Cortina d'Ampezzo, often called just Cortina, is a beautiful town in the heart of the Dolomites mountains in Northern Italy. It sits in an alpine valley by the Boite River. Cortina is famous as a top spot for both summer and winter sports, especially for its amazing skiing trails and stunning scenery. People also love its cozy places to stay, unique shops, and lively atmosphere after a day on the slopes.

For a long time, Cortina was part of different empires, like the Republic of Venice and the Habsburg Empire. In the 19th century, it became known for its skilled craftspeople. They made beautiful wooden furniture, special tiled stoves, and items from iron, copper, and glass. Early visitors from Britain and Germany loved these handmade products.

Today, tourism is very important for Cortina. During the winter, the town's population grows a lot, from about 7,000 to 40,000 people! The town has interesting places to visit, like the Basilica Minore dei Santi Filippo e Giacomo, a large church built a long time ago. You can also explore museums such as the Rinaldo Zardini Palaeontology Museum, which shows ancient fossils, and the Mario Rimoldi Modern Art Museum, filled with modern art.

Cortina has a rich sports history. It hosted the 1956 Winter Olympics and many other big winter sports events. Recently, Cortina d'Ampezzo co-hosted the 2026 Winter Olympics with Milan, making it an Olympic city for the second time! It's also home to SG Cortina, a professional ice hockey team. Many famous movies, like The Pink Panther and For Your Eyes Only, have filmed scenes in this picturesque town.

Exploring Cortina's Past

Ancient Times and Roman Influence

Long, long ago, around 6,000 B.C., people lived in the mountains near Cortina. We know this because a very old tomb was found in 1987. Later, around 300 B.C., the Romans arrived. They named the area "Amplitium," which means "wide," because of its broad valley. This name is where "Ampezzo" comes from today.

From Empires to Italy

During the Middle Ages, Cortina was part of larger states like the Holy Roman Empire. In 1420, it became part of the Republic of Venice. Then, in 1508, it came under the rule of the Habsburg family, who governed a large empire. Cortina stayed with the Habsburgs for a long time, even through changes caused by Napoleon. It finally became part of Italy after World War I in 1920.

Cortina in the 20th Century

Skiers enjoying Cortina in 1903

A traditional building in Cortina d'Ampezzo, 1952

When World War I began in 1915, many local men fought for the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After the war, in 1920, Cortina officially joined Italy. In 1923, it became part of the province of Belluno in the Veneto region. The town was then renamed "Cortina d'Ampezzo."

Becoming a Winter Wonderland

Cortina d'Ampezzo in 1971, a popular resort

Cortina d'Ampezzo was already a popular place for British tourists in the late 1800s. After World War I, it became a favorite resort for Italians too. It was chosen to host the 1944 Winter Olympics, but these were canceled because of World War II. However, Cortina successfully hosted the 1956 Winter Olympics, which made it famous worldwide.

Today, Cortina is a bustling resort, especially during winter holidays. Its main streets, like Piazza Angelo Dibona and Corso Italia, are car-free, making them perfect for walking and shopping. The town offers 120 kilometers of ski slopes across three main areas. These areas are connected by buses and lifts, making it easy to explore. Cortina also has a long history of ski schools, with the first one founded in 1933. The town recently co-hosted the 2026 Winter Olympics with Milan.

Modern Times and Local Identity

Cortina has a strong local identity. Many people speak Ladin, a special language related to Rhaeto-Romance languages. This language is an important part of their heritage. In 2007, the town voted to consider joining a neighboring region, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, due to cultural ties and the Ladin language. This shows how much the community values its unique traditions.

Cortina's Geography and Climate

The impressive Tofane mountain group

Cortina is nestled in the middle of the Ampezzo valley, surrounded by the stunning Dolomites mountains. The Boite River flows right through the town. These mountains are known for their "craggy" and "soaring" peaks, looking like a giant coral reef covered in trees and snow.

