Alpine refuges: the CAI portal to book them (and the 10 unforgettable ones)

Perched on the mountain tops, from where they dominate, majestic and solitary, they often seem unattainable. They are the alpine refuges, the heritage of the mountains and of those who live, travel and love them. The very concept of refuge is wonderful: a place to take refuge, even metaphorically, from modern life, from the frenzy and from everyday life. They are extraordinary places, just as extraordinary are those who manage them, the refugee workers, heroic by choice and vocation. Over time their use has expanded, from starting points for mountaineering adventures to longed-for destinations, often as well gastronomic and charming. Those who frequent them know this, and those who have not yet frequented them could do so from this summer in a much easier and more convenient way, starting with a few simple clicks.

The Italian Alpine Club has announced it: by the beginning of the summer a portal will be ready that will make refuges and accommodation facilities at high altitudes available to hikers, walkers and mountaineers where they can stay overnight along paths, paths and mountaineering routes. At the address bookrifugi.cai.it it will be possible to book overnight stays in the alpine club refuges, in private ones, in guesthouses and in stopping points along the selected hiking and mountaineering itineraries, drastically reducing the time needed to organize a multi-day excursion. It will also be a useful portal for organizing excursions, with a cartographic system that will include traces of paths and routes.

We don't yet know how many shelters will be available, assuming that there will be those of the CAI, we start from a heritage of over 750 refuges and bivouacsto which will be added the private refuges and those of other associations, which bring the list to almost a thousand structures located throughout the country, from Sicily to Friuli, some of which have become iconic destinations, daring and always magnificent structures.

And if you feel like visiting one, or more than one, here is a small selection 10 wonderful alpine refuges to visit at least once in your lifea place of arrival or passage for splendid treks at high altitude where you can rediscover the charm of the wildest mountains.

Let's start with one of the most instagrammed refuges in Italy, all thanks to its incredible view of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. Open from the end of June to the end of September, to reach it at 2,405 meters above sea level the route is not too long and not too tiring, the easiest one to Sixth along the Fiscalina Valley and the Sasso Vecchio Valley in about 4 hours. Also recommendable and wonderful is the excursion to the Locatelli Refuge through the Landro Valley in Dobbiaco or the Campo di Dentro Valley in San Candido.

They are two refuges a few meters away from each other, very popular and easily accessible from Madonna di Campiglio. Located at a height of 2,272 metres, they are open from June to September and are the entrance door to the majestic world of spiers and stone towers of the Brenta Group, a starting point for various mountaineering climbs such as the famous via ferrata delle Bocchette .

Halfway between Val Badia and Cortina d'Ampezzo, on the summit of Monte Lagazuoi, it is a historic structure opened way back in 1965 at 2752m above sea level. With one of the most beautiful panoramic terraces in all the Alps, overlooking a true ocean of peaks, from the Cunturìnes to the Cime di Fànes, the mighty Tofane, the Odle, the shining Marmolada, it can also be easily reached to spend a night, drink a drink at the bar, dinner at the restaurant or even enjoy a hot sauna before leaving for your excursions.

Built at the end of the 19th century, renovation work began in 2018 and was completed in summer 2021. In a lunar landscape, located upstream from the Boè cable car on the Sella plateau, at 2,800 meters above sea level, it can be easily reached with the Sass Pordoi cable car, after about an hour's walk. Energy saving, construction with natural materials and a very particular design make it a unique and unrepeatable refuge.

You cannot fail to visit the highest refuge in Italy but also in Europe once in your life. Located at an altitude of 4,554 m above sea level, on the Gnifetti points in the massif of Monte Rosa, it is not only a refuge but also an important meteorological observatory. Equipped with a total of 70 seats, bar and restaurant, people don't come here for comfort, but to enjoy the view.

This recent refuge in Val Ferret, near Courmayeur, takes its name from the famous Italian mountaineer and offers a breathtaking view of Mont Blanc and the Grand Jorasses. The refuge is a stopping point for trekkers on the Tour du Mont-Blanc or on the Alta Via n.1, as well as a passing point for various itineraries, given its privileged position. The home cooking and welcoming atmosphere are a balm for tired limbs.

It is one of the most popular and appreciated refuges in Val Seriana, being in a position of notable landscape, naturalistic and hiking interest. It has around 80 beds, a bar and restaurant and offers a beautiful view of the Gemelli lakes and Mount Arera. The refuge can be reached on foot from Valbondione in about 2 hours.

Very popular in summer, located at 2,410 meters on the summit of Grigna, in the Lombard Prealps. From here you can admire indescribable landscapes: the entire Po Valley, the Alps and the Lombardy lakes in a 360° view. Inaugurated in 1895, in 1926 it was expanded with the current 36 seats and is also a starting point for the Traversata Alta which allows you to reach the summit of the Southern Grigna.

On the Catinaccio/Rosengarten mountain group, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, there is this splendid refuge, on the Sella del Ciampaz at an altitude of 2,283 metres. It was inaugurated in 1906 and enlarged, today it has 60 beds and is an excellent starting point for many excursions and ascents. It has been managed for some years by Roberta Silva, who is always available to advise all wine lovers, whether you want to undertake one of the many tours in the group, or whether you want to travel the splendid via ferratas of Roda di Vael or Majarè or one of the many mountaineering routes.

It has been open all year round since the 1950s and can be reached by Skyway Mont Blanc, above Courmayeur. Its panoramic terrace is the most beautiful in the Region and you can also stay in one of the rooms. The most requested is number 31 from where it is possible to enjoy the sun rising from the top of the Dru and Verte, until it illuminates all 4,000 Aosta Valley people.