Things to Do in Cortina d’Ampezzo
For more than a century Cortina d’Ampezzo has been standing for elegance and fashion, as well as showcasing the Italian way of life to the world. From the 1950s to 1970s international stars such as Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot or Clark Gable visited and loved Cortina.
Cortina d’Ampezzo gained fame for hosting the Winter Olympics and is now part of the world’s biggest combined ski area - Dolomiti Superski. This exceptionally beautiful resort offers an abundance of recreational opportunities, including hiking, trekking, mountain biking and protected via ferrata climbing.
Winter sports enthusiasts will be thrilled by Cortina’s 120km of perfectly groomed ski pistes. ‘Dolomiti Superski’ offers the unique experience to discover 12 ski resorts on a total of 1,200 km of pistes without ever taking off the skis. Cross-country skiers won’t miss out either, as Dolomiti Nordic includes also 12 resorts boasting a total of 1,300 km of cross-country trails.
The Cortina d’Ampezzo region offers thousands of kilometers of hiking trails leading through pristine forests and Alpine scenery. There is a great network of mountain huts, offering not only a place to rest but also local delicacies. Mountain biking enthusiasts will enjoy the many tracks and trails. Along a total of 700 km of mountain biking routes there are nine mountain bike hotels and seven biker huts. The town’s 16 sports shops offer a huge range of rental bikes, and the convenient Bike Pass allows access to nine mountain lifts.
The Dolomites of Cortina d’Ampezzo include six mountains higher than 3,000 m, 850 sport climbing routes, 1,000 conventional and modern climbing routes, as well as more than 15,000 m of via ferratas, transforming this region into a rock climbing heaven. First-time climbers will be gradually introduced to the various techniques by fully trained mountain guides.
Places to Stay in Cortina d’Ampezzo
Cortina d’Ampezzo offers a wide range of hotels, from small boutiques to luxury 5* resorts. The camping sites of Rocchetta, International Olympia, Dolomiti and Cortina are well equipped and offer all the comfort needed to spend some relaxing days in the Dolomites. Cortina is also a paradise for foodies and revelers, since it boasts a great number of bars, cafés, bakeries, breweries, wine and sandwich bars, restaurants, pizzerias and mountain restaurants.