The town is located between other valleys and regions, making it a central spot. It used to be made up of many small villages, but tourism helped it grow quickly from the 1950s. Cortina is at an elevation of 1,224 meters (4,016 feet). The highest nearby peak is Tofana di Mezzo, reaching 3,244 meters (10,643 feet).

Local Wildlife and Nature

Cortina's area is home to many animals. You might spot marmots, roe deer, chamois, and hares. Sometimes, even wolves, bears, and lynx are seen. A large part of Cortina is protected as the "Natural Park of the Ampezzo Dolomites," helping to keep this beautiful environment safe.

Exploring Cortina's Villages

The area around Cortina includes several small villages, or frazioni. These include Acquabona, Alverà, Fiames, Pocol, and Zuel, each with its own Ladin name.

Cortina's Weather

A beautiful winter view of Cortina d'Ampezzo

Cortina d'Ampezzo has a cold alpine climate. Summers are short and mild, while winters are long and very cold, with lots of snow. In late December and early January, it can be one of the coldest places in Italy. Other seasons are usually rainy, cool, and windy. In summer, temperatures can reach 25°C (77°F).

Climate data for Cortina d'Ampezzo, elevation 1,216 m (3,990 ft), (1991–2020)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	3.8 (38.8)	4.7 (40.5)	8.0 (46.4)	11.3 (52.3)	15.7 (60.3)	19.8 (67.6)	21.9 (71.4)	21.5 (70.7)	16.9 (62.4)	12.4 (54.3)	7.0 (44.6)	3.9 (39.0)	12.2 (54.0)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−0.8 (30.6)	−0.1 (31.8)	2.9 (37.2)	6.3 (43.3)	10.5 (50.9)	14.2 (57.6)	16.1 (61.0)	16.0 (60.8)	11.8 (53.2)	7.9 (46.2)	3.1 (37.6)	−0.2 (31.6)	7.3 (45.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−5.3 (22.5)	−4.9 (23.2)	−2.2 (28.0)	1.2 (34.2)	5.3 (41.5)	8.6 (47.5)	10.3 (50.5)	10.4 (50.7)	6.8 (44.2)	3.3 (37.9)	−0.7 (30.7)	−4.3 (24.3)	2.4 (36.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	47.7 (1.88)	40.7 (1.60)	54.4 (2.14)	74.2 (2.92)	112.9 (4.44)	115.1 (4.53)	126.8 (4.99)	142.7 (5.62)	106.6 (4.20)	120.6 (4.75)	131.6 (5.18)	62.3 (2.45)	1,135.6 (44.7)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	4.6	4.9	6.1	9.6	13.5	13.4	13.3	12.9	9.2	8.8	8.3	5.5	110.1
Source: Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale

Cortina's Community and Language

Cortina d'Ampezzo in June 2019

Cortina's population grew until the 1960s, then it decreased for a while, but it has started to recover in recent years. It is the seventh most populated place in its province. In 2008, there were 2,808 families, with about 2.2 people per family.

Speaking Ladin in Cortina

Most people in Cortina speak Italian, but many also speak Ladin. Ladin is a special language, similar to Romansh spoken in Switzerland. People in Cortina are proud of their Ladin language and heritage. It's important to them that younger generations continue to speak it. Local authorities have even started using Ladin on street signs to help protect this unique language.

Cortina's Economy and Shopping

Shops in the town center of Cortina d'Ampezzo

Since the 1800s, Cortina has been a center for crafts. An industrial school opened in 1874 to teach woodworking and metalwork. Early tourists loved the local handmade items, from furniture to iron and glass pieces.

Tourism: Cortina's Main Business

Hotel Miramonti, a famous hotel in Cortina

Today, tourism is the heart of Cortina's economy, especially in winter. The town's population can jump from about 7,000 to 40,000 during busy times like Christmas. Cortina is known as one of Italy's most famous and stylish ski resorts, offering excellent facilities for skiing, skating, and hiking.

