Italy

Top winter outdoor adventures in the Dolomites

BY battleface

With incredible jagged peaks that showcase their “enrosadira” (glowing pink facades during the sunset hours), winding mountain roads, and pristine high-altitude wilderness, the Italian Dolomites are a dream destination for both nature lovers and active travelers. The Dolomite Mountains are gorgeous no matter the season, but transform into a true winter wonderland once a year.

Not sure where to start? Here are top outdoor activities, adventures, and must-see attractions to add to your itinerary when Northern Italy calls.

Hit the slopes for skiing or snowboarding

While the Italians are known for the art of “dolce far niente,” or “the art of doing nothing,” once you see this mountain range with your own eyes, you won’t be able to resist the urge to strap on a pair of skis or a snowboard and hit the slopes. There are many ski resorts to choose from. Cortina d’Ampezzo is undoubtedly the most famous. Not only is it part of the Dolomiti Superski Area, the largest downhill skiing area in the country, but it has all the trappings of a classic Italian ski village. Experienced and expert skiers won’t want to miss the chance to ski at Val Gardena, as 65% of the runs are ranked as immediate and advanced.

Try cross-country skiing

Cross-country skiing is a wonderful way to discover amazing panoramic views and immerse yourself in the spectacular nature that made the Dolomites a shoo-in for recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are plenty of trails for cross-country skiers of all abilities throughout the region, but Val Gardena and the area surrounding Fanes Natural Park are always fantastic options. More experienced skiers may want to check out the more challenging terrain in Livigno.

Go snowshoeing

Strapping a pair of snowshoes on your feet is a similarly wonderful way to explore the landscape when trails are covered with snow. Beginners might opt to take a guided snowshoe tour alongside expert guides who can lead you on an adventure to some of the mountain range’s most iconic sites, including the Latemar Labyrinth, Cortina d’Ampezzo, and Cinque Torri, the famous “five towers” of the Dolomites

Stay in a mountain hut

The high-altitude landscape of the Dolomites is famous for a specific kind of accommodation, which you’ll find tucked away, surrounded by nature far from alpine resort towns. Rifugi (or rifugio, singularly) are mountain huts that house hikers, climbers, and backpackers at points along their journey by foot. While staying in a rifugio is especially popular in the summer months, you can also find some that welcome adventurers who are exploring via cross-country skis, snow shoes, or winter hiking. Some rifugi offer travelers simple comforts, while others are straight-up luxurious.

Sample traditional cuisine

Thanks to the Dolomites’ unique location near the Austrian border, the cuisine here is a delightful mix of Ladin and South Tyrolean Italian food, with ample Austrian influence. Traditional local dishes are simple, but flavorful, relying heavily on legumes, corn, potatoes, pumpkins, and dairy products. After a cold winter day spent on the trails and in the valleys, warm up with hearty dishes such as stuffed pastas, polenta, or knödel — large breadcrumb dumplings filled with ham, cheese, or spinach.

Relax and unwind at a spa

Browse a Christmas market

Like Germany and the French Alps, the Dolomites region is known for its charming Christmas markets. If you’re lucky enough to be visiting in December, you might feel like you’ve been transported into a giant Christmas snow globe. In towns including Dobbiaco, Lake Braies, Chiusa, and Merano, you can spend winter evenings browsing artisan food and gifts, enjoying the twinkling lights, and sampling local holiday specialities.

Plan your Dolomites winter adventure — we’ll take the worry out of it

A winter trip to this incredible mountain region is a true once-in-a-lifetime experience, so you’ll want to make sure you do everything you can to make your trip a success. That’s where travel insurance comes in. Between plane tickets, accommodations, outdoor activities, and transportation, a trip to the Dolomites doesn’t come cheap. With a comprehensive battleface travel insurance plan in place, your vacation investment will be protected if unexpected covered events force your trip to be delayed or your itinerary to be interrupted without notice.

Perhaps the most important travel insurance coverage you’ll want for a trip to this winter wonderland is travel medical insurance. When you’re half a world away, your everyday health insurance is unlikely to provide coverage if you’re injured on the slopes. battleface insurance can also offer emergency medical evacuation in case you require serious medical attention due to illness or injury when you’re far from home.

