autumn, but there are real differences between those seasons, and the colours and features of the landscape can completely alter the atmosphere of your images.

Visiting the Dolomites in winter is a more difficult adventure, but it can be an advantage if you want to capture something unusual or combine your photography trip with some winter sports. However, think carefully about the off-seasons, when the logistics are more difficult and the photography opportunities are reduced.