Uncover the explosive peaks, vivid colours, and unique culture of the southern Italian Dolomites, Europe’s crown jewels and the birthplace of via ferrata adventure. From the soaring spires of the Brenta to the dramatic ridgelines above Lake Garda, this UNESCO World Heritage mountain range offers an unrivalled collection of via ferrata routes. Fixed cables, ladders, and airy bridges open up dramatic terrain to adventurous walkers, scramblers, and climbers eager to experience the thrill of these protected paths.

Expertly curated, this comprehensive Cicerone guidebook details 77 outstanding via ferratas across the southern Dolomites, Brenta, and Lake Garda regions. Routes range from short, accessible outings to long, committing multi-day journeys, with distances from 1 to 60km (½ to 37 miles) and durations of 1 to 12 hours. This ensures a rewarding experience for everyone from confident novices to seasoned ferratisti.

• Explore celebrated Dolomite areas including Brenta, Lake Garda, Pale di San Martino, Trento, Schiara, Südtirol, Civetta, Vicenza, Rovereto, Riva del Garda, Bolzano, Feltre, Cortina, Agordino, and Belluno. Each is a gateway to unforgettable mountain adventure.
• All routes require a helmet, harness, and via ferrata lanyard, and are best enjoyed between June and late September. Lower-altitude options around Lake Garda and the Adige valley can be climbed year-round.
• The guidebook features 1:50,000 mapping and detailed colour photo topos for every via ferrata route, making navigation straightforward and route-finding clear even on the most complex terrain.
• Practical advice covers essential equipment, safety, choosing the best base, and route planning to help you embark on your Dolomite via ferrata journey with confidence and knowledge.
• Each route description is accompanied by an at-a-glance information box detailing start and finish points, distance, ascent and descent, estimated time, technical grade, seriousness, wire length, and GPS coordinates for parking. This is perfect for planning your days in the Italian Dolomites.
• All routes are graded using the widely adopted Smith/Fletcher dual system, offering consistent guidance on both technical difficulty and seriousness unique to this spectacular region.
• Designed specifically for the southern Dolomites, the guide includes summary tables for quick route comparison and covers everything from short, scenic outings for beginners to challenging, exposed routes for experienced adventurers.
• Also available from Cicerone is Via Ferratas of the Italian Dolomites Volume 1, which explores the northern, central, and eastern Dolomites.

Plan your via ferrata adventure in the Italian Dolomites with confidence using this definitive Cicerone guidebook, and experience the untamed beauty, rich history, and unique alpine culture of Italy’s most celebrated mountain range.

Via Ferratas of the Italian Dolomites: Vol 2 – Quick Facts

Location: Southern Dolomites, Brenta, and Lake Garda regions, Italy
Number of routes: 77
Distance: 1–60 km per route
Duration: 1–12 hours per route
Regions covered: Brenta, Lake Garda, Pale di San Martino, Trento, Schiara, Südtirol, Civetta, Vicenza, Rovereto, Riva del Garda, Bolzano, Feltre, Cortina, Agordino, Belluno
Route type: Via ferrata, a mountain route or climb protected by fixed cables, stemples (metal rungs), pegs, ladders, and bridges
Difficulty: Wide range, from beginner-friendly to challenging and technical (graded by Smith/Fletcher dual system)
Terrain: Explosive peaks, dramatic ridgelines, exposed ledges, protected paths, ladders, cables, and bridges
Navigation: 1:50,000 maps, detailed route descriptions, colour photo topos, GPS coordinates
Best season: Mid-June to late September in the high mountains, year-round at lower altitudes
Highlights: UNESCO World Heritage scenery, spectacular rock formations, panoramic views, unique mix of Italian and Austrian culture, and classic multi-day traverses
Equipment: Helmet, harness, via ferrata lanyard required for all routes
Accommodation: Mountain huts, hotels, guesthouses, campsites in valley towns and near lakes
 

Author Highlight

"The Dolomites are often cited as being unique and the most dramatic and beautiful mountains in the world. The splendour of the scenery is undeniable; the explosive shapes of the peaks and ridgelines, the everchanging colours of the rock and the stunning contrast between the seasons are just some of the factors that make this mountain range stand out from its Alpine counterparts and have led to the well-deserved award of UNESCO World Heritage status. In addition to the natural wonder, one of the most intriguing and captivating aspects of this beautiful region is the culture; the Dolomites offer an insight into a truly fused society, with Italian and Austrian influences found throughout the area.” 

- James Rushforth, author of Via Ferratas of the Italian Dolomites Volume 2

Route summary table
Foreword
INTRODUCTION
What is a via ferrata?
Using this guide
When to go
Getting there
Getting around
Accommodation
Telecommunications
Maps and place names
Weather
Route gradings
Equipment
Cable etiquette
What to wear
Accidents and mountain rescue
A brief history
Geology
Plant life
Wildlife

1 VICENZA
Route 1 Via Ferrata Carlo Campalani
Route 2 Sentiero Attrezzato Angelo Pojesi
Route 3 Via Ferrata Giancarlo Biasin
Route 4 Via Ferrata del Vajo Scuro
Route 5 Via Ferrata Angelo Viali e Ezio Ferrari

