Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo travel guide
Tofana cable cars, Tre Cime hikes and First World War trenches
Cortina d'Ampezzo is the Dolomites' most fashionable resort, set in a wide valley ringed by peaks and reached by coach from Venice airport. Ski from December to March, or hike and explore First World War sites from July to September. Allow three days in summer and a week for skiing. Cortina is expensive, especially in ski season.
Cortina d'Ampezzo lies in a wide glacial bowl in the Dolomites, in the upper Boite valley of the Veneto, with the Tofana peaks on one side and Monte Cristallo on the other. It is Italy's most fashionable mountain resort. The Winter Olympics came here in 1956 and returned in 2026, when Cortina co-hosted with Milan.
Its past is Austrian as much as Italian. The valley was Venetian from 1420, then Habsburg for most of four centuries until 1918, and Ladin is still spoken. You taste it at dinner: casunziei, half-moon ravioli filled with beetroot and topped with poppy seeds, and chenedi, bread dumplings in broth.
Skiing runs from December into spring. The Tofana cable car leaves from near the Ice Arena at the north end of town and reaches the highest terrain, which usually has the best snow; Faloria starts beside the bus station. Cinque Torri and Lagazuoi, out toward the Falzarego Pass, are reached by bus or car. All of it belongs to the Dolomiti Superski network.
Summer is the other season, and for many the better one. Trails marked with red and white flashes leave in every direction. Take the bus to Rifugio Auronzo and walk the near-level loop around the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, going anticlockwise for the classic view of the north faces. Or hike up to Lake Sorapiss, a milky turquoise pool below Rifugio Vandelli.
At Cinque Torri, a chairlift climbs to a row of rock stumps popular with climbers. Around them, restored First World War trenches and gun positions form an open-air museum with photographs and information boards. The front between Italy and Austria-Hungary ran right through these mountains.
Corso Italia, the pedestrian main street, is lined with boutiques and cafes and anchored by the 18th-century Basilica dei Santi Filippo e Giacomo. On a wet day, the Regole d'Ampezzo run two museums worth an hour: the Rimoldi collection of modern art and the Zardini museum of Dolomite fossils.
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High-altitude skiing, classic Dolomite hikes, First World War sites and a smart little town in the middle.
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Best time to visit Cortina d'Ampezzo
Month by month, so you can pick the weather and the crowds you want.
Snow on the Tofana and Faloria slopes; Christmas, New Year and January are the busiest and dearest weeks.
Lifts and refuges are open for the Tre Cime and Cinque Torri; August is the most crowded month.
Many lifts, huts and hotels close, and high trails can hold snow into early summer.
August, Christmas and January are peak periods; even the campsites fill in summer, so book early.
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Getting there
Cortina Express from Venice
Cortina has no railway and only a heliport, so everyone arrives by road. The usual gateway is Venice Marco Polo airport, about 160 km away, where the Cortina Express coach leaves for the resort and takes roughly 2.5 to 3 hours. Book seats online or in the app; two bags plus skis or a snowboard are included.
- Cortina Express from Venice airport
- About 2.5 to 3 hours; book ahead
- Treviso
- About 130 km; the coach leaves from a shopping centre, not the airport
- Innsbruck
- About 170 km; no direct coach, train to Dobbiaco then bus
- By car from the Brenner
- A22 to Bressanone, then SS49 and SS51
- Treviso airport is about 130 km away, but the coach picks up from a shopping centre away from the terminal, so it only suits people already in Treviso.
- Innsbruck, about 170 km north, has no direct coach; go by train over the Brenner and change at Fortezza for Dobbiaco, where buses run down the valley to Cortina, or hire a car.
- Book the coach early for Christmas, New Year and August.
- In winter, drive with winter tyres or carry snow chains for the mountain roads.
Where to stay
Corso Italia, the Ice Arena end or a rifugio
Cortina is the most expensive resort in Italy to sleep in, especially in August and over Christmas, and even campsites fill in summer. Staying in town puts restaurants, shops and the bus station on foot. Hikers can also spend nights in mountain refuges, which turn a day walk into a high-mountain trip.
