The Dolomites with kids
Seceda, The Dolomites, Northern Italy With Kids
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Why the Dolomites?
We visited Italy and Austria in 2015, and we thought that we had visited some of the most epic and beautiful places that these countries had to offer. But, somehow we never knew about The Dolomites the are in South Tyrol, or Alto Adige. The area that is now part of Italy (since WWI), but still maintains a great deal of its Austrian culture. The Dolomites were named a world UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009 for good reason.
In the winter, the Dolomites are home to epic skiing. But in the summer, every gondola took us to a beautiful hike and great views. Even better, the culture in this area is such that in the middle of a hike, you can find a hut or cafe that usually has a playground nearby. If you need a place that checks off boxes for both adventure-loving adults and fun-loving children, that will not 100 degrees in the summer, then the Dolomites is it.
Why did we skip the most famous parts of Italy?
After living in Rome for a summer, I knew we wanted to experience somewhere vastly different, but just as beautiful as southern Italy. And while Rome was topping over 100 degrees in July, the Dolomites were cool and comfortable. We hope to return to Rome, Sorrento, Capri, and other destinations in Italy, but we knew our 4-year-old could not handle the heat and discomfort in those areas in July unless we spent the entire time in the water.
Val Gardena with kids
We chose to spend one week in Selva di Val Gardena, and used this as our home base to explore the area. The Dolomites are huge, and most people would recommend having a car, but we did this trip as part of our 5 weeks across Europe, so we went car free.
If we were to return, we would probably have based ourselves in Santa Cristina, because of their epic kid-friendly trails, like the Pana Raida. However, the bus allowed us to travel from Bolzano to the three towns of the Val Gardena, Ortisei, Santa Cristina, and Selva. It was affordable, comfortable, and reliable.
A perfect summer day in the Dolomites. This photo was take on the Seceda Ridge.
Where to stay in the Dolomites with kids
The three main towns we explored are and would recommend for accommodations are:
Ortisei (Urtijëi)
Santa Cristina (St. Christina in Gröden)
Selva di Val Gardena (Wolkenstein)
The Dolomites are home to many apartment-style hotels that offer you a separate bedroom, kitchen, and the benefits of a hotel (like a swimming pool, gym, and covered parking garage).
We chose Residence Antares in Selva di Val Gardena, which is a popular ski resort in the winter. If we were to return, we would explore some family hotels in Santa Cristina.
Since we did not have a car, we chose accommodations based on: proximity to bus stops, local playgrounds, grocery stores, and gondolas.
The view from our apartment at Residence Antares, Selva Val Gardena
Family-friendly activities in the Dolomites
Take the gondola up to the Seceda Ridge, have a short hike, and photo shoot. We brought our toddler carrier so our daughter could take breaks while we explored. Then have lunch at the Sofie hut, which might be the best mountain lunch of your lifetime.
Hike the Pana Raida Adventure trail which is designed for children and families. It is even stroller friendly. Our 4-year-old actually hiked for over two miles on this trail.
Spend an afternoon having lunch and ice cream in Ortisei. We accidentally visited during a Tyrolean festival and were treated to live music and a beer garden. If you need information on the events in the villages of the Dolomites, then we found this resource to be the best.
From Ortisei, take the escalators up and instead of continuing on to Seceda, hike to Cafe Restaurant Val d’Anna. Along the way, there are water features, two playgrounds, and shaded trails. This restaurant was heaven for a child, and great for parents who wanted to sit and enjoy their time. The shaded pavilion includes large tables, and in the center were toys everywhere- dolls and kitchen toys. Our daughter happily made new friends while we enjoyed our lunch.
Ortisei Hiking
Playing in the water feature on the way to Café Restaurant Val d’Anna in Ortisei (Val Gardena)
Café Val d’Anna
Outdoor seating abounds at cafes in the Dolomites.
What to pack for a trip to the Dolomites with kids?
If you are going to visit the Dolomites with children under the age of 5, then I would recommend the following.
Wool base layers (they are easier to wash and dry by hand)
SPF sunshirt
Sun hats (We love these from Sunday Afternoon)
Soft, structured Toddler Carrier (We have used and like the Beco carrier and the Lillebaby)
Hiking pack (you can also rent these)
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Why we are planning a trip back to the Dolomites?
We try to visit new places every year, however, we have seriously considered spending a month in the Dolomites since our visit in 2023. Here are the top reasons we love the Dolomites and plan on returning.
In the summer, the Dolomites are cool while the rest of Italy is usually quite warm.
The Dolomites are accessible via car and public transportation.
You can purchase a pass for the gondolas in order to make travel into the mountains more affordable.
Food is amazing and grocery stores are reasonable. We walked to the store nearly every morning to purchase fresh food.
There are numerous playgrounds for children to explore while adults have an espresso or a lunch.
Live music is easy to come by. We were treated to two free experiences during our one week stay.
The tourist information centers are well-staffed and very helpful. In each town there are knowledgeable people ready to help you plan your activities.
We visited Northern Italy in 2023, see where we’ve been recently.
When people think of Dublin, they might first think of pubs and not add it to their family trip to Ireland. However, we thought Dublin was a great city to visit with our daughter. We felt welcomed in all restaurants, and it is an easy city for walk around. If you are roadtripping around Ireland, you will probably want to spend more time in the countryside, but you should not skip Dublin and the surrounding area.