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The jagged peaks of the Dolomites mountain range in Italy rise above lush green valleys and dense forests under a partly cloudy blue sky.
Italy

Choose Your Pace: Hiking in the Italian Dolomites

Program No. 23844RJ
Participant Reviews
4.83
Based on 15 Reviews
SHOWING
This participant did not give a star rating.
Duncan – Class of 2025 | Gwynn Oak, MD
There was much to like about the Dolomites trip- a great adventure in outdoor activity and learning. The Hotel Miravalle was excellent with great food and amenities. The scenery and hikes in the Dolomites were generally excellent aided by all those cable car rides! Visit to the Novacelia Abby was especially memorable- beautiful grounds and fascinating history. Tour of Bolzano was also good- enjoyed the quirky guide with his amusing stories. Below are our constructive suggestions for tweaking the itinerary of this particular trip. 1) The challenging hikes on days 1 and 2 could have been a bit harder and/or longer and the easier hike on day 2 should have a packed lunch to eat at the head of the valley. It would also be great if possible to have a geologist accompany the groups on one or more hikes to demonstrate the geology featured in the lecture. 2) Logistics for the Venice day need some tweaking perhaps with fewer activities packed into one day and a different hotel. It was a long day (including a gondola ride- thank you for that!) with a tour in the late afternoon. The guide was very talkative and pressed on while the group was asked to stand out in the blazing sun on a very hot day. Once the tour finally concluded, we had a long walk back to the boat then a long bus ride to a remote hotel that turned out to be unprepared for our visit. So logistics could have been better. 3) We appreciated the lectures but thought they were uniformly too long. These should be about ½ hour with some time for discussion afterward. It also might be better to place them earlier in the afternoon rather than right before dinner. The history of Italy is a long one and that information could be divided into two parts (eg early and modern history). The Ladin language lecture could plausibly be integrated with the history lecture(s). The geology lecture was great; wish it could be earlier in the trip and recorded for viewing before and/or after the lecture. That's all
— Review left October 31, 2025
Tony – Class of 2015 | Diamond Bar, CA
This program overall did not disappoint, the accommodations and the hiking trails are very satisfactory. If you're a hiker, photographer, nature lover, this program is for you to enjoy the beauty of the Dolomites. The only thing I dislike is that the program has 2 days of visiting museums instead of out in the field enjoying the scenery.
— Review left October 17, 2025
This participant did not give a star rating.
Douglas – Class of 1988 | Medford, OR
Excellent. The right length of time in the right place with a great and congenial group leader and participants. The Dolomites were breathtaking from so many varied viewpoints. Suggestions for Road Scholar would be for the last hotel to be closer to either Venice or the airport, although it was only a short walk from the hotel to catch a train into Venice. A very highly recommended active Road tour.
— Review left October 11, 2025
This participant did not give a star rating.
Nancy – Class of 2019 | Cary, NC
This trip was spectacular! The hikes were beautiful, the hotel was very nice with delicious meals and excellent waiters and staff, and our guide Matteo was excellent! The local guides, Reinart and Mara, were friendly, caring and very knowledgeable and paced our hikes perfectly. Plus we had a wonderful group of fellow hikers. I wish the trip was longer so that we could have explored even more of the beautiful Dolomites. Don't miss an opportunity to take this trip. And consider yourself very lucky if Matteo is your guide! He's a delight! Nancy and Alex, Cary NC
— Review left October 10, 2025
Diana | Yakima, WA
This was our first Road Scholar trip and we were very impressed with every aspect of it. The hiking in the Dolomites was great, even when the weather was a bit iffy. The guides were very knowledgeable and kept the group interested and motivated. The lunches during the hikes were a big surprise for us since the "huts" where we could get food were actually very nice restaurants in most cases - so be sure to plan for that with cash or credit cards, even though the food was reasonably priced. The main hotel was very nice and staying most nights in that hotel really allowed us to relax between activities. Learning about the Ladin language and culture of the area also was a very interesting part of the trip. Hard to believe this is the first year this trip was offered - it was super well organized.
— Review left September 30, 2025
Dale – Class of 2025 | Austin, TX
This is a wonderful program that combines lots of hiking with cultural, historical, and geographic information of the Dolomites region. It is unique in many ways, and we highly recommend it.
— Review left September 23, 2025
Karla – Class of 2014 | Pittsburgh, PA
I had a trip to the Dolomites on my bucket list for a while and this one totally fit the bill. Leonardo and the mountain guides made it a memorable one. We hiked in some amazing places and learned all about the culture and history of the region. I highly recommend this program for those who love hiking in high places! Tip: Make sure you train for this one. It's at high altitudes with significant elevation changes on some of the hikes.
— Review left September 23, 2025
Jeff | Great Falls, VA
The Dolomites were on our "bucket list" and this trip opened our eyes to this stunning and unique part of the world. It looks like the Grand Tetons in every direction, but with cute mountain huts serving up Italian and Austrian food. Highly recommended! Road Scholar did it right! We will be back. Pro Tip: you will want hiking poles for sure.
— Review left September 21, 2025
Virgina – Class of 2025 | Bigfork, MT
Hiking the Dolomites has been a long time dream. This trip did not disappoint. A good balance of hiking and educational field trips. We did lose one day of hiking due to weather which was understandable but disappointing. Getting in shape is really important because even the moderate hikes can be challenging at altitude. Overall a GREAT experience.
— Review left September 17, 2025
Mary – Class of 2024 | Valley Village, CA
The Dolomites are stunningly beautiful! Hiking them is a life's highlight, made all the better by our outstanding guide, wonderful accommodations,educational sessions, and the group's participants. Train for distance, altitude and hiking multiple days in a row for the very best experience. I'm 79 and my husband's 83 and we did all the challenging hikes--because we trained intentionally. It's a fantastic experience.
— Review left September 16, 2025
Cherylyn – Class of 2025 | Santa Rosa, CA
One-of-a-kind destination! Hikes were exciting and the beauty transforming. The Dolomites - will blow you away! Challenging guests to immerse themselves in the majesty and lifestyle of the valleys of the Dolomites. This could easily be one of my favorite experiences.
— Review left July 8, 2025
Cynthia – Class of 2025 | Oro Valley, AZ
This was my first Road Scholar trip and found the experience so great that I am starting to look for my next Road Scholar trip. The trip description on the website did a great job accurately describing the actual trip.
— Review left July 7, 2025
Beth – Class of 2016 | Richmond, VA
Fantastic program! Great trip leader. The hiking was exceptional and the programs very educational! This was one of the best Road's trips I have been on. It was an experience I will always remember.
— Review left July 6, 2025
Willard – Class of 2023 | Columbia, MD
This program allows you literally to climb to new heights; to reach back through time to witness the impact of World War I, to come close to a real Ice Man, and to marvel at the geological forces that created the Dolomites and the Alpine Ranges that lie next to them.
— Review left June 26, 2025
Gloria – Class of 2008 | Jacksonville, FL
If you're not sure-footed, this may not be the trip for you. The Dolomites are really beautiful, the culture is interesting, and it's a great idea to have a Choose Your Pace trip there. However, the difference between the "challenging" and the "easier" hikes is distance and/or elevation. No one considers how good the footing is on the trails. The group leader and hiking guides are natural athletes, and they really can't understand how scary some of the descents are on the "easier" hikes. Also, if you're a true vegetarian, you might have very limited food choices, because they put ham in a lot of different foods. Fish is a choice some of the time, but if you don't eat fish, there's not much left on the set menu, though there is a great salad bar and a very good breakfast. If you're an agile hiker who doesn't mind ham, it's a wonderful trip.
— Review left June 23, 2025