The Dolomites – Last day

/ 13/09/2026

So after 10 days it was time to be heading home, but time for one last day. We’d looked at various places to visit and walk but a couple of things were against us. Not all the bus routes had opened for the summer (unfortunately for us they opened the day we left), my feet were getting painful and really needed a rest (plantar had kicked in on day one in Bologna and a week of pounding pavements had left them broken) and finally the previous night had resulted in an almighty thunder and lightning storm with more forecast the day afterwards. So with all that in mind we decided to stay in Selva and just mooch around and enjoy our balcony for one last day. We knew we would be back, so we knew we could just enjoy a restful day. We headed to the town for a few gifts, some food for tea, a chance to look at the views for one last time and a gentle leg stretch. Soon that day was over and we were getting up to head for the bus to Bolzano. A bit of a stressful finish where the bus was very full, suitcases just about fitted in the underneath storage and the driver was absolutely superb in organising people, to get as many on safely as he could. But we made Bolzano with time to spare and joined our nearly empty train for the relaxing journey south, back to Bologna for the flight home. What was clear when we got off at Bologna, was the temperature difference between the mountains and the city, around 10 degrees increase, and we sweated our way to the airport for our late flight home. We were lucky to see two sunsets as we caught up to the sun as it set again over the north of France/English Channel, having seen one as got on the plane. An end to an unforgettable holiday, and within a week of returning we were back searching again for next year, and we might just have booked something. 😉

This was the night before our last day, the darkening clouds as we headed out for a pizza, not as good as the one in Bologna, but that place had spoilt us for food. The sky continued to get darker and by 10pm it was lashing it down, lightening crackled overhead and thunder rolled around the valley
Heading for a bit of shopping and a last look around
Have to say the supermarkets were brilliant, alcohol and speck ham was well covered
Think these bottles were 3 litres, so 190 euros for a huge bottle of Grappa!
Meat and wine anyone
Cheese counter and breads in the corner. To be fair they covered everything.
A very good selection on German beer, plus a few Italian ones at the bottom right. Did my best to get through lots of these!
The clock tower in Selva, characters came out and revolved around at midday playing a musical bell tune
Selva di Val Gardena and the Sella range towering above
We will be back, as it was the thunder promised for the next day never really turned up but we had rested well and enjoyed our last day
Out along the valley
Our last evening, Pizes di Cier all lit up by the evening sun on the right
Mont de Stevia catches the sun as well. That might be on next years list
Last morning and the valley is all ready for the day
Bolzano station after a testing bus journey. What we found was that the further into the valley that you get on the bus the more chance you have of getting on As it returns back towards Ortesei and on to Bolzano, it get full, so much so that large numbers were left in Ortesei
The train however was empty as we left Bolzano and very relaxing trip back to Bologna
Heading through Trento, I think that might be Castel Terlago on the hill opposite, the river is the Adige
And our flight home gave us two sunsets, here is the Isle of White and the south coast as we descend into Heathrow. A superb holiday, loved every minute of it. We’ve looked and booked for next year, heading to Verona to start with and then the Dolomites again, before finishing in Bergamo. For now I have a catch up on my walks to do, as this was the end of June!!

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17 thoughts on “The Dolomites – Last day”

  4. I may well follow in your footsteps for a very similar trip. Dolomites obviously and love to to a couple of days touring between huts as well as getting right into rocky stuff. Bologna was a real surprise how stunning it was although I think we agreed that all Italian cities are charming. You’ll love Verona as well, although it was pretty busy (and very hot) when we were there

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    • I’m expecting the heat for when we go to Verona, the hut walking seems a great way to stay up high and see lots of the area and I reckon you could easily work out your own route

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      • I’ve done hut to hut tours before and they are great although the huts themselves can be stuffy and noisy places to try and sleep. In mountaineering youth we used to bivvy high up in the mountains in the Alps which is an amazing if pretty uncomfortable experience

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