The Dolomites' peaks are extremely dramatic and rugged, with a certain 'rough' quality to them. The Swiss Alps, on the other hand, look a little more pristine and 'clean'-looking.
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The little villages in the bernese oberland valley are charming and certainly worth experiencing. We found the Dolomites to be less touristy as compared to BO/swiss alps. You will find tons of tourists in July Switzerland. And the Dolomites will be cheaper as compared to BO.
If you're looking for the perfect mountain vacation, you can't go wrong with either one. (And, yes, both Italian mountain ranges technically belong to the Alps. But most locals call the range in Italy's northeast corner the Dolomites, while those in the northwest, in the Valle d'Aosta, are the Alps).
The mountains are often located around the border between Italy and Switzerland, so the mountains are very identical looking but each have their own special characteristics that make them beautiful. If you are looking for somewhere to stay near the Italian Alps, check out Albergo Miramonti.
PRO TIP: Hiking is NOT all difficult in the Dolomites. There are plenty of trails that are rated easy and medium on the challenge scale, and everything is very well marked. In fact, some of the most iconic views from the Dolomites can be accessed by an easy hike!
THE DOLOMITES ARE EXPENSIVE BUT ALSO AFFORDABLE WITH THESE TIPS. We're not going to lie, the Dolomites can be very expensive, and for many travellers, prohibitively so. Accommodation, especially in popular areas, can exceed €200 per night and will likely be your largest cost.
The Dolomites are farther east and slightly north, concentrated around Trento/Bolzano. The mountains surrounding Lake Como are the Pre-alps or Alpine foothills. Looking north, up toward Colico from Bellagio, you can see part of the Bernina Range of the Alps. In a word no.
Bolzano (Bozen) is a beautiful city often referred to as the “Gateway to the Dolomites”, which is comprised of a lovely mixture of cultural displays, open air markets, restaurants and high end shops.
If you simply want to drive through the Dolomites and visit a few highlights, two to three days is all you need. If you love hiking, spend as much time here as you can. I recommend five days at a minimum. So far, we spent 12 very busy days in the Dolomites and still have more that we want to come back and do.
The Dolomites owe their complex, awe-inspiring silhouette to a happy combination of structural and climatic factors. The former shape the principal features of the landscape and are the result of a surprising diversity of rocks and petrified architecture, their geodiversity.
The dolomites are a major tourist destination so, as with all tourist destinations in Italy in August, they get crowded and expensive. If you can't do July, try end of June or the beginning of September.
In France the closest for tourist interests would be Colmar or Strasbourg. In Italy that would be Milan, perhaps Como may be slightly closer. But these are 3-4 hours away each way. Check train schedule with www.sbb.ch.