Cortina d'Ampezzo
The 'Pearl of the Dolomites,' host of the 1956 and 2026 Winter Olympics. This upscale mountain resort town, surrounded by the Tofane and Cristallo peaks, is the base for exploring the eastern Dolomites.
Cortina d'Ampezzo lies in the middle of the Ampezzo Basin at an elevation of 1,224 meters. It is surrounded by 3,000-meter-class peaks, including the Tofane, Cristallo and Sorapiss. After hosting the Winter Olympics in 1956, it became Italy's most fashionable mountain resort. In February 2026, it co-hosted the Winter Olympics with Milan, with alpine skiing (women's events), bobsleigh and curling held here. The town center's Corso Italia is a pedestrian street lined with luxury boutiques, old-fashioned cafés and a bell-tower church. The evening stroll, or passeggiata, is a local tradition. You can visit the Olympic ski jump, the Olympic ice rink and the nearby Ampezzo Dolomites Natural Park. In summer, cable cars from the town center go up to Faloria (2,123 meters, with views over the whole town and the Cristallo) or Tofana di Mezzo (3,244 meters, three cable car sections, the highest viewpoint in the Dolomites). A 20-30 minute drive takes you to Passo Giau (2,236 meters), where the alpine meadows beneath the Ra Gusela rock spire are considered the most beautiful in the Dolomites. You can also visit Passo Falzarego, where a cable car goes up to Lagazuoi to see World War I tunnels, Lago di Misurina (reflecting the Sorapiss peaks) and a hike to Lago di Sorapis (milky blue water, about 4 hours round trip). The Three Peaks (Tre Cime) are also within 40 minutes by car. In winter, the Dolomiti Superski pass covers 120 km of pistes in Cortina. Getting there: from Venice airport, take the Cortina Express bus for about 2 hours. By train, get off at Calalzo and transfer to a bus for about 1 hour. Walk around the town itself, and use a car or the Dolomiti Bus to reach the surrounding sights. Accommodation here is the most expensive in the Dolomites. On a limited budget, consider staying in San Vito or Dobbiaco instead. Plan to stay 2-3 nights as a base.
Opening hours
Open all day (cable car operates mid-June–mid-Sept in summer, Dec–April in winter)
Nearby sights
- Lago Federa
- Tofane & Freccia nel Cielo
- Lago di Sorapis
- Cinque Torri
- Passo Giau
- Prato Piazza
- Lake Misurina
- Lago di Landro