- Town centre around Corso Italia
- Restaurants, shops and buses on foot; the priciest area
- North end by the Ice Arena
- Short walk to the Tofana cable car
- Mountain refuges
- Rifugio Vandelli at Lake Sorapiss and others, for hikers
- Via dei Campi
- Campervan parking area on the edge of town
- Campervans have a dedicated parking area on Via dei Campi.
Getting around
Buses, cable cars and a car
The town is compact and easy on foot, with Corso Italia at its centre and both cable car stations within walking distance. Beyond it, a car is the most convenient way to reach the passes and trailheads, especially in summer.
- On foot
- The town centre is compact
- Se.Am buses
- Local lines to lift stations and outlying areas
- Tofana and Faloria cable cars
- From the north end of town and beside the bus station
- Bus to Rifugio Auronzo
- Summer access to the Tre Cime loop
- Cable cars, gondolas and chairlifts do the rest: Tofana from the north end of town, Faloria from beside the bus station, and Cinque Torri and Lagazuoi out toward the Falzarego Pass.
- Taxis exist but get expensive on longer runs.
- Buy a 1:25,000 hiking map; path numbers match the waymarks on the ground.
- Start popular hikes early, before lift queues and trailhead car parks fill.
Know before you go
What makes Cortina d'Ampezzo worth the trip, and what catches visitors out.
Why travelers love it
- The Tre Cime loop from Rifugio Auronzo, walked anticlockwise for the north faces.
- The open-air war museum at Cinque Torri, trenches and gun posts among the rock towers.
- Lake Sorapiss, a milky turquoise pool under sheer walls.
- A plate of casunziei, beetroot ravioli with butter and poppy seeds, after a day outdoors.
- Tofana on a clear morning, from the highest lifts in the valley.
Good to know
- Cortina is Italy's priciest ski resort, and rates peak in August and over Christmas.
- Many lifts and huts close between seasons, roughly April to June and October to November.
- Book the Cortina Express in advance; seats sell out at Christmas and in August.
- Mountain weather changes fast; carry layers and check forecasts before high routes.
Trip fit
BookingMentor editorial ratings out of 5, based on a first-time visitor's experience.
Weather in Cortina d'Ampezzo, month by month
Cortina d'Ampezzo's figures come from long-term records of Italy's Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA); tap a month to compare.
Climate figures are approximate long-term averages for Cortina d'Ampezzo (Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, via Wikipedia).
Tre Cime, Cinque Torri and Lake Sorapiss on foot
Day one. Take the morning bus to Rifugio Auronzo and walk the loop around the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. Go anticlockwise, so the famous north faces appear on the far side. The path is broad and fairly level, with huts for lunch along the way.
Back in town, walk Corso Italia in the early evening and look into the Basilica dei Santi Filippo e Giacomo.
Day two. Head out toward the Falzarego Pass and ride the chairlift to Cinque Torri. Walk among the rock towers and through the restored First World War trenches and gun positions, reading the boards as you go. If you still have energy, continue to the Lagazuoi area for more wartime tunnels and wide views.
Day three. Hike to Lake Sorapiss, a turquoise lake beside Rifugio Vandelli. It is a longer, rougher walk, so start early and carry water. On a wet day, swap it for the Rimoldi modern art museum and the Zardini fossil museum in town, then ride the Tofana cable car when the cloud lifts.
Casunziei, chenedi and Ladin mountain cooking
Cortina's cooking sits closer to Tyrol and western Austria than to Venice, and many dishes still go by German names. Locals describe it as plain to look at but rich in flavour. Start with chenedi, bread dumplings filled with meat, spinach or cheese, served in hot broth or with melted butter.
Casunziei are the signature pasta: half-moon ravioli stuffed with beetroot or potato and finished with butter and poppy seeds. Perstarei, bits of dough boiled in salted milk, were the old breakfast.
The Venetian centuries left polenta, rise e bise (rice and peas) and faariesa, a bean soup, while Austrian rule brought goulash soup. Main courses lean on roast meat with mushrooms and gröstl, a pan-fry of meat and potatoes.
Some of the best meals are at mountain huts, where you can lunch on dumplings and polenta with a view. In the evening, the bars on and around Corso Italia fill with après-ski crowds in winter, and LP26 is a favourite for a glass before or after dinner. Book restaurants ahead in August and at Christmas.
