The capital of the 1956 Winter Olympic Games is famous for its unique combination of stunning skiing opportunities and a unique atmosphere, which attracts the skiing beau monde here. The city center is the pedestrian zone of Corso Italia, built up with clothing and jewelry stores, art galleries and fur salons.
Cortina d’Ampezzo is the most picturesque and high-class of Italian resorts. Italians lovingly call their Cortina “ski paradise”. A typical and at the same time alpine town with its own unique flavor, it is located in a natural bowl, filled with the sun and protected from the winds by the magnificent peaks of the Dolomites that frame it.
The slopes attract many tourists from Rome and Milan, many of whom have bought villas here. In the evening, the streets are filled with crowds of tourists.
Nearest airports: Venice (165 km), Verona (247 km), Innsbruck (176 km).
Tracks and descents
Cortina d’Ampezzo includes seven main areas for skiing. All of them are connected by an extensive network of lifts, as well as ski bus routes.
The highest point in Cortina d’Ampezzo is 3240 meters, the height difference is 2019 meters. The total number of ski slopes in Cortina d’Ampezzo is 140 km. Of them, 39 km are intended for skiers and snowboarders, 74 km are of medium difficulty. Only 7 km will suit quite experienced skiers, as they are the most difficult in terms of their technical parameters.
The length of the longest ski track is 9 km. On the territory of Cortina d’Ampezzo there are even such ski slopes that are illuminated and allow you to ski them even at night.
Tracks in Cortina d’Ampezzo
The best red ski runs in Cortina d’Ampezzo are in the Tofan area. The slopes of Pomedes will delight skiers with their always excellent snow cover and moderately long tracks. Alpine skiers with professional training skills will definitely like the descents to the peaks of Ra Valles and Forcella Staunies, the height of which exceeds 2 thousand meters.
Other types of entertainment are also very developed at the ski resort. These include dog sledding, curling, skating rink, horseback riding, swimming pool, indoor golf and tennis, sports center and Olympic Ice Stadium.
In the local snowboard park, everyone can try to learn halfpipe. There is also an opportunity to ride on untouched snow slopes, to the top of which will be delivered by helicopter. Cortina d’Ampezzo also has cross-country skiing tracks, bobsleigh tracks and ski jumps.
The skiing season here lasts from the beginning of December to the end of April.
For beginners and intermediate level skiers, beautiful slopes are equipped in all skiing areas – long, easy tracks.
The Cortina area will not inspire fans of difficult trails, but there are still some interesting trails here. An interesting descent from the second station of the Tofan funicular in Ra Valles, but it is often closed due to poor snow conditions. Cortina’s other steep descent runs from the top of the Cristal area to Forcella Staunes.
Interesting tracks of medium difficulty in the upper part of Tofan are short, but there is usually the best snow. The “red” tracks at the Pomedes station are longer and offer good skiing. Faloria has a whole fan of short northern “red” runs.
Ski schools in Cortina d’Ampezzo
On the territory of Cortina d’Ampezzo there are 4 main ski schools, in which more than 300 ski instructors work. To learn to ski or snowboard, you need to sign up for individual lessons or attend group lessons.
Alpine skiing lessons held in groups are the most popular here. However, to get into such a class, consisting of a maximum of five people, it is necessary to sign up in advance. A five-day training course in this case will cost 250 EUR. All those who want to learn the basics of downhill skiing in an individual program will have to pay for it from 42 EUR per hour.
You can read more detailed information about where you can learn downhill skiing and snowboarding on the websites of the main ski schools in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
The resort provides vacationers with 2 hotels *****, 18 hotels ****, 39 – ***, 4 – **, with a total of 5,000 places, as well as 18,000 places in residences and apartments.
200 boutiques, shops, 5 night clubs, more than 40 restaurants for every taste, 20 luxury restaurants, 6 discos, cinema, museums, art galleries. There are all opportunities for various sports: 58 km of cross-country skiing trails, 6 km of hiking trails, indoor tennis courts, the Olympic Ice Stadium, you can play curling, there is a riding school, as well as a bobsleigh track and toboggan, paragliding.
Perfectly prepared slopes, a large number of snow guns. An excellent choice for families with children and intermediate skiers who like to walk around the city after skiing.
Altitude of the resort (m): 1,224
Maximum height of tracks (m): 2939
Lifts in Cortina d’Ampezzo
The multi-kilometer area of ski slopes in Cortina d’Ampezzo is served by 81 lifts with a capacity of 60,000 people per hour. Each ski lift has its own price, but it is much more profitable not to pay for each trip, but to buy a ski pass once for the entire time you are here and use them without restrictions.
The cost of the ski lift in Cortina d’Ampezzo will depend on its type and the season of stay here. A total of 6 cable cars, 29 chairlifts and 16 cable cars can be distinguished on the territory of the ski resort. By choosing a ski lift to move around Cortina d’Ampezzo, you can easily visit all the main routes of the resort and see the most picturesque places.
Ski pass in Cortina d’Ampezzo
Vacationers who have purchased a ski pass have the right to ride on all the slopes of Cortina d’Ampezzo. Naturally, it is possible to pay for each trip on the lift separately, but experienced skiers know that this is extremely unprofitable. The first lifts in the region open in November, despite the fact that the official season starts in December and ends in April.
The cost of a ski pass for one adult in Cortina d’Ampezzo is equivalent to 52 EUR per day. For six days, you can buy a ski pass for 262 EUR. Children and teenagers between the ages of 8 and 16 have the right to buy a Cortina d’Ampezzo ski pass much cheaper. Such a subscription will cost them EUR 36 for one day, and EUR 183 for six days.
