Cortina d'Ampezzo Essential Info

Introduction

On this page, we've gathered exclusive and helpful information about the various services available in Cortina d'Ampezzo. From public and administrative services, to healthcare facilities and police stations, plus plenty of practical tips, parking, and getting around. This page, which has been designed to make your life easier in Cortina, starts here!

Straight to the Point

This article is quite discursive. If you only need to quickly find a specific topic, you can click the link below, to jump to the specific section:

• The public restrooms.
• All the police stations.
• The healthcare facilities.
• The info point in the town center.
• Parking tips & tricks.
• Places of worship.
• The local public library.
• Turist Flow month by month.

Public restrooms

The public bathrooms are located below the Cortina town hall, near the big shop called "Cooperativa." To get there from "Corso Italia," the central pedestrian area, you have to go down via Varentin, the porphyry road between the town hall and the shop "Elettronia Majoni." The restrooms are on your left, going down the road, on the lower ground floor of the town hall. The restrooms are open from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM and might require a fifty-cent euro payment to unlock the door.

All the police stations.

Local authorities have several offices located throughout the town. As weird as it may seem, in Italy we actually have two different national police forces and even a third one at the local level. We also have a fourth Italian law enforcement agency that specializes in financial crimes and tax evasion.

The police station is situated in "Largo Poste," on the fourth floor of the large concrete building. The entrance can be reached both through the gallery next to the "Sovilla" bookstore and from the parking lot above the "Bar Janbo."

The firefighters and the "Carabinieri" stations are located just a few meters apart on "via delle Guide." The municipal police office is situated within the Cortina station but will be relocated near the town hall as soon as the construction of the new station is finished.

The station of the "Guardia di Finanza," which is the financial police, is a little outside city center, in "via Quattro Novembre," just below the hotel "Villa Blu."

It's not easy to explain the difference between "Polizia" and "Carabinieri," as in practice they're almost the same. Let's keep it easy, probably too simple, and just say that we'd go to the "Carabinieri" for something extremely serious, to the "Polizia" for something very serious, and to the local police for small inconveniences.

Healthcare Facilities

The Cortina hospital is currently under renovation; all its activities have been temporarily moved to the "Codivilla Putti" institute. There, you can find the emergency room or undergo some medical checkups.

The equivalent of the Public Health Department, known as "ULSS 1 Dolomiti," is located at the intersection of "via Grohmann" and "via Cesare Battisti." In the same building you can also find the "Guardia Medica," a useful service for those needing medical assistance without it being serious enough to require a hospital visit.

The info point

The tourist information office is located in the building known as "Comun Vecio," which is in a very central position, below the bell tower, between "Piazza Roma" and "Corso Italia." The entrance is on the ground floor, easily accessible both from the pedestrian area and, on the opposite side, from "Roma" Square.

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.

We like to recommend moving as much as possible by foot, but if you really need to take the car, we’ve got you covered. We've written an article with all the free, paid, and hidden parking spots, as well as all the latest roadwork updates. Check it out 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.

Buses and coaches

Public transportation in Cortina is well developed. There are seven local bus lines, plus all the ski buses, the seasonal buses, and the intercity buses. The service is managed by the Dolomitibus; you can find the updated timetables on their website. The only problem is that it's only in Italian.

The town is well covered by buses, which connect the town center with the outskirts and major tourist spots, such as ski resorts. Tickets can be purchased at many affiliated shops or directly on board, but at a higher price. You can find more information about the points of sale and the paths on this website. Unfortunately, this one also is only in Italian.

If you want more details about bus schedules or the tickets, if you prefer speaking directly to someone, you can reach the bus ticket office, located within the tourist information office. Please note that it may be closed during lunch hours.

Churches of Cortina

The main church in Cortina d'Ampezzo is the Basilica of Saints Philip and James. It was built between 1769 and 1775 in 18th-century Baroque style, and it contains some of the most significant art pieces of the Christian art of "Ampezzo." It was designated as a minor basilica in 2011.

The second church in importance is named after the "Madonna della Difesa," which translates to Our Lady of Defense in Italian. The devotion to Our Lady of the Defence is deeply rooted in "Ampezzo," following two miraculous events attributed to the Virgin Mary, which took place in 572 and 1412 in defense of the local population.

In addition to the two main churches, the town boasts seventeen small peripheral churches, where local services or occasional weddings are held. The main ones are:

• Church of "San Francesco," Saint Francis, in the heart of the town.
• Church of "Sant'Antonio di Padova," Saint Anthony of Padua, in the locality "Chiave."
• Chapel of the "Beata Vergine di Lourdes," the Blessed Virgin of Lourdes, in the locality of "Grava di sotto."
• Church of "S. Nicolò, S. Biagio e Sant'Antonio," Saints Nicholas, Blaise, and Anthony, in the locality of "Ospitale."
• Chapel of the "Santissima Trinità," the Holy Trinity, in the area known as "Maion."
• Church of "San Rocco," Saint Roch, in the locality of "Zuel."
• Church of "Santa Giuliana," Saint Juliana, in the locality of "Alverà."
• Church of "San Candido," Saint Candide, in the locality of "Campo di Sopra."
• Alpine Chapel of "Pian de ra Costaza," which is a location in the area of "Vervei."

The Public Library

The public library is located in the town center, in the building known as "Comun Vecio." It's the same building that also hosts the tourist information office. You can find the library on the first floor. In this case you need to go through the door located in the middle of the building, on the side of the pedestrian area of "Corso Italia," and go up the first flight of stairs.

Tourist Seasonality Month by Month

Cortina d'Ampezzo, like all touristic destinations, is a town affected by seasonality, with months of high touristic presence alternating with months of great tranquility.

Depending on the time of year you decide to visit Cortina, you may find all the hotels full and a town as busy as possible or a very quiet place, but with some stores and several hospitality facilities closed for the off-season.

Each period has its positives and negatives. If you like tranquility and contact with nature, peak times should be avoided, while if you like social life and hustle and bustle, you should come in the high season, such as Christmas or August. If you find this topic interesting, you can read our in-depth look at tourism flows below:

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

Conclusion

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

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