Tofana, Faloria and the Dolomiti Superski winter
Winter is what made Cortina's name. A ski school opened here in 1903, and the town hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956 before co-hosting again in 2026. Two cable cars leave from town. Tofana, by the Ice Arena on the north side, serves the highest slopes, which usually have the best conditions.
Faloria starts by the bus station on the south side, with its own runs and views across to Monte Cristallo. Buses connect to the other sectors, including Cinque Torri and Lagazuoi toward the Falzarego Pass, where long scenic runs wind between the peaks. The area is part of the Dolomiti Superski network, so one pass opens a huge web of lifts.
Not everything is about skiing. The Olympic ice stadium hosts curling and ice hockey, both to watch and to try, and there are winter walking trails and festive markets in town.
The busiest weeks are Christmas, New Year and January, when rooms cost the most. Late January to March usually brings reliable snow, longer days and slightly calmer slopes.
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How we research our Cortina d'Ampezzo travel guide
The Cortina Express from Venice, lift seasons and the walks to Tre Cime and Sorapiss are reviewed each season against the Comune di Cortina d'Ampezzo website and Italia.it, with the Dolomites' UNESCO listing for background.
Last updated . Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Checked against trusted sources:
Official website of Cortina d'AmpezzoItalia.itUNESCO World Heritage Centre
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Quick answers to the questions travelers ask most before visiting Cortina d'Ampezzo.
General
Take the Cortina Express coach from Venice Marco Polo airport, about 2.5 to 3 hours. Book ahead online or in the app; ski equipment is included.
There is no direct coach. Take the train over the Brenner to Fortezza and on to Dobbiaco, then a bus south to Cortina, or drive the 170 km.
Tofana, with the highest terrain, Faloria, Cinque Torri and Lagazuoi. All are part of Dolomiti Superski.
Casunziei are half-moon ravioli stuffed with beetroot or potato under butter and poppy seeds. Chenedi are bread dumplings served in broth, a reminder of the valley's Tyrolean side.
Restored trenches and gun positions surround Cinque Torri, reached by chairlift, and more wartime tunnels lie in the Lagazuoi area.
The town is compact and easy on foot, with Corso Italia at its centre and both cable car stations within walking distance. Beyond it, a car is the most convenient way to reach the passes and trailheads, especially in summer.
Getting there
No. The narrow-gauge line between Calalzo and Dobbiaco closed in 1964, and its track bed is now a walking and cycling route. Arrivals today are by coach, car or taxi.
A local bus runs up to Rifugio Auronzo in summer. From there, a fairly level path loops around the three peaks.
Timing & weather
Ski lifts turn from December into spring, with January to March the most reliable for snow. Summer lifts and mountain huts open from about July to September, and many services close in between.
Three days covers the Tre Cime loop, Cinque Torri and Lake Sorapiss in summer. Skiers usually book a week to work through the Tofana, Faloria and Falzarego sectors.
The best time to visit Cortina d'Ampezzo is Jan to Mar, Jul to Sep. Reliable snow in late winter, then open lifts and mountain huts for summer hiking.
- Ski season: December - March (Snow on the Tofana and Faloria slopes; Christmas, New Year and January are the busiest and dearest weeks)
- Hiking season: July - September (Lifts and refuges are open for the Tre Cime and Cinque Torri; August is the most crowded month)
- Between seasons: April - June, October - November (Many lifts, huts and hotels close, and high trails can hold snow into early summer)
July is the warmest month in Cortina d'Ampezzo, with average highs of 22°C, and January the coolest, with lows of -5°C. August is the wettest month, at about 143 mm of rain; February is the driest.
Prices & payment
Mountain refuges and campsites cost far less than town hotels, and campervans have their own area on Via dei Campi. Rates are highest in August and over Christmas, so other weeks help too.
Visa & documents
Schengen rules apply in Italy. Citizens of the EU and of many other countries, including the US, UK, Canada and Australia, can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period; other nationalities need a Schengen visa. The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) records non-EU travelers' fingerprints and a photo at the border.
Health & safety
Violent crime against visitors to Italy is rare. Pickpocketing is the main problem, especially on buses and metros in Rome (bus 64 is notorious), at Roman and Florentine sights, and at Termini and Naples Centrale stations. Wear your bag across your body and zip it, and use only licensed white taxis or official ride apps.
