Introduction
Cortina d'Ampezzo is a wonderful town but, like every other place, sometimes there's the risk of rain. Fortunately, on the contrary of the seaside resorts, where in case of bad weather everything becomes depressing, the mountain environment makes the gloomy days more pleasant.
... the mountain environment makes gloomy days more pleasant...
Going to the bar for a warm drink or an aperitif, when it rains outside, has a special charm in Cortina.
First of all, it's important to say that the weather in Cortina is very much influenced by the seasons. In some periods of the year, luckily those in which there is less affluence, the climate is rainier. During the most crowded periods, the climate is definitely better. The absolute least rainy month is February.
In peak season there are more activities that can be done on rainy days, because everything's open, while in low season many places may be closed. This is due to the fact that the tourist presence, in certain months, is almost non-existent. Several activities prefer to close rather than pay fixed costs without the prospect of making at least some money.
However, try not to despair, there is always something to do and there are several places open all year.
If you are want to better understand the dynamics of tourism in Cortina, don't forget to read our article about tourism seasonality in Cortina,
you can find it below:
Some shopping
At the risk of sounding trivial, the first thing to do when it rains in Cortina is a tour of the shops. Considering that the bad weather is forcing you to stay at home or in the hotel, you'll probably find time for the purchases you haven't managed to do yet.
Think about buying the padded sock or the new shoe, the technical item or the product that would have come useful but you're still missing. Another plus is that you're not in a hurry, so you can take your time to take a look at many shelves for the best price or some inspiration.
Most of the stores are located along Corso Italia, the pedestrian walkway in the center of Cortina, an umbrella will be enough to keep you dry. If you have not yet done so, you might take the opportunity to read our in-depth article on what to see on Corso Italia:
The Eden cinema or the Alexander Hall
Although not comparable to the big multiplexes of large metropolises, there is a small cinema in Cortina as well. At the moment it is under renovation, so the screenings take place at the Alexander Girardi Hall. The entrance to the auditorium is at the back of the building, down the stairs. If you are reading this probably you speak English so you won't understand Italian, but there's good news: in few cases films are also broadcast in the original language, but unfortunately this doesn't happen often, you'll have to check the movie scheduling, we'll see how after the photos.
You can see the movies scheduled on some bulletin boards across the town center. The easiest to find is displayed on the Old town hall of Cortina, near the bell tower, next to the information office.
If you prefer a digital version, you can consult the cinema schedule on the "S.e.a.m." website, by clicking the button "Scarica la locandina". If you are lucky you might find a movie in english or some interesting short films about the mountain, as sometimes happens, it would be a good way to spend a couple of hours in the dry.
Before concluding this chapter you need to know that the seats are not bookable, so it's best to get in a little early to take your favourite seat, if you think the event may be packed.
A visit to the Museums of the "Regole d'Ampezzo"
There are three very interesting museums in Cortina, which we will briefly describe below. If you are interested in learning more about them, at the end of the chapter, we'll link our in-depth article. If, on the other hand, you prefer to visit the official website of the Museums of the "Regole d'Ampezzo", click here.
Inside the halls of the "Ciasa de Ra Regoles" you can visit the Museum of Modern Art Mario Rimoldi, one of the most important private collections of modern art in Italy. On display there are works by artists such as De Chirico, Morandi, Martini and Rotella, donated to the "Regole of Ampezzo" in 1974 by the widow of Mario Rimoldi, a well-known art collector and patron of the arts from Cortina.
At a little distance from the center, a ten minutes walk, you can reach the Multipurpose Center Alexander Hall, where are located the other two museums: the Ethnographic Museum "Regole d'Ampezzo" and the Paleontological Museum "Rinaldo Zardini".
The first is an exhibition space that shows handicraft objects, ancient Ampezzo clothes and other artifacts of the history of Cortina. It also tells the origin of the "Regole d'Ampezzo", an old institution for the protection of the territory. This is a very interesting exhibition for those who want to learn more about Ampezzo culture and life in the mountains in the past.
The second is a museum dedicated to Rinaldo Zardini, a famous Ampezzo paleontologist known for having discovered thousands of fossils in the Cassian stratums around Cortina. The collection is one of the most complete in Europe, it also includes some specimens of amber millions of years old.
