You can see the Dolomites in a day from Venice, and the two best-reviewed ways to do it on Viator cost almost the same. They are not the same day. One gives you an hour and a half at Lake Braies, the turquoise lake on every screensaver; the other takes eight people toward the Tre Cime di Lavaredo and Lake Misurina. This page compares what each day actually contains, and who each one suits. Below, we compare two ways to book a Dolomites day trip from Venice, side by side.
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The verdict
Both tours leave Venice in the morning in a Mercedes van, both stop in Cortina d’Ampezzo, and both are back in the evening. The difference is where the time goes. The Lake Braies day gives Cortina 45 minutes, stops ten minutes for a photo of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, and then spends an hour and a half at Lago di Braies, enough to walk the 3.5-kilometer (2.1-mile) loop around the lake or rent a rowboat. The eight-seat day gives Cortina an hour of free time and heads for the foothills of the Tre Cime and Lake Misurina, in season.
Our pick for most people is the Lake Braies day. It is rated 4.9 across 507 reviews against 4.6 across 1,554, it is slightly cheaper at about $208 per person against about $215, and it discounts youths, where the other tour charges everyone the same rate regardless of age. Its reviews are unusually consistent: 475 of 507 are five stars, and four are one star.
The eight-seat day is the better choice if the Tre Cime are the reason you are going, if you want the smallest possible group, or if you are traveling between late May and October, when that stop runs. Outside that window the provider swaps the Tre Cime and Misurina for San Candido and Lake Braies, which makes it a longer, smaller version of the first tour.
The provider states that the visit to the foothills of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo runs from the end of May to October and depends on the weather. When it cannot go ahead you get more time in Cortina instead, and in winter the route becomes San Candido and Lake Braies. On the Lake Braies day, the Tre Cime is a ten-minute photo stop year-round. If the Tre Cime are why you are booking, book the eight-seat tour in season.
Which one is for you?
Take the Lake Braies day if
- Lake Braies is the picture in your head. You get 90 minutes there, not a pass-by.
- You are traveling with a teenager: youths are discounted on this tour.
- You want the higher-rated of the two: 4.9 against 4.6.
- You want to start near the bus and taxi hub at Piazzale Roma.
- You are going in winter: from December to the end of March a snowmobile ride is offered for about €35 per person, paid extra.
Take the eight-seat day if
- The Tre Cime di Lavaredo are the point, and you are going between late May and October.
- You want a van with eight people at most.
- You would rather have a full hour of free time in Cortina.
- You are staying near Tronchetto or arriving by People Mover from the parking garages.
- You want the option to upgrade to a private tour on the same listing.
What each price covers
The Lake Braies day, from about $208
Included: transport in a Mercedes van with Wi-Fi on board. The route stops in Cortina d’Ampezzo for 45 minutes, at Schluderbach for a ten-minute photo stop facing the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, and at Lago di Braies for an hour and a half, with an optional 3.5-kilometer (2.1-mile) walk around the lake or a rowboat for about 45 minutes. In winter the itinerary also lists Monte Piana.
Not included: lunch, food and drinks, and hotel pickup. The winter snowmobile ride, offered from December to the end of March, costs about €35 per person extra. Youths are discounted; the group is capped at 16. A guide is not listed among the inclusions, but reviewers consistently describe one: a husband-and-wife team running two vans, with the guide in one van speaking to both over a phone call.
The eight-seat day, from about $215
Included: an English-speaking driver-guide, whom the listing describes as “a driver that gives general information about the areas visited”; an optional easy self-guided nature walk; and a Mercedes van for eight. The route gives an hour of free time in Cortina d’Ampezzo, then heads to viewpoints of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo from Lake Antorno and to Lake Misurina.
Not included: gratuities, food and drinks, and hotel pickup. Everyone pays the same rate regardless of age, and minimum numbers apply: if the tour does not fill, it can be canceled after confirmation, with an alternative or a full refund. The listing’s private option was quoted at about $699 per person for two travelers on a September date.
Where each one starts
- Lake Braies day: Piazzale Roma, in front of Hotel Santa Chiara or Koko Bar, near the green taxi booth. Departure is at 8:00 am sharp; arrive 15 minutes early. It ends in the same area.
