Why Cortina
Cortina d’Ampezzo is the grande dame of Italian skiing. It hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956 and again, together with Milan, in 2026, when the women’s Alpine races were held on the Olimpia delle Tofane. Yet what most visitors fall in love with is the town itself: the Corso Italia with its boutiques and cafés, the bell tower, the evening passeggiata, and a ring of pink Dolomite peaks all around.
It’s a place to ski, but also to live well: long lunches at the Cinque Torri, an aperitivo in town, dinner in a farmhouse restaurant.
The ski areas
| Area | What it’s like |
|---|---|
| Tofane | the biggest area: Olympic and World Cup pistes like the Olimpia delle Tofane, plus the natural-snow terrain of Ra Valles |
| Faloria-Cristallo | sunny slopes opposite the town, with the classic runs that hosted the 1956 Olympic giant slalom |
| Cinque Torri-Lagazuoi | the most scenic: rock towers, World War I open-air museum, huts with the best views, and the start of the Hidden Valley |
Together they have 27 lifts and 66 slopes, and with the Dolomiti Superski pass you can ski the whole of the Dolomites, including the Sellaronda.
The skiing
- Intermediates love the long, wide runs on the Tofane and Faloria and the scenery at Cinque Torri.
- Experts take on the Olimpia delle Tofane and the steep Canalone on the Faloria side.
- Everyone should ski the Hidden Valley: from the Lagazuoi cable car at the Passo Falzarego, an 8 km run through a silent valley of rock walls down to Armentarola, where horses pull you back to the lifts. It connects you to Alta Badia; see our Alta Badia guide.
Lee’s insider tip Plan your best lunch for the Cinque Torri: the huts there have the most spectacular terraces in the Dolomites. And on a clear day, combine Lagazuoi, the Hidden Valley and a day in Alta Badia; it’s one of the most beautiful ski days in the Alps.
Where to eat
At the Cinque Torri, Rifugio Averau, Rifugio Scoiattoli and Rifugio Cinque Torri are all famous for their terraces and cooking, and the Rifugio Lagazuoi at the top of the cable car has one of the great views of the Alps. Down in the valley, El Brite de Larieto is a farm restaurant serving its own produce, and SanBrite, from the same family, is one of Cortina’s most celebrated restaurants. In town, there’s everything from pizza to fine dining; we’ll book the right tables.
Snow: what to expect
There’s no open, long-term snow-depth data for Cortina’s ski area that we could use, so we’re not showing averages here. What we can say: Cortina is in the southern Dolomites, gets less natural snow than the northern Alps and lots of sunshine, and relies on extensive snowmaking. January to March is the most reliable window. The live box next to this article shows the forecast for the coming days.
Getting there
- By plane: Venice is the closest major airport, about 2 hours by road; Treviso, Verona and Innsbruck are alternatives.
- By bus: direct coaches run from Venice airport and the railway stations of Venice-Mestre and Calalzo.
- Private transfer: we organise door-to-door transfers.
Good to know
- Lift pass: a Cortina pass covers the three areas; the Dolomiti Superski pass adds the rest of the Dolomites.
- Non-skiers love Cortina: shopping on the Corso Italia, spas, winter walks and the World War I sites at Lagazuoi and Cinque Torri.
- Olympic legacy: several pistes and venues were upgraded for the 2026 Games.
Planning a week in Cortina? A grand hotel in town, a guide for the Hidden Valley and a lunch table at the Cinque Torri: tell us what you’re after and we’ll send you two tailor-made proposals.
Our hotel picks
Hand-picked places we'd happily stay in ourselves. Want us to take care of it? We reserve your room in your name, often with perks you won't get online, and you pay the hotel directly. Prefer to book yourself? Check live prices below.
Cristallo, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa
Cortina's grand hotel above the town, with a big spa and views.
Hotel de la Poste
Family-run classic on the main square, with a legendary terrace bar.
Rosapetra Spa Resort
Modern alpine design and a beautiful spa, a short drive from the centre.
Prices are shown on Booking.com. If you book through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never influences which hotels we recommend.
