Cortina sits at about 1,220 metres in a wide, sunny basin ringed by the pale towers of the Dolomites, a UNESCO landscape that glows pink at sunset. It hosted the 1956 Winter Olympics and, with Milan, the 2026 Games, and it still carries itself like Italy's grand old ski town: boutiques on Corso Italia, Ladin roots in the valley, mountain huts that cook properly.
The skiing is split across three areas — Tofana, Faloria–Cristallo and Cinque Torri–Lagazuoi — all on the Dolomiti Superski pass, with the Hidden Valley run from Lagazuoi as the trophy. Expect long sunny days and lunches that last.
Ride the Faloria cable car from the centre and let everyone find their legs on the sunny slopes facing the Cristallo, beginners on the blues, the rest exploring the reds. Come down for the passeggiata on Corso Italia, an aperitivo and a first plate of casunziei.
Take the Freccia nel Cielo up to Tofana di Mezzo for the view, then split: the strong skiers tackle the Olympia delle Tofane while the others cruise the Socrepes slopes below. Meet for a long lunch at a rifugio and finish with a bombardino as the towers turn pink.
Bus or drive to Passo Falzarego, ride up Lagazuoi for the panorama and the WWI tunnels, then ski the Hidden Valley past the frozen waterfall to Armentarola and the horse-drawn tow. Spend the afternoon among the Cinque Torri and the open-air war museum before heading back for dinner.
The 'Arrow in the Sky' cable car climbs in three stages from the edge of town to Tofana di Mezzo at 3,244 metres, the highest point you can reach above Cortina. Up top the whole Ampezzo basin spreads out below, with the Dolomites' pale towers stacked to the horizon; the Olympia delle Tofane World Cup run drops away from the middle station.
Ride the Lagazuoi cable car at Passo Falzarego to 2,752 metres and ski about 8 km down through a silent canyon past a frozen waterfall, ending at Armentarola. A horse-drawn tow pulls you back along the flat towards the lifts — a Dolomites classic that any confident intermediate can enjoy.
Five rock towers rise from the snow above Passo Falzarego, with restored First World War trenches and positions threaded between them. Ski or walk between the towers and read the panels; Lagazuoi's tunnels, dug into the mountain by both sides, add a second chapter at the top of the cable car.
A cable car leaves straight from the centre of town for Faloria, where wide, sun-drenched intermediate pistes face the Cristallo massif. It's the easiest morning for a mixed group: reds for the confident, gentle blues for the rest, and a terrace for everyone at the top.
Cortina's pedestrian main street fills up from late afternoon as skiers come down, fur coats come out and the bell tower lights up. Window-shop the boutiques, pick a bar for an aperitivo and watch the town do its daily parade.
Cortina's mountain huts cook properly: casunziei, polenta with venison and strudel served on sun terraces facing the towers. Rifugio Scoiattoli and Rifugio Averau at Cinque Torri and Rifugio Lagazuoi at the top of the cable car are the classics — book a table in high season.
The heart of town, with the Faloria cable car a short walk away and the evening scene on your doorstep. Pick it if your group wants to roll out of bed into the passeggiata and doesn't mind paying for the postcode.
A scattering of hotels and apartments above town on the road to Passo Falzarego, with the whole basin laid out below. Quieter and panoramic, handy for the Tofana lifts and the ski bus; a good base for a group sharing an apartment.
A village about 10 km south under the Antelao, noticeably cheaper than Cortina itself. Drive or take the bus to the main lifts; the right call for a group that would rather spend on dinners than on the address.
Sleep in a mountain hut at Cinque Torri or at the top of the Lagazuoi cable car for first tracks, the sunset enrosadira and star-filled nights. Spartan but unforgettable; book months ahead and pack light.
Half-moon ravioli filled with beetroot, dressed with melted butter and poppy seeds, the Ampezzo valley's signature dish. Order it at a rifugio at lunch — the pink filling matches the mountains.
Bread dumplings bound with speck, cheese or spinach, served in broth or with melted butter. The Alpine comfort food of the Dolomites, ideal after a cold morning on Faloria.
Soft yellow polenta alongside slow-cooked venison or wild mushrooms, the staple of every hut terrace. Pair it with an Alto Adige red; the strudel afterwards is non-negotiable.
A hot shot of eggnog liqueur and brandy under a cap of whipped cream, drunk at the hut before the last run down. Sweet, strong and the Dolomites' answer to après-ski; back in town, switch to a glass of Veneto Prosecco.
Lifts usually run from early December to early April, Easter at the latest, and the sunny, dry Dolomites climate means snowmaking does the heavy lifting on most pistes rather than big dumps. Christmas to Epiphany on 6 January is Cortina's most glamorous and most expensive week, and February stays busy with the Italian settimana bianca, Carnevale, UK half-term and the German and Austrian Semesterferien. Early December, mid-January after Epiphany and March — long sunny days, soft afternoon snow — are quieter and noticeably cheaper. In summer the lifts reopen for hiking, via ferrata among the towers and road cycling over the Dolomites passes.
Venice Marco Polo is the main airport, about 2 hours by road, and Cortina Express coaches run direct from the terminal; Treviso and Innsbruck also work. By train, ride to Calalzo di Cadore and finish with about an hour on the bus. In town, the ski buses included with the Dolomiti Superski pass link the Faloria, Tofana and Falzarego lifts, so a car is only worth it for Passo Falzarego and day trips — and parking is a headache at Christmas.
Get an eSIM for Italy
No roaming bill, no queue at a kiosk. Install a data plan before you leave and Cortina d'Ampezzo has mobile data the second you switch off airplane mode.
10% off with code WEPLANIFY
Travel with a VPN
Hotel, café and airport Wi-Fi is shared with strangers. A VPN encrypts your connection — your banking, your inbox and the streaming you already pay for keep working in Cortina d'Ampezzo just like at home.
A realistic daily budget per person, in three styles.
Cortina d'Ampezzo is quite expensive overall, with lodging and dining often costing more than in most Italian towns.