Not everyone knows that Cortina is a very interesting area from the paleontological point of view. Under Mount Tofane have been discovered the most ancient invertebrates preserved in amber of the world, they were over 230 million years old. This discovery was really very important for geologists around the world, because it's almost 100 million years older than any other find of invertebrate preserved in amber. If the topic has intrigued you, don't miss our in-depth article, you can find it below:
Treat yourself to a sweetness
When the sky is gray and the air is cold, maybe the best way to warm your heart is a slice of cake with hot chocolate. The pastry shops of Cortina are many and excellent, for example Lovat or patisserie Embassy
If we may make a suggestion, we think that pastry shop Alverà is a place that you have to visit absolutely, with a selection of monoportions and mignon that will make you dream. Perhaps the prices are not the most popular, but the quality is very high.
If you have a car, an alternative is the pastry shop Fiori in San Vito di Cadore, a small town about fifteen kilometers, nine miles, from Cortina. Fiori pastry shop is one of the best reviewed bakeries in the area. We go there at least a couple of times a year to eat the hot krapfen with Nutella which, we assure you, alone is worth the trip, even in the rain.
Warm up with a drink
If a slice of cake warms the heart, imagine what a good glass of mulled wine can do. When the weather doesn't help, a glass of wine in company could be a good pastime. Don't forget that you're on vacation, if you want, you can break some rules...
Whether you are at the restaurant, at home or at the bar, we suggest you look out the window. While you are thinking about the programs ruined by bad weather, instead of getting caught up in the melancholy, take advantage of the opportunity and have some fun.
It's not a secret: mountain people sometimes indulge in the pleasures of alcohol, so you will find in Cortina enough bars to satisfy your desire to be distracted.
And if the weather forecast says that tomorrow will also be rainy, then it is possible to have as many drinks as you want, always having fun responsibly. If you want to learn more about this topic, we suggest you read the article below, where we'll tell you all you have to know about having fun in Cortina:
Go to the restaurant
As you may have guessed, we consider bad weather a good opportunity to devote ourselves to the care of the spirit, the care of the body will be considered at the end of the vacations, or when the sun shines. A nice meal at the restaurant is a good option to spend some pleasant hours despite the rain.
The restaurants in Cortina are many, and the quality bar is really high, it's hard to choose wrong. Whether it is a pizza, a traditional dish or the cuisine of a great Michelin-starred chef.
Everything you need to know about Ampezzo dining can be found in our article here:
Indoor sports
In Cortina there are several indoor sports facilities. If you like ice skating you may want to visit the Olympic Ice Stadium, click for the official website, unfortunately it's only in Italian where it is possible to find a skating rink thirty meters wide and sixty meters long, covered and refrigerated with the possibility of being followed by a skating instructor.
Alternatively, near the stadium, there is the Indoor climbing wall Lino Lacedelli, an indoor climbing boulder with over eighty routes from 3B to 8B+ with thirty meters of width and a maximum height of twentyfour meters.
At the moment Cortina lacks a good swimming pool, but it seems that the institutions are evaluating the requalification of the historical swimming pool of Guargné, currently out of use. We'll update the page as soon as we know something precise. Before visiting any of the listed structures, I always suggest you to call them, to verify the actual opening and the availability.
Saunas and Spas
In Cortina the swimming pool is a lack that hurts, but in compensation some saunas and wellness centers are inside hotels, but generally accessible to the public. Among those that come to mind, in absolutely random order, we want to mention the "Dolomiti Lodge", "Ciasa Lorenzi", the "Hotel Faloria", the "Hotel Rosapetra", l'"Hotel Menardi" and the "Hotel Columbia".
If you want to enjoy the sauna experience in a dedicated environment, not attached to a hotel, you must take the car and drive a few kilometers north. The sauna culture is in fact much more rooted in Alta Pusteria, but remember, in these spas and saunas you must enter without a bathing suit.
The facilities are many and very beautiful, we would like to recommend, among the others, the sauna in the "Caravan Park Sexten" or the "Cron4 Hallenbad & Sauna Bruneck". Alternatively, there's also a wellness facility in Borca di Cadore, the "Corte Spa". Before visiting any of the structures listed, we strongly recommend that you call to check the actual opening, availability and possibly book.
... The weather cannot be controlled...
Surely it's not the best to be on vacation under the rain, but as you can see, the options offered by Cortina in case of bad weather are many. Unfortunately, it is a well-known fact that "the weather cannot be controlled", so if you find rain during your vacations, all you have to do is to have holy patience and find something to do.
If none of the above suggested activities are for you, you may consider buying a good book or spending some time doing those little jobs you never have time for, such as fixing your sports equipment, cleaning and waterproofing your shoes, giving your bike or skis a check-up and hoping the weather changes for the better.
What if the weather decides to turn sunny? Then you can't miss our article below, it's full of tips on how to spend summer days in the sun:
Conclusion
We hope you liked this page on the things to do in Cortina d'Ampezzo if it rains. 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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