Alta Via 4 (day 0): San Candido to Rifugio Tre Scarperi

Last Updated on 22 April 2025

From San Candido to the trailhead and finally taking your first steps on AV4, what I’ve recommended in this post is a pseudo-“day 0” with just 90min of hiking that will perfectly set you up for trek to come. 

Rather than spending the night in San Candido before starting AV4 (I begrudgingly paid 230€ for one of the last rooms available, ugh), this day 0 still gives you plenty of time to arrive from neighbouring towns or even countries by bus/train, grab lunch and snacks in San Candido, and then walk or catch the bus to the trailhead with absolutely no hurry. When you wake up in the morning, you’ll have a stress-free early start to day 1 that allows time for TWO excellent via ferrata!

*If you have no intention of climbing either via ferrata on day 1, then you may wish to hike all the way out to Rifugio Locatelli (a further 3hrs) and combine day 0 as it’s described here with the standard AV4 stages described in my day 1 post.

This comprehensive guide to Day 0 of Alta Via 4 contains detailed section times, route recommendations, adventurous side trips, via ferrata, and heaps of insider tips— use it to plan your hike & then refer back on the trail so you always know what to expect!

All my AV4 knowledge in one place: Alta Via 4: complete hiking + via ferrata route guide

Alta Via 4: Day 0 overview

• Trail hours: 1.5hrs (+45min if walking from San Candido)
• Distance: 6km
• Elevation gain & loss: 400m up
• Huts: Rifugio Tre Scarperi

San Candido to AV4 (bus)

The official start to AV4 is just outside of San Candido, behind the Alte Säge restaurant as you drive towards Sexto. You can walk here in about 45min from town, but it’s entirely on pavement and without a great footpath, so it’s preferable to just hop on a quick bus. 

Bus 446 leaves every half hour just below the gondola station in San Candido and will deliver you within a few metres of the trailhead— get off after 2 stops (tickets 1.5€ payable on board). 

Alte Säge to Rifugio Tre Scarperi (1.5hrs)

AV4 officially begins on a pleasant, shaded trail through the forest, ascending around 350m over the course of 6km en route to Rifugio Tre Scarperi. It’s a slow and steady start to the more serious hiking to come, and a pleasant way to settle into your rhythm!

There are several parallel paths along the river and it doesn’t much matter which you take— they all seem to rejoin and disconnect constantly as you make your way to the hut. Don’t worry too much about the GPS here, all roads lead to Rome!

If you’re following my custom AV4 adventure route, the best way to stay on track is with my custom-built AV4 GPS map— packed with detailed daily tracks, 98+ waypoints, all the side trips & via ferrata described in this guide, plus extensive trail notes to help you navigate AV4 like an expert.

Available in both JSON and GPX formats, the map works seamlessly with GPS apps like CalTopo, Gaia, and AllTrails, or with Garmin devices and watches. Head to my storefront to purchase the map!

The last section of the walk brings you through a carpark (technically you could have been dropped off all the way up here, but where’s the fun in that) and then out into the Campo di Dentro Valley, where Rifugio Tre Scarperi sits with a dramatic view of Monte Mattina. 

Night 0: Rifugio Tre Scarperi

So close to the trailhead, you’ll find very few AV4 itineraries that recommend staying overnight at Rifugio Tre Scarperi— but as I advocated previously, this functions very well as a “day 0”, perfectly setting you up for a massive and adventure-filled day 1. 

And I actually really enjoyed Rifugio Tre Scarperi, with its balcony views of Monte Mattina and an excellent 3-course dinner that finished with a large serving of berry and lemon gelato. It also has one of the better breakfast spreads I’ve seen at any of the 16 huts I’ve stayed at! Reserve Rifugio Tre Scarperi using their online booking system.

• Rooms: 33/42€ (dorm/double room) OR 73/82€ half board (dorm/double room)
• Food: A la carte (15€ for dishes, 25€ for 3-course dinner, 15€ for fantastic brekky) or half-board
• Showers: 3€ for 5min
• Connectivity: None
• Alpine club discount: -10€ half board

For more information on what to expect in a mountain hut & how to prepare for your stay: Everything you need to know about mountain huts (rifugi) in the Italian Dolomites

Read more about Alta Via 4

start here ->Detailed AV4 Route Guide

ALTA VIA 4 (DAY 0): SAN CANDIDO TO RIFUGIO TRE SCARPERI

ALTA VIA 4 (DAY 1): RIFUGIO TRE SCARPERI TO LOCATELLI TRE CIME + VIA FERRATA TORRE DI TOBLIN & INNERKOFLER

ALTA VIA 4 (DAY 2): RIFUGIO LOCATELLI TRE CIME TO RIFUGIO FONDA SAVIO + VIA FERRATA MERLONE

ALTA VIA 4 (DAY 3): RIFUGIO FONDA SAVIO TO RIFUGIO VANDELLI

ALTA VIA 4 (DAY 4): RIFUGIO VANDELLI TO RIFUGIO SAN MARCO + VIA FERRATA GIRO DE SORAPIS

ALTA VIA 4 (DAYS 5 & 6): RIFUGIO SAN MARCO TO RIFUGIO ANTELAO TO PIEVE DI CADORE

navigate confidently on & off the trail ->AV4 adventure route GPS map!