It is especially nice that the price of the ski pass for children younger than eight years is not set. That is, the season ticket is provided to them absolutely free of charge. There are also a number of discounts for those who ride pensioners. There are especially many discounts and special offers at the beginning and end of the ski season.
Amateurs and professional skiers can also purchase a ski pass for all 12 regions that make up the Dolomites Superski region. You can get additional information about prices and skiing in these regions on the website.
Ski equipment rental in Cortina d’Ampezzo
As you know, full ski equipment takes up a lot of space, and in order not to take it with you from home, there are ski equipment rental points in Cortina d’Ampezzo. There are quite a few of them on the territory of the resort, but they all belong to three main companies. A comprehensive list of information about them can be found on the following websites: skimanservice.com, dueduecortina.com and snowservice.it.
In some establishments, it is possible not only to rent mountain skis and snowboards, but also to customize them, polish the surfaces, sharpen the edges or rub them with paraffin.
On average, a ski rental in Cortina d’Ampezzo per day for an adult will cost 16 EUR. In addition to these, you will also need to get a helmet for 4 EUR, sticks for 3 EUR and a set of sports clothes for 47 EUR.
If you prefer to rent snowboards in Cortina d’Ampezzo, its price per day will be 22 EUR. It is also possible to rent a children’s snowboard for 17 EUR.
Weather in Cortina d’Ampezzo
In Cortina d’Ampezzo, the weather forecast is full of sunny days almost all year round. After looking at the weather in Cortina d’Ampezzo for 14 days, it becomes clear that the microclimate here is rather mild, as the surrounding Dolomites are able to protect against strong cold winds.
Going to Cortina d’Ampezzo in winter, the weather for a week will make it possible to understand that the coldest month of the year here is January. However, even with its onset, the daytime temperature does not drop below 0 ° C. However, in order to plan your vacation as best as possible, you need to know the weather in Cortina d’Ampezzo for 5 days, not only during the day, but also at night.
In the summer season, the weather in Cortina d’Ampezzo will show the maximum number of sunny days for 3 days. In the period from June to August, the air temperature here varies between + 19-21 ° C. However, when packing a suitcase, you should take not only light things, but also warm things, since with the sunset the weather in Cortina d’Ampezzo can change and become quite cool.
Fans of skiing on snowy slopes will not have to wait long for it, as a fairly dense snow cover can be observed here already in November. If the winter promises to be snowless, then a large number of snow cannons are installed on the territory of the resort, which will be able to correct this situation.
The mountain pearl of Italy – Cortina d’Ampezzo
The “Queen of the Alps” is the name of the best ski resort in Italy, Cortina d’Ampezzo . This fairy-tale town is surrounded by unique mountains: their unusual pink hue earned them the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The wonderful nature has made Cortina d’Ampezzo a favorite of celebrities and the world’s elite. Ernest Hemingway and Vladimir Nabokov were inspired here, Audrey Hepburn, Clark Gable, Ingrid Bergman and Brigitte Bardot rested here, and Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley went skiing. Today, among the “star” guests of the city, you can meet George Clooney, Keana Reeves, Liz Taylor, Madonna and Monica Bellucci.
Buildings in Piazza Roma
View of the City Hall building (Piazza Roma square)
Cafe-bar on one of the central streets of the city
Like a small Hollywood, Cortina d’Ampezzo has more than once served as a filming location for films that have already become classics of world cinema. Among them are “The Pink Panther” with the participation of Peter Sellers and Claudia Cardinale, “The Lovers” with Marcello Mastroianni and “For Your Eyes Only” with the legendary Roger Moore as Agent 007.
The central square of Piazza Roma with a view of the 18th century church
View of the Dolomites
Dolomites Alps
In 1956, Cortina d’Ampezzo became the venue for the Winter Olympic Games. Which is not surprising: its 67 ski slopes, stretching for 140 km, ice rinks and slopes for snowboarding serve as an ideal playground for sports competitions. In the high season, skiing here costs 40 euros per day, a weekly pass – 223 euros, for the whole season – from 600 to 660 euros. In summer, golf, horse riding, mountaineering and kayaking are actively practiced in this area.
View of the church in Piazza Roma
The Ciasa de ra Regoles building, which houses three museums: the Museum of Painting and Sculpture, the Museum of Paleontology and the Museum of Ethnographic Art
One of the central streets of the city
Cortina d’Ampezzo is not only fabulous nature, crystal air of the Alps, ancient buildings and ancient traditions. It is also a paradise for elite shopping: here you can find boutiques of the best Italian brands, including Gucci, Moschino, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and Fendi. There are a total of 250 stores of Made in Italy clothing, jewelry and antiques in the city.
View of the city hall building and the Alps
View of the city buildings and the Alps
View of the church and the town hall
There are very few permanent residents in Cortina d’Ampezzo – about 6,000 people. However, in winter, the city’s population grows to 30,000 people. That is why hotels here are growing like yeast, and today their number reaches 54, which is unprecedented for such a small area.
One of the central streets of the city
View of Hotel de la Poste
Mountain road leading to Cortini d’Ampezzo
View of the Dolomites
The shortest way to Cortina d’Ampezzo is from Venice. Just 30 minutes by helicopter from Marco Polo Airport and you are at the resort! You can also get here by train in 3.5 hours from the same Venice to the Calalzo di Cadore station, from which there are regular buses to Cortina d’Amprezzo.