Explore Cortina d’Ampezzo with Us

Introduction

We’ll discover together how to make your Dolomite adventure unique, whatever the weather and in every season. Stroll along the elegant "Corso Italia," among boutiques, restaurants, and lively bars. Taste traditional dishes in mountain lodges. Explore hike and walks with stunning views and uncover hidden spots with tips from year-round Cortina locals. Your tourist guide to an authentic experience.

What to Do in Summer in Cortina

Summer in the mountains brings to mind hiking through the peaks, fresh air, the scent of blooming meadows, and peaceful walks in the woods. Temperatures are milder compared to the cities or the seaside, allowing you to relax in the sun by the shores of a lake or stream, or to enjoy the refreshing shade of the forest trees.

Alternatively, you could ride an e-bike to explore the beautiful scenic trails of the valley, play golf, enjoy a game of mini-golf, or savor a meal at a mountain lodge. If these ideas have sparked your curiosity, you might want to check out our page dedicated to the Ampezzo summer below.

Summer in Cortina Some ideas and inspirations to fill your days during the hot season in Cortina d'Ampezzo. Reading time: 19 min.

What to Do in Winter in Cortina

There are a lot of activities you can do in winter in Cortina. The first to mention are the winter sports, which have made our mountains famous all over the world. Skiing is the most practiced, but there are also ice skating or snow hiking, towards one of the many mountain lodges, often sledding down instead of walking.

What has made Cortina one of the most desirable winter destinations has been its ability to mix sports with social life. Its guests have the opportunity to have fun with skis on their feet, stopping to eat on the slopes, in front of a panorama that is unique in the world.

After a day outdoors, you may choose to stroll along "Corso Italia," the pedestrian area in the heart of town. There, you can go shopping in the stores of the most famous brands. Has this topic intrigued you? Then we invite you to read our page below:

Winter in Cortina Winter in Cortina d'Ampezzo is sport, snow, skiing and fun. Let's find out together. Reading time: 12 min.

What to Do in Cortina When it Rains

There's nothing to do; some will have bad luck and will find some rainy days during their holidays. That's why you should be prepared, thinking in advance about what to do in case of rain or snow.

A rainy day in Cortina might be the perfect push to stay in bed a little longer, perhaps spending some time browsing through our website. After enjoying a hearty breakfast at one of the pastry shops in the center, you could spend your morning shopping at the local stores. The most famous of these is the "Cooperativa," which is almost an institution. Later, you might treat yourself to a meal at a fancy restaurant, sipping some fine wine.

You could spend the afternoon immersed in culture, visiting one of the museums in the valley. Then, why not enjoy a drink? After all, you're on vacation; some exceptions to the rules are allowed! If the bad weather lasts a few days and you're looking for more ideas, you may check out the page below, which is more detailed:

What to do when it rains How to spend a pleasant day in Cortina d'Ampezzo even if you've found bad weather. Reading time: 9 min.

Where to Eat Well in Cortina

After all the activities we've described, probably you're a little hungry. Don't worry, Cortina can satisfy every palate, from those looking for a quick sandwich or simply a pizza, to those who want a classy dinner, with starter, first course, second course and even a good bottle of wine.

With our tips, you'll know where to go for every price range you want to aim for: from the cheap snack in the pizza by the slice, to the top notch starred restaurant that can provide the perfect fulfillment for your vacation.

If this topic has intrigued you and you'd like to explore it further, or you are simply curious to find out more about Cortina's restaurants, all you have to do is read the page below, where we tell you everything you need to know about eating in Cortina:

Eat well in Cortina The best places to eat in the town, whatever the budget, from pizza to star-studded. Reading time: 10 min.

Where to Party in Cortina

Vacations are not just about sporting activities and eating, sometimes being on vacation means also partying, and Cortina offers many options to party people.

The Veneto region is famous in Italy for the "thirst" of its inhabitants, with its amazing wines and the Aperol Spritz, we are also spiritually near the Austrians and the Germans, so Bavaria with its light beer and forest-scented grappas. If you want to let yourself go, you'll surely find the right place for you.

