Is Marmolada Worth It? Visiting the Highest Peak in the Dolomites

We visited Marmolada while road tripping through the Dolomites, driving from Cortina d’Ampezzo to Val Gardena. Since it is the highest peak in the Dolomites, it had long been on our list of places to visit, and adding it as a stop along this scenic drive made perfect sense.

After hiking many of the region’s most famous trails and viewpoints, from Seceda to Tre Cime di Lavaredo, we were curious how Marmolada would compare. What we found was a very different kind of experience: part high-alpine adventure, part World War I history lesson, and part panoramic viewpoint over some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in northern Italy.

Riding the cable car to the summit is one of the easiest ways to stand on top of the Dolomites without committing to a long hike. From the upper station, you’re treated to sweeping views of jagged limestone peaks, alpine valleys, and, on a clear day, distant ridgelines stretching for miles. This is one of the most unique experiences in the region and easily earns a spot on our list of the Best Things to Do in the Dolomites.

In this guide, we’ll explain exactly how to visit Marmolada, what to expect at each cable car station, how much time you need, and whether it’s worth adding to your Dolomites road trip.

The Essentials

LOCATION | Near Passo Fedaia, between Cortina d’Ampezzo and Val Gardena
ELEVATION | 3,343 meters (10,968 feet) — highest peak in the Dolomites
BEST FOR | Glacier views, standing on the highest summit, easy-access alpine panorama
TIME NEEDED | 2 to 3 hours
COST | Cable car ticket required (check current pricing before your visit)
CAN YOU HIKE? | Limited hiking; more of a summit viewpoint experience

Why Visit Marmolada?

As the highest peak in the Dolomites, Marmolada offers something the others don’t: glacier views, massive vertical scale, and the feeling of standing on top of the entire mountain range.

Add in the World War I museum carved into the mountain and the rare chance to stand beside one of the Dolomites’ last remaining glaciers, and Marmolada becomes more than just a viewpoint, it becomes one of the most unique experiences in the region.

Is Marmolada Worth It?

If you want to say that you stood on the highest mountain in the Dolomites, then a trip to Marmolada is worth it. It also doesn’t take much time to visit Marmolada. To ride the series of cable cars and enjoy views, you are looking at investing about 2 hours into this experience. It can easily be added to a road trip, if you plan to drive through this part of the Dolomites.

However, a visit to Marmolada is expensive and it’s a bit out of the way from the other places to visit in the Dolomites.

At Marmolada, our favorite experiences were the views from Punta Rocca and exploring the WWI caves and trails at Punta Serauta.

We enjoyed this visit, but I can list a lot of other activities that I think are more worth your time on a trip to the Dolomites. Keep reading ↓

Marmolada vs Seceda vs Freccia nel Cielo vs Lagazuoi

If you’re planning a trip to the Dolomites, it can be hard to choose between the region’s famous cable car summits. We’ve visited five of the most popular: Marmolada, Seceda, Freccia nel Cielo (Tofana di Mezzo), Lagazuoi, and Sass Pordoi. Each delivers a very different experience.

Here’s how they compare.

Experience	Best For	Crowds	Effort
Marmolada	Standing on the highest peak in the Dolomites, glacier views, WWI museum	Moderate	Very Easy (cable car only)
Seceda	The classic Dolomites postcard photo	High	Easy (cable car) or Moderate (short hike to the iconic viewpoint)
Freccia nel Cielo (Cima Tofana)	Big alpine drama with fewer people and expansive 360° summit views	Low to moderate	Easy + optional short summit climb
Lagazuoi	Scenic hiking, WWI history and tunnels	Moderate	Easy, moderate if you choose to hike down
Sass Pordoi	Panoramic views over Passo Pordoi, plus you get a view of Marmolada	Moderate	Easy, with option to do a strenuous hike to the summit of Piz Boè

How to Choose Which is Best?

Choose Marmolada if you want the highest viewpoint in the Dolomites and glacier scenery.
Choose Seceda if you want the most iconic ridgeline photo and don’t mind larger crowds.
Choose Freccia nel Cielo (Cima Tofana & Tofana di Mezzo) if you want huge views with fewer crowds and a short, thrilling hike to a mountain peak.
Choose Lagazuoi if you want to combine panoramic views with a memorable hike. This was the very first hike we did in the Dolomites, and we loved it for its views, plus it’s a downhill hike the entire distance.
Choose Sass Pordoi for more high alpine views, plus a view of Marmolada. If you like hiking, Piz Boè is one of the easiest 3,000+ meter summit hikes in the Dolomites.

