Known as the “Queen of the Dolomites” (or the “Pearl of the Dolomites”), Cortina d’Ampezzo today is a posh resort on the Dolomiti Superski circuit, the world’s largest ski area with more than 745 miles of pistes. It attracts adventurers with mountain biking, hiking, and climbing, as well as those looking for calmer pursuits, like Michelin-starred dining, high-end shopping, and a glamorous après-ski scene. To top it off, Cortina provides visitors with plenty of cushy hotels, including some of the Dolomites’ most revered properties.
Best Hotels and Resorts
– Grand Hotel Savoia Cortina d’Ampezzo, A Radisson Collection Hotel
– Faloria Mountain Spa Resort
– Rosapetra Spa Resort
– Cristallo Resort & Spa
Best Things to Do
Swoosh around Dolomiti Superski.
With more than 745 miles of slopes and 120 modern lifts and cable cars that connect passholders to the entire network, the world’s largest ski circuit ensures visitors won’t ever get bored. In the summertime, those same hills are alive with glorious hiking and biking among high mountain meadows and pristine lakes.
Explore the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.
The Dolomites’ toothiest peaks look foreboding, but they’re actually remarkably accessible, even for the moderately fit, via a 6.4-mile trail that skirts the base of the mountains. The incredibly scenic hike takes about 3.5 hours, or more if you stop for lunch at a cozy rifugio.
Climb a via ferrata.
IC Bellagio recommends hiring a guide and tackling a via ferrata at the Cascate di Fanes, a crashing waterfall in the Natural Park of the Ampezzo Dolomites. “It’s a very pleasant excursion in an impressive landscape, combining views with an easy itinerary suitable also for beginners on the rocks,” says Sancassani.
Take in the views.
You don’t have to ski or hike to access Cortina’s epic landscapes. From town, take the Freccia nel Cielo cable cars up to the Cima Tofana, the third-highest peak in the Dolomites, for mozzafiato (breathtaking) views at 10,640 feet. Enjoy some pizza at nearly two miles high, then get whisked back down to Cortina.
Best Restaurants
Baita Piè Tofana
Tivoli
Pontejel Bierstube Forst
Best Shopping
Artigianato Artistico Ampezzano
La Cooperativa di Cortina
Franz Kraler
Best Nightlife
Enoteca Cortina
Restaurant Col Drusciè 1778
Bar Sport
Janbo
How to Get There
Cortina is about a two-hour drive from Venice’s Marco Polo Airport and is also served by a smaller airport in Trento. There are several helicopter ports near town as well. There’s no train station in Cortina, though buses arrive from stations in Belluno, Calalzo di Cadore, and Dobbiaco. Renting a car offers greater flexibility for day trips, though if you’re here to ski, hike, and sightsee locally, you can easily get by without one.
How to Get Around
Cortina d’Ampezzo town center is compact and easily walkable. If you’re staying at a resort outside the center, ask about courtesy shuttles into town or to the closest ski gondola.
DolomitiBus connects Cortina ski areas and offers town-to-town service as well. For taxis, transfers, and private drivers, the Cortina Dolomiti website has a list of approved partners.
