Best time to visit the Dolomites

Sellaronda Skimarathon (March)

It takes place at night, lasts for 42km, and the prize money is over €20,000 – the Sellaronda Skimarathon sees world-class ski tourers compete in pairs on a gruelling endurance race. They climb in their skis with skins on, take the skins off to ski downhill, tackle dry sections in their ski boots, carrying their skis, and use a bungee cord to pull each other along as they go. The Dolomites has long had a reputation for hosting professional athletes for winter sports, including Ski World Cups and Winter Olympics; this extraordinary race is among its most famous.

Sacred Heart (usually June – Sunday after Corpus Christi)

If you spend a summer evening in a mountain village in the Alta Pusteria region, look up on the hillside and you might see fires burning. These are sacred heart fires – torches and bonfires lit to form religious symbols on the hills to mark the anniversary of a 1796 battle in the Napoleonic Wars, in which soldiers from the South Tyrol unexpectedly defeated the French after asking for divine intervention. They follow a long tradition of solstice fires that are burnt in the summer.

Sellaronda Bike Day (June & September)

For much of the summer the scenic roads through the Dolomites are the domain of motorists, motorcyclists – and traffic jams, too. But for two days a year some of the best driving routes are closed to motorised vehicles and instead cyclists can enjoy them – and they do. Around 20,000 cyclists come to the Sellaronda Bike Day to enjoy the mountainous routes. There are 58km of roads open, taking the fittest to an altitude of 1,800m.

Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti (late July)

Beautiful vintage cars, beautiful backdrops – and a few fiendishly hairpin turns: the Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti is a classic car race taking place over three days in July along all the best driving routes in the area. The original race was stopped because it was too dangerous; cars take greater care now – not least because some of these Ferraris are worth millions.

Ferragosto (15 August)

Ferragosto is a public vacation celebrating the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in the Catholic calendar. Italians typically take weeks off around this time, or sometimes the whole month. The Dolomites become busy with Italian families here to enjoy the fresh air and cool temperatures. Whilst it’s a busy month in the area, there’s also a lovely festive atmosphere.

Gran Festa del Desmontegar (September)

When the cattle are driven down the mountainside after a summer grazing on the sweet meadows in the high Dolomites, they’re greeted with celebration. Farmers in traditional folk costumes crown their herd with headdresses of greenery and hang their necks with huge bells, and everyone comes together to mark their safe return to the village. Transhumance – the moving of livestock between high and low pastures – has been happening here for centuries.

Torggelen (October)

Lucky for you, the Dolomites doesn’t have four seasons to enjoy – but five. As chestnuts fall from the trees in the valleys, and the grapes are harvested, South Tyrol celebrates Torggelen – a ‘fifth season’ that marks the harvest. It’s a great time to spend the evenings eating dumplings and speck (local ham) as the nights draw in. Farms will welcome customers for tastings and to buy local produce.