How to Visit Marmolada

Where is Marmolada?

Marmolada is located in the Dolomites, straddling the border between the Italian regions of Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige.

This mountain is so tall (3,343 meters/10,968 feet) that on a clear day, it can be seen from Venice.

Most people visit Marmolada when touring the Italian Dolomites. The easiest way to get here is by car since public transportation is limited. Here are the driving distances and times from nearby destinations:

Selva di Val Gardena: 40 km, 1 hour
Cortina d’Ampezzo: 40 km, 1 hour
Selva di Cadore: 15 km, 20 minutes
Venice: 195 km, 3 hours and 15 minutes

How Much Does It Cost to Visit Marmolada?

During the summer season, which runs from mid-June through mid-September, it costs €38 for a round-trip ticket from Malga Ciapela to Punta Rocca. This price is accurate as of February 2026, but could change closer to the start of the summer season.

For updated pricing, and to purchase your tickets in advance, visit the official website.

When is Marmolada Open?

There are two seasons that Marmolada is open, the summer season and the winter season.

In the summer (early-June through mid-September), the cable cars run from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. The winter season runs from the end of December through early April, depending on snow conditions. During this time, the cable car operates from 8:40 am to 4:00 pm. Get the exact dates and times here.

The view of the Sella Group and Sassolungo from Marmolada

Riding the Marmolada Cable Car: What to Expect

In order to get to the top of Marmolada, you will ride a series of three cable cars to the top. Here is a description of the route and what you can do and see along the way.

Marmolada Map: cable car route

Malga Ciapèla (1,450 meters) to Antermoja (2,350 meters)

The bottom station is called Malga Ciapèla. There is a large parking lot here as well as a restaurant. You can either purchase your tickets in advance or purchase them at the bottom station. We did this on a busy July day and did not have to wait in line at the ticket booth.

Marmolada bottom station

From Malga Ciapèla, you will ride a cable car to Antermoja. Antermoja is a transfer station, so from here, you will board the cable car to the next station (there is nothing to do here…no restrooms and no viewpoints).

Antermoja (2,350 meters) to Serauta (2,950 meters)

From Antermoja, ride the second cable car to Serauta.

Things to Do at Serauta

Photo Op by the Heart Sculpture

Walk outside for views from this point on Marmolada. Not far from the station is a heart sculpture which makes a nice photo spot on the mountain.

Outdoor Viewing Terrace

From the large viewing terrace, you get a great view looking north across the Dolomites. It’s not quite as impressive as the view you get from Punta Rocca, since you are not as high, but from here, you can see the Marmolada Glacier and the Punta Rocca station.

The view of Sassolungo and the Sella Group from Serauta

Serauta Station

Sacred Monumental Area of Punta Serauta

A short, easy downhill walk takes you to the WWI sites on Punta Serauta. In this area are bunkers and observation posts built during WWI.

Before hiking onto the trails, you will pass a sign warning visitors of the steep drops and exposed cliff edges. The final portion of this trail is a via ferrata, but you can hike the lower section without any via ferrata equipment. The trails here are very wide but if you have a fear of heights, you will find this to be very challenging.

We hiked up and around the lower part of the WWI sites. Once the trails narrowed, we stopped climbing higher, since we did not have the proper equipment.

Sacred Monumental Area of Punta Serauta

The first part of the trails are wide like the one above.

Photo of the hiking trails, a cave, and the Serauta cable car station

In my opinion, if you are interested in WWI historical sites, or just like the idea of exploring caves, bunkers, and having a great view of Marmolada, hiking the bottom section of the Monumental Area is worth it.

PRO TRAVEL TIP: The Monumental Area is typically open from June through September. The remainder of the year you cannot hike in this area because it is covered with snow.

Museum of the Great War

This museum includes information on what it was like for soldiers living and working on Marmolada during WWI. It is filled with artifacts, such as clothing, guns, artillery from this time period. Entrance into the museum is included with your cable car ticket.

Note: Photographs are not allowed inside of the museum

Museum of the Great War

PRO TRAVEL TIP: There are no bathrooms at Punta Rocca (the highest level yoy will visit at Marmolada). If you need to use a restroom, do so now before boarding the cable car to Punta Rocca.

