Cortina Ski Resort Italy
The beating heart of the Dolomites, the ski resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo Italy has long been one the most sophisticated centres for style and the outdoors in Italy. The skiing is diverse. Cortina Italy is as world renowned for its perfectly groomed pistes for all levels, as for its superb tree skiing and multitudes of expert only couloirs.
The mountains surrounding Cortina are amongst the Dolomites highest and most dramatic. They include classics such as Tofana, Sorapis and Cristallo plus that well-known formation, the Cinque Torri. In town you will be just as home wearing ski boots & gore-tex as you would high heels and furs. Part of the largest interlinked ski area in the world, the Dolomiti Superski, Cortina should be visited by every Powderhound as least once in your life.
Pros & Cons for Cortina d'Ampezzo Ski Resort
Pros
- Stunning views and landscapes.
- Superb rifugios offer panoramas & mountain dining experiences unequaled in the world.
- Interesting variety of on-piste trails for all levels.
- One of the world’s best intermediate trails – Armentarola (scenery, length, perfect piste, frozen waterfalls, history, horse drawn skiing, rifugios).
- Italy’s best range & number of black (advanced) piste trails.
- When the snow is deep, challenging freeride terrain abounds like nowhere else.
- Some of Europe’s most challenging couloirs.
- Excellent après ski and nightlife.
- Great restaurant food and drink.
Cons
- Not a great recent snow record.
- Old lift infrastructure (that is now being upgraded!).
- Relatively expensive lift pass.
- Several separate ski areas, not lift linked; bus transport between them can be a pain.
- Limited ski in / ski out accommodation.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Three major ski areas that are not lift connected to each other.
- Often sunny (i.e. it is not snowing!).
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
The Cortina ski & snowboard terrain is one of massive contrasts. Essentially broken up into three main ski areas & several minor ones, it wears many different masks (been to Venice anyone?).
Check out the ski trail map for Cortina below.
The three main areas are Tofana (access at the bottom of town - huge and brooding with some classic lines & tree skiing, plus great beginner terrain above Socrepes), Faloria (access via the centre of town - less vertical, but great north-facing piste terrain, wonderful freeride descents into the valley and still visually stunning) and Falzarego/Cinque Torri (a bit of everything, just go looking). All are linked via buses, and from season 22/23 Tofana & the Cinque Torri are linked via a gondola for seamless snow experiences.
Unlike some of the Dolomites ski areas, Cortina has not invested in many new lifts in recent times, but as they say, if it isn’t broken - don’t fix it. Slower lift journeys allow one to soak up the gorgeous surroundings! However, with the upcoming World Cup event, Cortina has final replaced one of the old cable cars & a chairlift below Tofana. Miracles do happen here!
Whilst there are many 'must dos' at Cortina, one of the best is the Armentarola trail from the top of the Lagazuoi (2800m) down into Alta Badia near San Cassiano (1550m). Ski past huge frozen waterfalls and then get towed by horses for the last few kilometres. Sensational! Cortina also has the Dolomites best advanced piste trails to go hard and fast.
For more information about ski lifts, terrain & lift passes, see the Cortina Skiing & Snowboarding page.
Interlinked with Dolomiti Superski
Alta Badia (and the rest of the Sella Ronda and Arabba Marmolada lifts) via the Armentarola trail from the Falzarego-Lagazuoi cable car, thus accessing a ski region so vast it is filled with a life-times worth of adventure. The Dolomiti Superski area is spread across 12 beautiful valleys and has a total of 450 lifts with over 1,200km of pistes on the one lift pass.
See the Dolomiti Superski area resorts map.
Snow & Weather
Cortina skiing has suffered a little from Mother Nature’s fickle temperament, but like everywhere in the Dolomites, has invested heavily in snowmaking to make up for any natural shortfalls at the start of recent seasons. Even the steepest piste runs are covered by superb man-made snow. On the plus side, Cortina (and the Dolomites in general) will get snow from storm directions when other areas will not.
When in the Dolomites, if it is not snowing, then at least it will be sunny to enjoy the gob-smacking panoramas and outdoor dining.
Where is Cortina d’Ampezzo Italy?
Cortina d’Ampezzo is in the heart of the Dolomites, 160km north of Venice and the same distance south of Innsbruck.
