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.
• High elevation lifted ski terrain, with most above 1,600m.
• Dolomites second longest skiable vertical, a staggering 1,611m from Bus Tofana all the way down to below Cortina.
• Superb rifugi offer panoramas & mountain dining experiences unequalled in the world.
• Interesting variety of on-piste trails for all levels.
• One of the world’s best intermediate ski trails - Lagazuoi -> Hidden Valley -> Armentarola (scenery, length, perfect piste, frozen waterfalls, history, horse drawn skiing, rifugi).
• 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 (when the snow is deep enough!).
• Excellent après ski and nightlife.
• Great restaurant food and drink.

Cons

• Not a great recent snow record, is often boom & bust (but the snowmaking covers 95% of the pistes).
• Generally aging lift infrastructure (that is now slowly being upgraded in some parts).
• Relatively expensive lift pass.
• Several separate ski areas, not well lift linked tot the town.
• 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!).
• Ikon Pass is conditionally valid - good for some, maybe not so good for those that don't have one

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?). Most of the skiing is down in high elevation areas (high relative to the rest of the Dolomites skiing) all the way to 2,828m on Tofana and 2,835m on Lagazuoi. On-piste descents up to 10km long are possible, giving it the second longest runs in the Dolomites, behind Marmolada. Many of the best ski runs at Cortina are World Cup quality.

Check out the ski trail map for Cortina below.

Cortina Ski Trail Map

The three main areas are Tofana (access at the bottom of town - huge & brooding with some classic lines & tree skiing, the longest descent in the resort, plus great beginner terrain above Socrepes), Faloria (access via the centre of town - less vertical, but great north-facing piste terrain, plus wonderful freeride descents into the valley and still visually stunning) and Falzarego/Cinque Torri (a bit of everything, just go looking). Faloria & Tofana are linked by ski buses, Tofana & the Cinque Torri are linked via a new gondola (Cortina Skyline) for a more seamless snow experience.

Cortina has been relatively slow to invest in new / replacement ski lifts in recent decades, surviving on the 'if it isn’t broken - don’t fix it' principle. Slower lift journeys do allow one to soak up the gorgeous surroundings! However, in the last few years as a World Cup race event approached & the 2026 Winter Olympics was on the horizon, they have finally replaced one of the old cable cars & two old chairlifts below Tofana, proving the miracles do happen here! Even more interesting, as mentioned above, was the 2022 installation of the new gondola linking the Tofana sector at Son dei Prade to the long-time disconnected Cinque Torri Super 8 sector, removing the often time-consuming bus journey that previously linked the areas. Oncoming drivers will be pleased that a few buses are of the road! Look out for the new gondola proposed for up to Staunies on Cristallo!

International visitors may be pleased to know the 'IKON Pass' is valid in Cortina & the Dolomites, but with conditions/limitations.

For more info about ski lifts, terrain, passes & trail maps, 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. Situated on the sunny side of the valley at 1,220m altitude, Cortina is surrounded by wonderful Dolomites peaks,, and on sunny afternoons, the decks of most hotels will be full of guests indulging in an aperitif. But be warned that in winter, due its relatively low elevation, the town may often be without snow. Also due to the nature of the terrain, the ski lifts are all a walk or bus ride from the town's hotels.

Search & book all hotels, apartments & pensions via our Cortina Ski Accommodation Listings page.

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. Alternatively, there are numerous lodging options higher in the mountains, closer to the ski slopes, and occasionally ski-in ski-out, like at Pocol. For a true alpine lodging experience a night or two in a rifugio is all part of the Dolomites experience. 

For more information & recommendations on accommodation, see our Where to Stay in Cortina page.

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, plus sample the many new ski lifts put in place since our last visit. 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 Italian ski resorts on the Italy ski resort ratings page, or compare to the rest of Europe on the European ski resort ratings page.

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