Just behind the centre of the villager this sport shop stocks a bit of everything, and i mean…read moreeverything. It is probably the smallest shop in the village but they manage to cram so much stuff in their that it is actually well worth a visit. Run by a brother and sister team they are helpful, have good prices and a good range of stock you wouldn't find in the UK. In summer it is quiet and relaxed there and easy to find stuff. In winter it is a bit more frantic and they offer ski hire as well. Get there early if you need ski hire as it can get very busy and it'll only hold 6 or 7 people but they are really well prices and it's worth the wait.

The Arabba Ski School is one of the best I've ever had tuition with and well worth using if you are…read morethere in winter and need lessons. The ski school office is located near the centre of the village and just up a small hill behind Café Peter, the centre point as it were of Arabba. Follow the small hill up and on the right just next to the fruit and veg shop is the ski school. They are very helpful in the office and speak good English and are good at fitting in what lesson requirements you have to their schedule. Group lessons are available as well as private lessons and they have 4 or 5 instructors that speak good English. Particular recommendations are Mario, Tanya, Stefano, Graziella, Lorenzo and Omar. Private lessons are great value for money and last an hour and I think they are the best money option there.

The ice rink in Corvara is on the back streets near the Boe Gondola and the building the ice rink…read moreis in is quite large and distinctive so easy enough to find. It is open throughout the winter and from mid July until late August in summer. It makes a welcome alternative to skiing or walking and is particularly popular in the late evening after dinner. It can get very busy in early August but other that that there is more than enough room to skate and fall over without bumping into too many people. Skates can be hired here too and all in it is less than EUR10 a visit. They also have occasional ice skating displays here which are worth watching out for although no ice hockey which is a shame.

This high ropes course is relatively new and put up by the local guides just off the main road…read morebetween Corvara and Colfosco. It has three courses of varying difficulty nestled in the trees some 5 metres above the ground. The courses themselves aren't overly difficult if you have a head for heights but beware the nervous as some bits are a bit hairy and although you're always safe and fastened onto a safety wire it's easy to get a bit scared when the trees sway or you have to do one of the zip wires. It's not expensive though and to do all three grades of course is only EUR12 including all the kit so it is well worth a visit.

I came during winter so the lake was frozen over and I couldn't see the picturesque boats on the…read morewater reflecting the background. Still, the scenery was amazing as ice creates a different type of beauty. There was this ice wall with a frozen waterfall that you could slide down, just have to be careful walking up. Whatever season you're in the Dolomites, you should definitely make your way here. If you could choose what season to visit, do come in the summer, but whatever the time is, you will not be disappointed!

We hiked the perimeter of this beautiful lake outside Dobbiaco. We also had a great Alpine Meal at…read morea restaurant located on it's shore. No swimmers.... just a few boats out on the lake, I am sure a wetsuit would be required if you wanted to go in! We drove, but there was a bus from downtown Dobbiaco. Hiking, walking, promenading... many generations were enjoying the stunning scenery.

Mount Lagazuoi is a prominent peak and popular destination in the heart of the Dolomites, with…read morestunning views and an interesting history. During WW1, the precipitous southern side formed a border between the warring forces of the Austria-Hungarian Empire and Italy. The Italians, in an attempt to undermine the Austrian emplacements above, built a series of tunnels inside the cliffs. These were abandoned after the war, falling into disuse. But the tunnels were restored In the 1990s for exploration by visitors. At present, no tickets or passes are required to see the tunnels. But visitors will need a little extra gear. The tunnels are classified as "via ferrata" (iron road) since they are equipped with steel cables. However, they are not treacherous enough to require clip-ins or other climbing gear. Visitors can either ascend or descend the tunnels, which run approx 1 km through the mountain. On morning 4 of our trek on the AV1, our group decided to do the "easier" version of the tunnel tour, after first taking a cable car to the top. (We left our packs behind at a rifugio below). Suggested gear included: a headlamp (check), good shoes (check), gloves (check), and a helmet (nope; but we didn't really need one). A light jacket was also useful for the cooler temps inside. After first descending about 50 meters on hiking trails, we encountered signs of the old Austrian trenches and emplacements. After another ten minutes of hiking, we entered our first tunnel. Once inside, we had a fun, fascinating, and eerie adventure. It was pitch black, slightly damp, and the temperature dropped 5-10 degrees. Sturdy stairs made the going easy enough, and there were also handy cables to grab - quite useful for the slipperier spots. Every 100 m or so there was a peak-through window to the outside. We also encountered several, preserved remnants of the war, including: a bunk room, an old machine shop, a kitchen, plus various carved-out rooms and side passages of unknown purpose. Cool as F. We saw a few longer branch-offs that invited further exploring, but we chose to continue downwards. Eventually we emerged onto an exposed trail which led the rest of the way to the pass below. We were glad to finish the tunnels when we did, since by that point a throng of hikers were climbing up from below. Though I had been initially skeptical of the tunnel-tour, it ended up being another one of the highlights of my vacation in the Dolomites. I cannot recommend it highly enough, especially for history buffs (and those with a love of exploration). If I ever return, I would certainly go again.

The adrenaline centre is the equivalent of Go Ape! In the UK with a little bit extra. The have…read morethree high ropes courses through the woods of varying difficulty set amongst an unforgettable backdrop of Dolomitic peaks. The place feels safe and the staff are on hand to show you how the equipment works and are quick to shoot up the trees to rescue you if you get stuck and a zip line because you didn't carry enough speed to reach the landing platform. The beginners course is quite easy but as you progress onto the harder routes it becomes more and more strenuous and exposed. The final section of the hard course involves hanging stirrups you have to negotiate followed by a hairy zip line to the finish. It's not just about the high ropes here though. The place is actually on the grounds of the 1972 Olympic Bobsleigh run and for a little shy of EUR100 you can have an ex-bobsleigh champion drive you (if that's the right term) down the course. It lasts about 90 seconds so it's expensive by the second but well worth it.

Corvara golf club or by it's proper name, Golf Club Alta Badia is allegedly Europe's second highest…read moregolf course (I don't who which is the highest) and occupies an enviable spot above the village of Corvara with one of the most impressive backdrops on a golf course anywhere. The course itself is a 9 hole course and well maintained. It is open throughout the summer to members and non-members and the holes are challenging with spectacular scenery. It isn't cheap and last time I played it cost about EUR45 euros for 9 holes but it is worth doing as a one off just for the views and the feeling of playing golf somewhere completely different. Watch out for the 8th hole though which is a par 3 from an isolated tee off across a ravine to the green, oh and for that matter the 9th hole as well which tends to drag your ball into the nearby lake.