- Eight-seat day: Tronchetto, outside the vaporetto line 2 landing in front of the Re Mida café. If you arrive by People Mover, turn left at the exit. Arrive 15 minutes early. It ends at Piazzale Roma.
- Neither tour collects you from your hotel, and neither is wheelchair accessible. The Lake Braies day is stroller accessible.
- The eight-seat day is not recommended for travelers with back or heart problems, and operates in all weather.
- Both offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start, local time.
Side by side
| Lake Braies day | Eight-seat day | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.9 from 507 | 4.6 from 1,554 |
| Recommended by | 98% of travelers | 91% of travelers |
| Price | from about $208 | from about $215 |
| Length | 8 to 9 hours | 10 hours |
| Group cap | 16 | 8 |
| Cortina | 45 minutes | 1 hour |
| Tre Cime di Lavaredo | 10-minute photo stop | Foothills and viewpoints, late May to October |
| Lakes | Lago di Braies, 1 hour 30 | Misurina and Antorno |
| Youth price | Discounted | Same rate for all ages |
| Starts | Piazzale Roma, 8:00 am | Tronchetto |
What travelers say
On the Lake Braies day
Easy drive from Venice to the Dolomites. The lake is stunning. A good hour to hike around the lake or look for good picture spots.
Brian_M, June 2026, via Viator
This tour lasted around 9 hours and was well worth the cost for our group of four.
Janice_K, June 2026, via Viator
On the eight-seat day
Great experience and getaway from Venice for a day. Our small group had a total of 8 people, so perfect for getting around and seeing as much as possible without waiting for others.
Kevin_G, June 2026, via Viator
Lots of driving but how else could you see so much of the mountains in one day
Kim_D, August 2026, via Viator
Both sets of reviews are honest about the trade-off: this is a long day with a lot of time in a van, and the payoff is a few hours in some of the most dramatic scenery in Europe.
How either fits a Venice trip
A Dolomites day uses up a full day of a Venice stay, so it works best as the day in the middle, when you have already seen St. Mark’s and want a break from the crowds. If you would rather stay closer, the Prosecco hills are a shorter trip with lunch and wine included. Back in the city, compare a shared or private gondola ride, or see everything in the Venice travel guide.
Building a first trip to Venice? See our guide to the best tours in Venice for what to book first, day by day.
Questions travelers ask
Can you see the Dolomites in a day from Venice?
Yes. Both tours leave Venice in the morning and return in the evening: the Lake Braies day runs 8 to 9 hours and the eight-seat day about 10. Expect a lot of time in the van; the reviews say it is worth it.
Which Dolomites day trip goes to Lake Braies?
The Lake Braies day spends an hour and a half at Lago di Braies, with time to walk the 3.5-kilometer (2.1-mile) loop or rent a rowboat. The eight-seat tour only includes Lake Braies in winter, when it replaces the Tre Cime and Lake Misurina.
Do these tours go to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo?
The Lake Braies day makes a ten-minute photo stop facing the Tre Cime year-round. The eight-seat day goes to the foothills and viewpoints, from the end of May to October and weather permitting.
Is lunch included?
No. Neither tour includes lunch, food or drinks. Both give free time in Cortina d’Ampezzo, where you can eat.
Is hotel pickup included?
No. The Lake Braies day meets at Piazzale Roma and the eight-seat day meets at Tronchetto. Both are reachable on foot or by vaporetto from most of Venice.
Can children join?
Yes on both, with conditions. The Lake Braies day discounts youths and has infant and child seats on request at booking. The eight-seat day charges everyone the same rate and requires child seats to be requested at booking, or children may be refused.
Book the Lake Braies day if you want the lake, the higher rating and the youth discount. Book the eight-seat day if you want the Tre Cime in summer or early fall and the smallest van. Either way, dress for the mountains rather than for Venice: the eight-seat tour’s provider says it operates in all weather.
Editorial assessment by Italy2Love, September 2026. Durations, stops and stop lengths, seasonal route changes, inclusions and exclusions, group caps, age pricing, meeting points, accessibility, prices, ratings, review counts and cancellation terms read on both Viator product pages (product codes 71068P14 and 2635PDOLOMITE), September 2026. Reviews quoted with attribution to their authors and to Viator. Next review March 2027, or sooner on any change to either route.
Comparing other options? See our guide to the best day trips from Venice.