Dolomites – photography trip 2023 – Part 1
In October, we set off for the Dolomites. I had never been there before, and I was very curious about it. On the way to our accommodation, we made several stops, primarily in wine regions. For me, this part of the trip was more of an extra. The strong daylight wasn’t ideal, so I didn’t take many pictures. However, the unique shape of the Chiesa di San Martino church immediately caught my eye from a distance.
Our accommodation was in the village of Villandro, in a building similar to this one. The evening lights gave it a pleasant atmosphere.hangulata.
After settling in and getting a good night’s sleep, we set off at dawn for our first destination. Alpe di Siusi is located in South Tyrol. It is the largest high-altitude Alpine plateau in Europe, covering approximately 56 square kilometers, with alpine meadows and pine forests.
During the day, we returned to our accommodation to rest and prepare for the evening photography session. Villandro can be reached from the SS12 main road via a very winding, serpentine road. It is about 300-400 meters above the main road.
From the balcony, I spotted a place that immediately caught my attention. It looked very moody with its panoramic view and the swing.
After lunch and some rest, we continued to our sunset spot, Seceda. I had seen photos of the fog rolling over the cliffs, but as always, some luck is needed to capture truly spectacular shots. This time, it didn’t quite work out, but the view was still breathtaking. The plan was to go the lift up before sunset, wait until it got dark, and then hike back down. We didn’t take the cable car down because the last one would have left too early. But in a way I didn’t mind it, I was scared to death the whole time on the way up.
However, there was a downside to this plan. The descent was brutally steep and long. We hiked down for hours, and it was incredibly exhausting. One of the two Davids in our group is an experienced hiker, so it wasn’t a problem for him, but the other David and I really struggled. Our knees and ankles took a beating, and we didn’t even bother counting the blisters. Planning such a tough hike for the first day wasn’t exactly a wise decision. The following days were a real challenge, hiking with sore legs and carrying all the photography gear.
The next day at sunrise, we went to the St. John Church (Chiesetta di San Giovanni in Ranui). I had already seen it in photos. The options were limited. I wasn’t aware of the fine print. The church is located on private property, and the surrounding field is fenced off. There is a designated photography spot, but outside of that, due to the terrain, the fence is higher than the nearby path. As a result, pretty much everyone ends up taking the same photo. I don’t particularly like that, and the lighting wasn’t exceptionally beautiful either, so we quickly moved on.
We headed toward Passo delle Erbe. The main attraction here was the tree roots twisting above the ground. It was interesting, but I didn’t really felt the subject mine, so I looked for something else. I found the Sass de Putia, a mountain peak over 2,870 meters high.
To wrap up the day, we went to the Ju de Frara Pass for sunset.
The next morning, our destination was another well-known photography spot, Lago di Braies. This is one of the most beautiful lakes in the Dolomites. Its turquoise waters and the surrounding mountains make it truly special. It is probably best known for the rowboats that can be rented at the lake’s entrance. Since we arrived early, they were still neatly lined up.
You can walk around the entire lake, which is about 3.5 km. On the right side, not far from the boat rental, there is the Chiesetta di Lago di Braies chapel.
Although I didn’t walk all the way around, the view was still stunning.
Once everyone in our little group had finished taking photos, we set off for our afternoon photography location. Since we had plenty of time, we made two additional stops along the way. The first was at Lago di Landro, where the water and aquatic plants formed interesting shapes.
Next, we stopped at Lago di Dobbiaco. Here, too, we found exotic patterns, primarily in the reed-filled areas around the lake.
We reached the Giau Pass well before sunset. The weather was finally in our favor. The clouds were so low that they covered the higher mountain peaks. On Nuvolau Mountain, there is the Rifugio Nuvolau, a mountain refuge built in 1883, making it the oldest in the Dolomites.
Behind Nuvolau Mountain, another popular spot appeared—Cinque Torri. I’ll write more about that in the next part.
In the meantime, the rain was approaching, and we even managed to capture a rainbow.
It was a perfect way to end the day’s hike. In the next part, I’ll bring you more pictures of breathtaking places.