Ampezzo's nightlife is mainly concentrated in the bars and the few clubs of the center, or in the immediate vicinity. In high season they turn into gathering places frequented by tourists and locals.

Depending on your preference, you can choose wine bars, breweries or disco bars, where you can relax or, in some cases, dance. During the busiest moments of the year, discos also open, where you can dance into the night.

If you enjoy nightlife and want to learn more about the mountain "spirit," please read the page below.

Party in Cortina Nightlife in Cortina: all the places to party, from bars to nightclubs to mountain lodges. Reading time: 17 min.

A Walk in Corso Italia

The beating heart of Cortina is "Corso Italia." It's a pedestrian island in the center of the town, where the most fashionable stores alternate with trendy bars and a few clubs. Some of the world's most prestigious clothing brands have one window in the center to show their products to the guests of Cortina.

"Corso Italia" is the gathering spot for the entire population of Cortina. After a day on the ski slopes, in the mountains, or at work, people come together in the town center to enjoy a drink or spend time with friends.

Along "Corso Italia," you can admire some of the town's most famous public buildings, from the distinctive bell tower of 1858, made entirely of the rock of our mountains, to the Basilica of Saints Philip and James. From the "Comun Vecio," the former town hall, to the "Ciasa dei pupe," translated as "the house of the kids." These buildings are inextricably linked to Cortina's history. If you are interested in this topic, you should read our page below:

What to see in Corso Italia All the buildings and points of interest in the pedestrian area of Cortina d'Ampezzo. Reading time: 17 min.

A Relaxing Walk

After visiting "Corso Italia," you'll probably want to connect with nature on a nice stroll. The most iconic walk you can take in Cortina, while staying close to the center, is along the path of the former railway.

This is a pedestrian route that crosses the town and continues both northward and southward. Since it follows the old train track, it is flat throughout its length. For more detailed information about this walk, which is truly suitable for everyone, you can check out our deep dive on the following page:

The former railway The most famous walk in Cortina. It is simple, for everyone, and accessible all year round. 2h 00' - 7 km - Easy

If you are looking for a more naturalistic walk, though it includes a steep but short climb, you will surely love the road of the former powder magazine. It's the most scenic path so close to the center, winding through the vast meadows at the foot of Mount Tofane. If you want to walk even more, the same road will lead you to Lake Pianozes, one of the most picturesque mountain lakes in the valley.

It is a very pleasant walk on a white road close to the traffic. For more detailed information on this walk, you may read our page on the subject below:

Walk to Lake Pianozes A walk from the center of Cortina to Lake Pianozes, along a road surrounded by green. 1h 45' - 6,5 km - Easy

There are many alternative walks and hikes in Cortina d'Ampezzo, but we have chosen these two as they are the most enjoyable and conveniently located near the center of Cortina.

An Amazing Hike

In the previous chapter we mentioned two wonderful strolls, but our website features an entire section dedicated to the most beautiful walks and hikes, both in Cortina and its surrounding areas.

We have divided those hikes into categories, ranging from easy ones, suitable for almost everyone, to more challenging ones for those more used to walking. In any case, they are all reasonably simple, so what are you waiting for? Click below to discover them:

Best hikes in Cortina The most beautiful hikes to do in Cortina d'Ampezzo, from the easiest to the most difficult. Reading time: 6 min.

Eating in a Mountain Lodge

After a good hike or a day of skiing, there is nothing better than a good meal to restore the lost calories. Both in summer and winter, Cortina d'Ampezzo mountain lodges are always ready to welcome the hungry tourist.

The name alpine hut or refuge suggest spartan locations, so we refer to them as mountain lodges, because they are, generally, fancy places that offer high quality dishes and selections of wines at the same level of the restaurants in the town.