2 ROVERETO
Route 6 Via Ferrata delle Taccole
Route 7 Via Ferrata Gerardo Sega
Route 8 Sentiero Attrezzato delle Vipere
Route 9 Via Ferrata Ottorino Marangoni (Mori)
Route 10 Sentiero Attrezzato Franco Galli
Route 11 Sentiero Attrezzato Monte Cornetto
Route 12 Sentiero Attrezzato Gaetano Falcipieri

3 RIVA DEL GARDA
Route 13 Via Ferrata Spigolo della Bandiera
Route 14 Via Ferrata Crènch
Route 15 Sentiero Attrezzato Mora-Pellegrini
Route 16 Via Ferrata Fausto Susatti e Cima Rocca
Route 17 Via Ferrata Mario Foletti
Route 18 Via Ferrata dell’Amicizia / Centenario SAT
Route 19 Via Ferrata Signora delle Acque
Route 20 Via Ferrata Colodri
Route 21 Sentiero Attrezzato Scaloni / Anglone
Route 22 Via Ferrata Rio Sallagoni
Route 23 Via Ferrata Che Guevara
Route 24 Via Ferrata Rino Pisetta

4 BRENTA
Route 25 Sentiero Attrezzato Umberto Bozzetto
Route 26 Sentiero Attrezzato Gustavo Vidi
Route 27 Sentiero Attrezzato di Val Gelada
Route 28 Sentiero Claudio Costanzi
Route 29 Sentiero Attrezzato delle Palete
Route 30 Via Ferrata Alfredo Benini
Route 31 Via Ferrata Bocchette Alte
Route 32 Via Ferrata Oliva Detassis
Route 33 Via Ferrata Bocchette Centrali
Route 34 Via Ferrata Spellini
Route 35 Sentiero Attrezzato Osvaldo Orsi
Route 36 Via Ferrata Livio Brentari
Route 37 Via Ferrata Ettore Castiglioni
Route 38 Sentiero Attrezzato dell’Ideale e Martinazzi
Route 39 Sentiero Attrezzato SOSAT

5 TRENTO
Route 40 Sentiero Attrezzato Corazza / Sparavei
Route 41 Via Ferrata Giulio Segata
Route 42 Sentiero Attrezzato Clemente Chiesa
Route 43 Sentiero Attrezzato Giordano Bertotti
Route 44 Via Ferrata Burrone Giovanelli
Route 45 Via Ferrata Rio Secco
Route 46 Via Ferrata Favogna

6 BOLZANO
Route 47 Via Ferrata Mendola al Roèn
Route 48 Via Ferrata Campanili del Latemar
Route 49 Via Ferrata Attilio Sieff

7 FELTRE
Route 50 Via Ferrata Carlo Guzzella
Route 51 Via Ferrata Sass Brusai
Route 52 Via Ferrata Giulio Gabrielli
Route 53 Via Ferrata Val di Scala

8 PALE DI SAN MARTINO
Route 54 Via Ferrata Bolver Lugli
Route 55 Via Ferrata Gabitta d’Ignoti
Route 56 Sentiero Attrezzato Nico Gusella
Route 57 Via Ferrata del Porton
Route 58 Via Ferrata del Velo
Route 59 Via Ferrata della Vecchia / Vecia
Route 60 Sentiero Attrezzato Camillo Depaoli
Route 61 Via Ferrata Dino Buzzati
Route 62 Sentiero del Cacciatore
Route 63 Via Ferrata del Canalone
Route 64 Via Ferrata Fiamme Gialle e Sentiero Vani Alti

9 AGORDINO
Route 65 Via Ferrata Stella Alpina
Route 66 Via Ferrata Canalone
Route 67 Via Ferrata dell’Orsa / Sentiero del Dottor
Route 68 Via Ferrata Fiamme Gialle
Route 69 Via Ferrata Attilio Tissi
Route 70 Via Ferrata Gianni Costantini
Route 71 Via Ferrata degli Alleghesi

10 BELLUNO
Route 72 Via Ferrata Zacchi
Route 73 Via Ferrata Sperti
Route 74 Via Ferrata Berti
Route 75 Via Ferrata Piero Rossi / Marmol
Route 76 Sentiero Attrezzato Marino Guardiano
Route 77 Via Ferrata della Memoria

Appendix A Useful contacts
Appendix B Glossary of mountain terms
Appendix C Further reading

Seasons

For the high mountains the season runs from June until late September – though lower altitude routes in Lake Garda, Adige valley and ‘Piccole Dolomiti’ (Vicenza and Rovereto) can be climbed throughout the year.

Centres

Agordo, Arco, Bassano, Bolzano, Belluno, Madonna di Campiglio, Molvino, Riva, Rovereto, San Martino, Trento, Vicenza.

Difficulty

Via Ferrata will appeal to walkers, scramblers and climbers with a good head for heights; routes graded by the Smith/Fletcher system for difficulty and seriousness, with something for every ability; via ferrata kit (helmet, harness and VF lanyard) required for all routes in this guide.

Must See

Dolomites, Dolomiti, Dolomiten, Lake Garda, Lago di Garda, Pale di San Martino, Pala, Brenta, Via delle Bocchette, Via Ferrata, Klettersteig, Riva, Bolzano, Trento, Trentino Alto Adige, Südtirol, South Tyrol, Bocchette Centrali, Civetta, Schiara, Rovereto, Belluno, Castrozza, Bassano, Madonna di Campiglio, Molveno, Passo Rolle, Val di Funes, Lago Molveno, Cimon della Pala.

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