Serauta (2,950 meters) to Punta Rocca (3,265 meters/10,700 feet)

Once at Punta Rocca, you are standing on one of the highest points in the Dolomites.

Marmolada is a mountain with multiple peaks. Punta Rocca, which is the location of the final cable car station, is pretty high, but it is not the tallest peak. That would be Punta Penia, which sits just a little bit higher than Punta Rocca (3,343 meters/10,968 feet). You can easily see Punta Penia from the observation deck.

Things to Do at Punta Rocca

Observation Deck

Once off the cable car, walk upstairs to the observation deck. From here, you get 360° views of the Dolomites. From here, you can see Punta Penia (the highest peak of Marmolada), Sassolungo, the Sella group, and Monte Cristallo, just to name a few.

A popular thing to do on the observation deck is to have your photo taken with the Marmolada sign on the floor. We did not do this, since it was busy (we were here late-morning in July), but it is a cool photo op, if you don’t mind waiting your turn.

Punta Rocca observation deck

The view from the Punta Rocca observation deck

There are signs labeling the mountain peaks

Punta Penia is the peak on the right side of this photo

See/Walk/Ski on the Glacier

From the Punta Rocca station, you can ride the elevator down to the glacier. In the summer, walking on this glacier is a very popular thing to do on a visit to Marmolada (in the winter, it is possible to go skiing here).

We visited Marmolada in July 2022, about 10 days after the Marmolada avalanche that killed several people. The glacier was closed off and covered with a white tarp. Looking at photos from previous years, the glacier was a lot smaller on our visit, which makes me wonder if this is an activity that will be offered in future years. In 2025, I read that the glacier could be completely melted by 2040.

The Marmolada Glacier

Grotto of the Madonna

In this cave, there is a statue of the Madonna that was consecrated by Pope John Paul II in 1979. With a reservation, it is possible to attend mass here.

La Bellunese Ski Slope

This ski slope is 12 km long, the longest of Dolomiti Superski, with a change in altitude of 1,800 meters (5,900 feet). It’s only available in winter.

See all of our articles on the Dolomites

Before You Go: Have Lunch or a Snack at Bar Funivia

If you need a bite to eat, we recommend the restaurant that sits next to the parking lot of Marmolada (Bar Funivia). We got paninis and apple strudel here and everything we ate was delicious. The service is super fast, too, so if you have a busy day planned, and want good food for lunch or a snack without spending a lot of time, make sure you grab a bite to eat here before traveling on to your next destination.

And before or after your lunch, just around the corner are donkeys, which are fun to watch or take your kids to see.

Bar Funivia

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to visit Marmolada?

Plan on spending 2 hours at Marmolada. This gives you enough time to ride the series of cable cars, visit the museum, enjoy the views from the observation platforms, and hike the WWI trails at Punta Serauta.

What should I wear on Marmolada?

Since you will be at a high altitude, it will be colder on top of Marmolada then at the bottom station. Bring one or two additional layers, since it will be cooler at the top.

Can I bring my dog?

Yes, you can bring a dog on the cable cars, but they must be muzzled and on a leash.

What time of year can I visit Marmolada?

Marmolada can be visited in the summer and winter. In the summer, you can hike around the Sacred Monumental Area of Punta Serauta. In the winter, Marmolada becomes a skiing destination.

Another view from Punta Rocca

Add This to Your Dolomites Itinerary

Marmolada is easy to combine with several other highlights in the Dolomites, especially if you’re road tripping between Cortina d’Ampezzo and Val Gardena. Because the cable car does most of the elevation gain for you, it works well as a half-day stop, leaving time to explore nearby mountain passes, scenic drives, or short hikes.

If you’re building out your trip, Marmolada pairs especially well with:

Seceda in Val Gardena
Lagazuoi and the WWI tunnels near Passo Falzarego
Ride the cable car to Sass Pordoi and hike to Piz Boè
A scenic drive on Passo Fedaia, Passo Pordoi, and the Sella Pass

For a broader overview of what to include in your trip, see our guide to the Best Things to Do in the Dolomites, which lots of great experiences requiring little to no hiking. And if you’re still in the planning phase, our complete Dolomites Travel Guide covers where to stay, how long to go, transportation tips, and how to connect these destinations into a seamless itinerary.

If you have any questions about how to visit Marmolada, let us know in the comment section below.

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Exactly how to visit Marmolada, Queen of the Dolomites. Best things to do on Marmolada, how to get here, and more.