Rifugio Averau

We had lunch today at Rifugio Averau, and it was an unforgettable experience. The food was absolutely amazing—every dish was full of flavor and beautifully prepared. The service was excellent, with friendly and attentive staff who made us feel welcome from the moment we arrived. On top of that, the breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains created the perfect atmosphere. Highly recommend this place for anyone looking to enjoy delicious food with a stunning backdrop!

Stopped here for lunch and it didn’t disappoint!! The gnocchi was absolutely delicious!! A great location and it has an amazing view. Highly recommend getting the Greek salad. It’s a very easy place to access with the double chair leading straight out the front. The staff are very helpful and they were able to accommodate a large group of(9people) Will definitely come back here again!!

We visited Rifugio Averau while hiking the Dolomites in September 2024. Rifugio Averau was our 4th stay in the Dolomites. It was a journey to hike there but once we arrived it was lovely. The rifugio offers shoe heaters and slippers to wear around the rifugio. We originally booked a shared room but then changed to a private room since someone had cancelled and they had availability. The room was on the 2nd floor and had a stunning view of the mountains. Since we changed rooms, we only had bed and breakfast and didn’t have dinner included. The room was very large and could fit 5 people. We purchased dinner a la carte. I do honestly prefer half board, but they had good options but it ended up being a little pricey. They staff was very friendly and the views were amazing. I would recommend this rifugio to anyone in the Dolomites, but maybe take the ski lift if you can!

Great little Rifugio saddled between the mountains Averau and Nouvalu. We had booked a double room with our own bathroom and both did not disappoint. The food was also very good. We went for the sunset and sunrise photography and allowing for mountain weather, got some really atmospheric shots. It isn’t cheap to stay here, but worth it for the experience even if you only do it once.

Very nice rifugio, which was our fourth night of the Alta Via 1. We were a group of six who had a mix of separate rooms and dorm places. The separate rooms were very comfortable, spacious, with nice private shower rooms. Nice bed linens and all very clean. The washing machine and dryer were a godsend at this stage of the hike. We all did the extra hike up the hill to the nearby Rifugio Nuvolao for a beer. The food was the best we had on the whole ten day trek. Great to have fish for once! Our only complaint was the odd pricing structure when you are a mixed group as we were. Those who were in the dorm paid €85 per person including half board. Those in separate rooms paid €130 per person for B&B. The restaurant wouldn't give us a price for half board. Whilst our lower priced friends enjoyed three courses plus a salad, we had to pay through the nose for the same. We expect to pay more for separate rooms, but not to be treated so unfairly in the restaurant for doing so.

Our group stayed at Refugio Averau on the fourth night of our trek on the AV1 in the Dolomites. It was in a beautiful location - in a high pass between rocky plateaus. But it was also VERY popular on the day we arrived (a friday in August). We noted there was a chair lift ferrying visitors up from the main road below. Hikers and mountain bikers were passing through in multiple directions. We felt lucky to snag an outdoor table - so we could enjoy our post-hike "beer and fries" - which had become a regular tradition by this point. (The fries were excellent).||Despite the crowds, our check-in was speedy. Our group's shared bunk room was "cozy," but had jackpot views. Then we managed to get in line early for the laundry room in their basement. Cuz it was time.||Dinner was a low point, at least for me. I had been noticing venison on the menus of previous rifugios and had finally decided to act - I ordered the venison with potatoes. Unfortunately it was AWFUL - It should have been called "a bowl of potatoes with gamey gristle on top". It would be my worst meal in Italy. (A star off for that). And yes - I've had good venison before.||Averau was the first rifugio we visited on our trek with non-potable tap water; but thankfully all the sinks were clearly labeled. Plus we had filtering gear with us, so it was not a big issue. (But it did seem an odd contrast to the touristy vibe; they must sell a lot of bottled water).||Rifugio Summary:|- Setting: In a high pass with expansive view; very popular on a summer day|- Rooms/dorms: Nice; Clean. On the smaller side|- Food: Terrible dinner (for me); on-par breakfast spread|- Free Potable water: No!|- Wi-fi: Passable

Visited in winter, the week before Christmas. We were the only two guests here during our visit, but the rifugio staff still went all out to make our stay a wonderful one. First up - there were high winds and so the chairlift wasn't running, but the rifugio sent a snowmobile down to the bottom station to pick us up all the way to the top. The ride was an absolute thriller too! The rest of the staff also gave us great service. Views from the top are out of this world. You get a great vantage point of sunrise and sunset, which we could see just from our room window. If you get a clear night, absolutely head outside and just take in the stars and the milky way. We came during the Geminid meteor shower, so the heavens threw in a few shooting stars to boot. If you decide to snowshoe around the rifugio, take care and look out for deep snow drifts. The area around is very rocky so you can never know what lies underneath the snow. Had a few close shaves myself. Food - done very well. Had a papardelle for lunch, and beef cheek polenta for dinner. Both were executed well, had a fantastic home cooked feel to it and weren't too salty. Absolutely would recommend visiting, even in the winter cold (we had -11 C, feels like -19 with wind chill!). Extra special to lounge in your comfy room and look out at the wintery landscapes all around.

This was my favorite rifugio. It was very clean, not too many per room, and the food and views were amazing! Not to be missed! It was comfortable after hiking and the staff was very kind. Just be careful on the exposed ledge if you’re doing Alta Via 1. It’s manageable but tread with caution in certain conditions like snow.