If you are not willing to walk, some mountain lodges can also be reached by car or ski lift, allowing you to enjoy breathtaking views without having to struggle. If you want to explore this topic further, we recommend you read the page beneath, dedicated to eating in a refuge in Cortina.

Eating in a mountain lodge An article about mountain lodges, both if you want to walk there or use the ski lift. Reading time: 11 min.

Parking in Cortina

Parking in Cortina is not easy, but in some moments of the year it really becomes a problem. There are many parking lots scattered around the town, more or less known. The main ones are quite large, but in some cases they are occupied by events, construction sites or maintenance work. There are also some smaller and less known places for parking, but they are not as near as those in the center.

Parking in Cortina is not easy, so we recommend, when possible, to move around on foot, to avoid unnecessary time wasting and annoying searches. If you have to move your car, for example because you need to go to buy groceries, you may choose less busy hours, such as early in the morning.

If you live far from the center of the town and you need to take the car, it will be better to do some advance planning. We recommend reading our article on where to park in Cortina d'Ampezzo, in which we describe all the parking lots, even the most secret ones. You can find it below:

Where to park in Cortina Valuable tips for parking your car. A complete list and map of all the car parks in Cortina. Reading time: 7 min.

Infos about Cortina

When planning your holidays, information is never enough. That's why we have collected much practical information and tips you won’t easily find on other travel websites. All our information, as always, is written by hand by us, who live here all year round. From public services to safety, healthcare, and everything you need to know about transportation.

This page has been written to make life easier for anyone visiting Cortina for the first time. Don’t miss the chance to learn this useful info.

Info about Cortina A page where some interesting facts about the history and society of Ampezzo are collected. Reading time: 6 min.

Tourist Seasonality

Cortina is a small mountain town. Those who love nature and relaxation will spend unforgettable moments there, but it can't offer the same stimuli as a large metropolis. If you are looking for large hypermarkets, fast food chains, multiplex cinemas, and huge clubs, maybe Cortina is not the ideal choice for your vacation.

Cortina is a town that is greatly affected by seasonality. During a few months of the year most activities may be closed. If you are not clear about the dynamics of tourist influx in mountain places, we highly recommend reading this article:

Cortina's seasonality Let's discover the tourist influx to Cortina. A detailed analysis of every month of the year. Reading time: 12 min.

Native Animals of Cortina

Cortina d'Ampezzo is a small natural oasis of Dolomite wildlife, all the species live in the Ampezzo Dolomites Natural Park. The park is one of the most beautiful nature reserves in the Dolomites and here lives more than thirty species of mammals, more than one hundred species of birds and sexteen species of amphibians, reptiles and fish.

In the following article we are going to describe what animals you can meet in Cortina, divided by categories, from the largest to the smallest, from the most frequent to the rarest.

This is a light-hearted page, suitable for those who want to have an overview on the subject, but it allows you to delve deeper thanks to the presence of many links to Wikipedia, where you can study the Ampezzo fauna in more detail. It can be found below:

The animals of Cortina A brief description of Cortina's fauna: from the smallest to the most majestic animals. Reading time: 6 min.

What to See in Cortina

Although the town is quite small, there is no shortage of things to do and see in Cortina d'Ampezzo. The challenge, however, is that you might only have a few days to explore the Pearl of the Dolomites.

In this case, you may be looking for a summarized page, where to find all the unmissable things to see during a really short vacation. If this is what you're looking for, the next page is the right one for you:

What to see in Cortina A page where you can discover all that Cortina has to offer on a one or multi day vacation. Reading time: 5 min.

Of course, we recommend a deep exploration of our website, where you're sure you'll find plenty of additional inspiration for planning your short visit.

Conclusion

We hope you liked this page about experiencing Cortina d'Ampezzo. Before saying goodbye, we would suggest you read our home page, with all the articles we wrote about Cortina d'Ampezzo.

If you want to thank us, you can read the page Support Us. If you only want to suggest a change, propose something, or just say hello, in the section Contacts and Info, you'll find all the ways to reach us.