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Application: Any person who knowingly and with intent to defraud any insurance company or other person files an application for insurance containing any materially false information or conceals, for the purpose of misleading, information concerning any fact material thereto commits a fraudulent insurance act, which is a crime.

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OKLAHOMA: Any person who knowingly, and with intent to injure, defraud or deceive any insurer, makes any claim for the proceeds of an insurance policy containing any false, incomplete or misleading information is guilty of a felony.

OREGON: IMPORTANT NOTE: Any person who knowingly presents a false or fraudulent claim for payment of a loss or benefit or knowingly presents false information in an application for insurance may be guilty of a crime and may be subject to fines and confinement in prison.

TENNESSEE: It is a crime to knowingly provide false, incomplete or misleading information to an insurance company for the purpose of defrauding the company. Penalties include imprisonment, fines and denial of insurance benefit.

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VIRGINIA: It is a crime to knowingly provide false, incomplete or misleading information to an insurance company for the purpose of defrauding the company. Penalties include imprisonment, fines and denial of insurance benefits.

WASHINGTON: It is a crime to knowingly provide false, incomplete or misleading information to an insurance company for the purpose of defrauding the company. Penalties include imprisonment, fines and denial of insurance benefits.

NEW YORK*: Any person who knowingly and with intent to defraud any insurance company or other person files an application for insurance or statement of claim containing any materially false information, or conceals for the purpose of misleading, information concerning any fact material thereto, commits a fraudulent insurance act, which is a crime, and shall also be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed five thousand dollars and the stated value of the claim for each such violation.

PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITION

Pre-Existing Medical Condition means an illness, disease, or other condition during the 180 day period immediately prior to the date Your coverage is effective :

received or received a recommendation for a test, examination, or medical treatment for a condition which first manifested itself, worsened or became acute, or had symptoms which would have prompted a reasonable person to seek diagnosis, care or treatment; or
took or received a prescription for drugs or medicine. Item (2) of this definition does not apply to a condition which is treated or controlled solely through the taking of prescription drugs or medicine and remains treated or controlled without any adjustment or change in the required prescription throughout the 180 day period before coverage is effective under this policy.
required a change in prescribed medication. Change in prescribed medication means the dosage or frequency of a medication has been reduced, increased, stopped and/or new medications have been prescribed due to the worsening of an underlying condition that is being treated with the medication, unless the change is:
1. between a brand name and a generic medication with comparable dosage; or
2. an adjustment to insulin or anti-coagulant dosage.

If you, or someone you are traveling with, has a Pre-Existing Medical Condition, you can still buy a policy from us but there is no cover for any claim arising directly or indirectly from that condition.

PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITION

Any Medical Condition that, within the last 12 months, required any:

surgery, inpatient or outpatient treatment, referrals or investigations of any sort. This includes being on any waiting list, taking any prescription medication, tablets or required medical treatment (This will not apply to common colds, flu or contraceptive medication);
medical advice or treatment for any respiratory condition relating to the lungs or breathing;
medical advice or treatment for any heart, stroke or diabetic condition;

Hypertension or high cholesterol controlled by 1 prescription drug only and where the dosage has not been changed within the last 12 months will not be considered a pre-existing medical condition

Coverages Available:

*not all coverages are available in all states

Travel Protection Benefits	Limits
Trip Cancellation	100% of trip cost (up to a maximum of $20,000)
Single Occupancy	Up to trip cost
Cancel for Any Reason	Up to 75% of trip cost Up to 50% of trip costs in FL(CFAR not available to NY residents)
Trip Interruption	150% of trip cost
Delay Package
Trip Delay	Maximum $200 per day up to $2,500
Missed Connection	Maximum of $1,000 per covered trip
Baggage Package – Excess
Baggage and Personal Effects	$2,500 $100 Deductible
Baggage Delay	$100 per day up to a maximum of $500
Travel Medical Package – Excess AK, CO, ID, ND, NH – Primary
Travel Medical Expense – Adventure sports included	$100,000 $50,000 in NH $50 Deductible
Emergency Dental	$750
Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains	Up to $500,000 Up to $1,000,000 in NH
Accidental Death & Dismemberment	$100,000 or $250,000 or $500,000
Pet Medical Package
Pet Medical Expense	Up to $2,000 $100 Deductible
Pet Return	Up to $500
Rental Vehicle Damage – Primary	Up to $35,000 per rented vehicle- Primary $250 Deductible for loss greater than $2,000
Vacation Rental Damage	$1,500 or $3,000 or $5,000

Travel Medical Insurance

Some benefits are subject to an excess (aka, the deductible, or what you have to pay before we pay), as stated in the Policy Schedule, and are per Policy Period.

