Three blades of dolomite planted in the sky: the Tre Cime di Lavaredo are the emblem of the UNESCO Dolomites and among the most recognisable profiles in the Alps. The north face of the Cima Grande, five hundred sheer metres, has been sacred alpinism since Emilio Comici's 1933 climb; around it, Great War trails tell of Europe's highest front.
What to see
The classic circuit: a ten-kilometre loop from the Auronzo hut to the Locatelli, the towers changing face with every quarter-orbit. From the Locatelli, the "postcard" of the aligned north walls; along the way, the war tunnels of Monte Paterno, walkable with helmet and torch. The emerald Piani lakes make the halfway photo stop.
Visiting
The loop takes three-four hours at sightseeing pace on broad, beaten trail — at 2,300-2,450 metres, short breath included. The toll road from Misurina to the Auronzo hut saturates early in peak weeks; valley shuttles are the alternative. From mid-October to June, snow rules: equipped parties only.
Getting there
Base yourself at Misurina or Auronzo (Veneto side) or Dobbiaco/Sesto (South Tyrol side): from Dobbiaco, summer buses run straight to the Auronzo hut. The useful airport remains Venice, then two and a half hours by car.
Our editors' tip
Start before eight or after three: the midday loop is a procession. And walk the extra five hundred metres from the Locatelli toward the Paterno lakes: the stone Trinity mirrored in the water, no one around, is the photograph the hurried never take home.