Best Rifugio-to-Rifugio Hikes Near Cortina
A field-tested guide to best rifugio-to-rifugio hikes near cortina, with honest logistics, current planning advice, and the small details that make a Dolomites trip run smoothly.
Reviewed by the Cortina Compass desk
Last verified on foot: July 2026 How we research
There's a way of walking in the Dolomites that treats the huts as the point and the trail as the connection between them. It's slower, more sociable and involves considerably more polenta, and on the right day it's the best kind of mountain day there is.
Walking hut to hut, one day at a time
Most of the huts around Cortina sit within two hours' walk of at least one other, which means you can build a day out of three or four of them without ever being far from food, water or shelter. It's also a good structure for mixed-ability groups — someone can turn back at the first hut without spoiling anyone's day.
A three-night loop with no wasted steps
Cinque Torri to Nuvolau ridge
The natural first leg, chairlift-assisted and gently graded.
Nuvolau to Passo Giau descent
A steep drop that rewards with Rifugio Fedare's kitchen at the bottom.
Croda da Lago closing loop
Brings walkers back via Rifugio Palmieri with no repeated ground on the whole three-night route.
Optional Nuvolau-Averau ferrata link
A grade-2 via ferrata shortcut for parties carrying kit.
Pacing a day built around lunch
Reckon on two to three hours of walking between huts and an hour at each. That maths adds up fast: three huts is a full day, and four is a long one, especially if the wine list is any good.
The linkups I'd recommend
Scoiattoli to Averau to Nuvolau is the classic and the easiest to execute — chairlift access, well-signed paths, three excellent kitchens and a ridge finish. Dibona to Giussani is the strenuous version, with a real climb between the two. On the Fanes side, Lagazuoi down to Scotoni and on to Fanes is a beautiful full day with a serious descent in the middle.
Federa is the odd one out: it's more of a destination than a link, but it's the best place near Cortina to sit outside with soup and larches.
Terraces worth timing your day around
Averau's terrace at midday looks across at the Cinque Torri, and Nuvolau at the end of the day looks at everything. If you can only time one thing, be at Nuvolau for the last hour of light — then walk down in the dusk or, better, book a bed there.
Opening dates and booking
The season for most huts is mid-June to mid-September, with a few opening earlier and Nuvolau often running slightly later. Kitchens generally stop serving hot food around three or half past — turning up at four expecting lunch is the mistake I see most often.
Don't plan the last leg of the day on the assumption that a lift will still be running. Check the final descent time in the morning, not at five o'clock.
Safety note
Skip exposed ground if storms are forecast. Deciding not to continue is a normal part of walking here, not a failure.
The lunch that ended a hike
One September I got to Averau at half twelve intending to eat quickly and continue over to Nuvolau. Three courses and two hours later, the plan had quietly dissolved and I walked back to the lift in the dark. Not a wasted day, but a useful lesson: hut lunches are not quick.
My tip
Ask for a private room, not a dormitory, if you're travelling as a couple — the surcharge is €15-25 per person and the sleep quality difference over three nights is transformative.
Hut life, not just landscape
The pictures I like best from these days are the interiors — the stube panelling, plates going out, boots by the door. Ask before photographing staff or other guests; in a small hut it matters.
Overnighting instead
Sleeping up there changes things completely. The huts empty in the evening, dinner is communal, and you get sunset and sunrise from a terrace at 2,500 metres. Book on refuges.io, and go for a private room only if you're a light sleeper.
Children usually love huts. Order half portions, and pick a chain where a chairlift covers the first leg.
Do not treat a cable car as a guaranteed ride home. Note the final descent before setting off.
A hut lunch runs €18 to €30 a head. Cheaper than most sit-down meals in town, and with a considerably better view.
The best short circuit from Cortina is a two-nighter: Cinque Torri (Rifugio Scoiattoli or Averau) → Nuvolau → Passo Giau (Rifugio Fedare) → back via the Croda da Lago circuit to Rifugio Palmieri. Three nights, three rifugi, no repeated ground.
Sleeping where you photographed
The difference between day-tripping and rifugio-to-rifugio hiking here is almost entirely about light: staying overnight at Nuvolau or Palmieri means catching the sunrise enrosadira across Antelao and Sorapis, a window that closes for day visitors well before they've finished the approach.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a sleeping bag?
No — huts provide blankets. A silk liner (€25 on Amazon) is mandatory at CAI huts and costs less than the disposable one-use sheet some huts charge €3 for.
How early do I need to book?
For July-August: mid-January. For June and mid-September: two months ahead. Rifugio Nuvolau has 27 beds and books out within a week of opening.
Can I add via ferrata sections?
Yes — the Nuvolau-Averau ridge offers a natural grade-2 ferrata option, and the Croda da Lago has a serious one. Full kit and prior ferrata experience required.
What time is dinner at a rifugio?
Almost universally 19:00. Show up at 18:45 for the drink and shower shuffle. Lights out by 22:00 for the alpine start crowd.
Is there mobile signal at these huts?
Patchy. Rifugio Nuvolau and Lagazuoi have decent signal; Palmieri and Città di Fiume are effectively offline. Warn people at home before you set off.
Build the day around the kitchens rather than the kilometres. It's a slower way to see the mountains and, some days, a better one.
Sources & further reading
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