Rifugio Vandelli

Rifugio Vandelli (full name Rifugio Alfonso Vandelli al Sorapiss, also known in German as Vandellihütte or Sorapisshütte) is an alpine mountain hut owned by the Venice section of the Club Alpino Italiano (CAI) and located in the Sorapiss group of the Ampezzo Dolomites, in the Province of Belluno, Italy. It sits at 1,926 metres above sea level in a glacial basin just a few minutes' walk from the famous Lake Sorapiss, whose unusual turquoise colour has made it one of the most photographed spots in the Dolomites. The hut is a long-established reference point for hikers, walkers and mountain lovers, and the Dolomites High Routes 3 and 4 pass by it. The building offers 57 beds plus a winter room with four places, and is normally staffed from mid-June to mid-September; the official website lists the 2026 season as 20 June to 20 September, with any early or late openings announced in the information section. Its kitchen serves simple, hearty dishes rooted in alpine tradition, and overnight accommodation is available for guests who want to experience Sorapiss at dawn or sunset. The hut is managed by the Pais Bianco family on behalf of the CAI Venice section. The history of the hut is long and eventful. It was built in 1891 as the Pfalzgau Hütte by the Pfalzgau section of the German and Austrian Alpine Club near Lake Sorapiss. Destroyed by an avalanche in 1895, it was rebuilt a year later about 100 metres further north. It suffered heavy damage again in the war winters of 1916 and 1917, and after the First World War it was expropriated along with other DÖAV huts on Italian territory and handed to the CAI. The Venice section rebuilt it and inaugurated it in 1924 as Rifugio Cesare Luigi Luzzatti; in 1939, following Italy's racial laws, it was renamed Rifugio Sorapis. It survived the Second World War and reopened in 1947, but burned to its foundations in October 1959. Rebuilt on the same site, it reopened in 1966 and was named after Alfonso Vandelli, long-serving president of the Venice section. Today Rifugio Vandelli functions as a commercial hospitality business within the CAI hut network: it sells meals, drinks and overnight stays to the hiking public, publishes booking and price information online, and communicates seasonal notices and trail closures through its website. Its brand identity is closely tied to Lake Sorapiss and to the surrounding Dolomites UNESCO landscape.

Rifugio Vandelli was built in 1891 as the Pfalzgau Hütte by the Pfalzgau section of the German and Austrian Alpine Club (Deutscher und Österreichischer Alpenverein, DÖAV), near Lake Sorapiss in the Sorapiss group of the Dolomites. In 1895 an avalanche destroyed the building, and it was rebuilt a year later about 100 metres further north. During the war winters of 1916 and 1917 it was again severely damaged by avalanches. After the First World War, like all other DÖAV huts that now stood on Italian territory, it was expropriated and handed over to the Club Alpino Italiano (CAI). The Venice section of the CAI rebuilt the hut and inaugurated it in 1924 under the name Rifugio Cesare Luigi Luzzatti, in memory of a deserving member of the section. Following the passage of the Italian racial laws, it was renamed Rifugio Sorapis in 1939. The hut survived the Second World War undamaged and was able to reopen in 1947. In October 1959 it burned down to its foundations. Rebuilt on the same site, it reopened in 1966 and was named after Alfonso Vandelli, the long-serving president of the Venice section. The hut is normally staffed from mid-June to mid-September and offers 57 beds plus a winter room with four places. It lies at 1,926 m above sea level in a glacial basin of the Sorapiss group in the Ampezzo Dolomites, close to Lake Sorapiss, and the Dolomites High Routes 3 and 4 pass by it. Access routes include the Passo Tre Croci (1,805 m) via trail 215 in about 1½ hours or trail 213 in 2¾–3 hours, and Val d'Ansièi – Federavecchia (1,368 m) via trail 217 in 2¾–3 hours. Neighbouring huts and crossings include Rifugio San Marco, Rifugio Capanna Tondi, Bivacco Slàtaper and Bivacco Còmici. The hut is managed by the Pais Bianco family on behalf of the CAI Venice section, and its official website publishes booking and price information, seasonal opening dates and notices about trail closures.

• 1966

  Rebuilt on the same site and reopened, named after Alfonso Vandelli.

• 1959

  Burned down to its foundations in October.

• 1947

  Reopened after surviving the Second World War undamaged.

• 1939

  Renamed Rifugio Sorapis following the Italian racial laws.

• 1924

  Rebuilt by the CAI Venice section and inaugurated as Rifugio Cesare Luigi Luzzatti.

• 1917

  Severely damaged again by avalanches during the war winter.

• 1916

  Severely damaged by avalanches during the war winter.

• 1896

  Rebuilt about 100 m further north.

• 1895

  Destroyed by an avalanche.

• 1891

  Built as the Pfalzgau Hütte by the Pfalzgau section of the DÖAV near Lake Sorapiss.

A historic, family-managed CAI alpine hut positioned as an authentic, slow-paced mountain stop at the gateway to Lake Sorapiss.

• Alpine hut meals and drinks

  Simple, hearty dishes rooted in alpine tradition, served after the climb or on return from the lake.

• Overnight accommodation

  57 beds plus a winter room with four places, for guests who want to experience Sorapiss at dawn or sunset.

• Booking and price information

  Published on the official website, along with seasonal opening dates and trail notices.

1. 1Rifugio Vandelli | Homepagerifugiovandelli.it
2. 2Rifugio Vandelli – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Rifugio Vandelli – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org