Benefits	Limits
Cancellation and Curtailment	5,000
Emergency Medical Expenses, Evacuation and Repatriation of Mortal Remains	10,000,000 (excess 250 or 50)
Hospital Benefit	25 per day, maximum 100
Personal Accident	up to 250,000
Baggage Loss or Delay	up to 5,000 (excess 250 or 50)
Personal Money and Passport, limited to 250 in respect of cash	500 (excess 250 or 50)
Personal Liability	500,000
Travel Delay	500
Optional Benefits	Limits
Business Extension	up to 1,000 (excess 100)
Winter Sports (Ski Equipment)	up to 750 (excess 50 or 100)
Important notes: Winter Sports optional cover, where selected, does not extend to the Personal Liability benefit under Section F of the policy Travellers up to the age of 79 can purchase this product. Cover for illness is not available for those aged 75 years or over

Travel Medical Insurance

Some benefits are subject to an excess (aka, the deductible, or what you have to pay before we pay), as stated in the Policy Schedule, and are per Policy Period.

Benefits	Limits
Trip Interruption	2,000
Medical and Emergency Expenses	10,000,000 (excess 250)
Hospital Benefit	25 per day, maximum 100
Personal Accident	50,000 as standard, optional increase up to 250,000
Baggage Loss or Delay	2,000 as standard, optional increase up to 10,000
Personal Money and Passport	500 (excess 250) *** Limited to 250 in respect of cash
Personal Liability	500,000
Optional Benefits	Limits
Business Extension	up to 1,000 (excess 100)
Winter Sports (Ski Equipment)	up to 750 (excess 50 per person, 100 per family)
Important notes: Winter Sports optional cover, where selected, does not extend to the Personal Liability benefit under Section G of the policy Travellers up to the age of 79 can purchase this product. Cover for illness is not available for those aged 75 years or over

Travel Medical Insurance

Some benefits are subject to an excess (aka, the deductible, or what you have to pay before we pay), as stated in the Policy Schedule, and are per Policy Period.

Benefits	Limits
Cancellation	up to $20,000
Trip Interruption	$1,000
Medical and Emergency Expenses	$5,000,000 (deductible $250)
Hospital Benefit	$25 per day, maximum $100
Personal Accident	up to $50,000
Baggage	$2,000 (deductible $250)
Personal Money and Passport, limited to $250 in respect of cash	$500 (deductible $250)
Personal Liability	$500,000
Optional Benefits	Limits
Business Extension	up to $1,000 (deductible $100)
Winter Sports (Ski Equipment)	up to $750 (deductible $50 or $100)
Important notes: Winter Sports optional cover, where selected, does not extend to the Personal Liability benefit under Section G of the policy Travellers up to the age of 79 can purchase this product. Cover for illness and Winter Sports is not available for those aged 75 years or over Medical and Emergency Expenses are limited to $50,000 within Canada if you are not covered by government health insurance plan (GHIP) at the time of your claim

Travel Medical Insurance

Some benefits are subject to an excess (aka, the deductible, or what you have to pay before we pay), as stated in the Policy Schedule, and are per Policy Period.

Benefits	Limits
Cancellation and Curtailment	5,000
Emergency Medical Expenses, Evacuation and Repatriation of Mortal Remains	10,000,000 (excess 250 or 50)
Hospital Benefit	25 per day, maximum 100
Personal Accident	up to 250,000
Baggage Loss or Delay	up to 5,000 (excess 250 or 50)
Personal Money and Passport, limited to 250 in respect of cash	500 (excess 250 or 50)
Personal Liability	500,000
Travel Delay	500
Optional Benefits	Limits
Business Extension	up to 1,000 (excess 100)
Winter Sports (Ski Equipment)	up to 750 (excess 50 or 100)
Important notes: Winter Sports optional cover, where selected, does not extend to the Personal Liability benefit under Section F of the policy Travellers up to the age of 79 can purchase this product. Cover for illness is not available for those aged 75 years or over