Rifugio Fonda Savio

A panoramic hut among the Cadini di Misurina, surrounded by spectacular spires and scree slopes.

Rifugio Fonda Savio stands at 2,367 metres in the middle of the Cadini di Misurina, one of the wildest, most scenic corners of the eastern Dolomites. Around you is a maze of sharp spires, towers, and scree, the kind of country photographers and serious hikers go out of their way for. It opened in 1963, belongs to the XXX Ottobre CAI section of Trieste, and is dedicated to Piero, Paolo, and Sergio, the three sons of Antonio Fonda Savio who died in the Second World War. It sits off on its own, so the feel is genuine, well away from the crowds at the bigger names.

You walk up from Misurina on a trail that winds through the scree and rock faces of the Cadini, and it asks for a fair level of fitness. At the kitchen, ordering the strudel has turned into a bit of a ritual. It has a real name among mountaineers. There are around forty beds plus a winter room, so you can stay over and take your time on the trails, catching the evening light on the spires. Sleep at the Fonda Savio and you get a corner of rare beauty almost to yourself, far from the crowds at the area's most famous peaks.

The starting point is Misurina, in the province of Belluno, on the eastern side of the Dolomites. You drive up, and from there the trail climbs through the scree and rock faces of the Cadini, with a height gain that asks for a fair level of fitness. In Misurina you will find parking near the lake, where the walk begins, with any fees or shuttles to be checked for the current year. The best window runs from late spring to early autumn, once the trails are clear of snow. In winter the area is for equipped mountaineers only. Set off early so you avoid the hottest hours on the scree and catch the best light on the spires.

Services & info