Closest international gateway airports are Venice (VCE), Innsbruck (INN) & Munich (MUC). Private or shuttle transfers from the airports and train stations are available, or for those travelling on a shoestring, there are public transport options.
The Powderhounds recommend taking the public transport from the airports to Cortina but understand that is not for everyone. If you cannot abide public transport, are in a larger group of 3+ people or just have the cash to splash, the quickest way to Cortina from the airports is a private transfer.
Search & book your private transfer to Cortina.
Public transport options include via rail to Dobbiaco/Toblach in the north (ski the awesome 3 Peaks Dolomites while you are there!), then take the 445 bus to Cortina (about 50min on the bus). If coming from the south, regular bus services to Cortina (& Alta Badia) from the Venezia Mestre railway station in Venice take about 2hr 20min.
For more information see the Travel to Cortina page.
Cortina Accommodation
Cortina d’Ampezzo has every style of accommodation covered. Want to stay in 5-star luxury? You can do it. Want to stay in an alpine rifugio (Powderhounds recommends it) where you pay extra for a shower? Cortina ticks the box. It has everything in between as well.
Search & book all Cortina ski accommodation.
Cortina d’Ampezzo has a host of accommodation options throughout the valley, but why stay out of town, when the whole idea of Cortina is to experience …….. the town! Because you will want to spend the evenings eating out, hotels are the best option in Cortina. Prices are surprisingly affordable. We have stayed in 3, 4 & 5-star hotels in Cortina. Our preference was for the unpretentious, super affordable & centrally located 3-star Hotel Olimpia (but we are tight-arses!). Combine it with a rifugio stay and you will have experienced the essential Cortina. An excellent 4-star is the Hotel Europa. The best 5-star luxury digs are at the Hotel Cristallo. Whist its quiet location & sweeping Dolomites views just outside of town will appeal, anyone looking for a 5-star closer to the centre of Cortina should consider the Grand Hotel Savioa.
Set on the stunning rocky peak of Lagazuoi high above Passo Falzerago, the cable car ride up, history, views, food & hospitality set the Rifugio Lagazuoi apart from all others as a MUST DO.
Of all the outlying villages near Cortina, the only one worth staying at if one doesn’t have their own transport is the quiet hamlet of Pocol, high above the valley & directly connected to the Tofana ski area. Try the Hotel Villa Argentina.
Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guiding
There is a plethora of ski & snowboard rental options in Cortina. Receive a discount when you book the best gear from our partners in a central Cortina d'Ampezzo location near the bus station & Faloria cable car via our Cortina Ski & Snowboard Rental page.
A massive number of ski instructors, ski schools & mountain guides are trying to make a living in Cortina & the surrounding Dolomites. To narrow down the field, get more information & options on our Cortina Ski Lessons & Guiding page.
Bars, Shopping & Restaurants
Without doubt, Cortina has some classy & welcoming bars in the centre of town. The main pedestrian area centred on the Corso Italia has them in cosy locations on side streets & laneways. Wine bars like Villa Sandi & the Baita Fraina Enoteca & other bars like the hidden Osteria Dal Nòce will provide a wonderful evening’s entertainment over a few drinks & plates of olives & freshly shaved prosciutto.
Intriguingly we find the restaurant dining in Cortina to be underwhelming. Aside from the many world-class on-mountain restaurants (like at the top the Faloria cable car, Cinque Torri etc), in town there are loads of traditional restaurants putting out some wonderful Italian dishes, but nothing pushing any culinary boundaries. The search continues…
The same cannot be said of the shopping. The beauty of Cortina is that its class & style isn’t thrust in your face like other destinations. At night, the shopping district lights up in a beautiful display, but that is as far as the ostentation extends. The range of outdoor gear in Cortina’s shops is exceptional & is right alongside boutique stores that will take the fancy of the non-outdoorsy fashion conscious. Explore the limited number of laneways off the Corso Italia to find the best of them.
Reviews
The Powderhounds have reviewed Cortina several times, & whilst we have always enjoyed it, admittedly have had varied skied conditions. Thankfully a visit to Cortina is worth a whole lot more than just skiing. We need to return during stellar snow conditions to fully explore the local couloirs & backcountry. Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read the various reviews!
See how Cortina d'Ampezzo and the other Dolomites ski resorts compare to the rest of the European ski resorts on the Europe ski resort ratings page.
Follow Powderhounds Europe Instagram to see where we are currently skiing.