Shopping in Cortina

Cortina d'Ampezzo is home to many famous fashion brands and artisan shops. You can find stores selling mountaineering equipment, antiques, and local crafts. A very important shopping spot is La Cooperativa di Cortina, founded in 1893. This large shopping center sells everything from sweets and newspapers to toys and ski gear.

Places to Stay

Cortina has many hotels, including the five-star Miramonti Majestic Grand Hotel, which is over 100 years old and has been featured in a James Bond movie. There are also several mountain hostels with restaurants, like Rifugio Faloria, where visitors can stay.

Famous Places in Cortina

A map of the city

The Town Hall of Cortina d'Ampezzo

Near the Bigontina River bridge is the Town Hall, a beautiful building in the Tyrolean style. The main square, Piazza Angelo Dibona, has important buildings like the Ciasa de ra Regoles. This building once housed the local council and now contains offices and the Modern Art Museum.

Cortina's Museums

The Ciasa de ra Regoles building

The Regole d'Ampezzo manages three interesting museums:

The Rinaldo Zardini Palaeontology Museum, opened in 1975, displays hundreds of fossils found in the Dolomites. These fossils show that these high mountains were once at the bottom of a tropical sea, full of sea creatures.
The Regole of Ampezzo Ethnographic Museum is in an old sawmill. It shows objects from daily life, farming tools, and traditional clothing from the valley.
The Mario Rimoldi Modern Art Museum, established in 1941, has over 800 artworks by famous Italian artists from the 20th century. It also hosts special temporary exhibitions.

You can also explore the Great War Tour, an 80-kilometer route through the mountains. It includes an Open Air Museum with trenches and tunnels from World War I. You can ski it in winter or hike and bike it in summer.

Churches in Cortina

The beautiful Basilica Minore dei Santi Filippo e Giacomo

The Basilica Minore dei Santi Filippo e Giacomo was built between 1769 and 1775. It has a tall wooden altar and beautiful frescoes on its ceiling. The Chiesa della Madonna della Difesa, built in 1750, features an intricate fresco and rich decorations. The Cappella della Beata Vergine di Lourdes, completed in 1907, is a small church with unique sculptures.

The Sacrario militare di Pocol is a military cemetery and shrine high in the mountains. It was built in 1935 to honor the thousands of soldiers who lost their lives during World War I in the Dolomites. It's a large stone tower visible from the valley.

Castles and Forts

The historic Forte Tre Sassi

The Castello de Zanna is a small fortress that started construction in 1694. It has low white walls and two corner towers.
Forte Tre Sassi was built in 1897 during the Austro-Hungarian period. It's a fortress located high up, guarding a mountain pass. It was damaged in World War I but has been restored and now houses a museum with relics from the war.
The Castello di Botestagno was a medieval fort on a rock in the Boite river valley. It was built to control three valleys. Over time, it lost its importance, and today only small remnants of its foundations remain.

Cortina's Culture and Arts

A travel poster for Cortina d'Ampezzo from around 1920

Cortina d'Ampezzo has always attracted writers, thinkers, and artists from all over the world. Famous authors like Ernest Hemingway and Saul Bellow spent time here. This tradition continues with events like "Una Montagna di Libri" (A Mountain of Books), a literature festival held twice a year.

Music and Festivals

Music is very important to the people of Cortina. You'll often find young musicians playing in the streets. Every summer, the Dino Ciani Festival and Academy brings young pianists from around the world to learn from top performers. The Festival of the Bands, held in late August, features brass bands from Italy and other countries. Cortina's own band, dressed in traditional costumes, has been a central attraction since 1861.

Cortina in Movies and Books

Cortina's beautiful scenery has been featured in many movies. It was a filming location for mountain climbing scenes in Cliffhanger and for the classic The Pink Panther. In 1981, Cortina was a major setting for the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only, with exciting ski chases and scenes at the Hotel Miramonti. The town also appears in the novel The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Local Radio

Radio Cortina Dolomiti is a local commercial radio station that has been broadcasting since 1980.

Sports in Cortina

Cortina d'Ampezzo

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Location	Italy
Nearest city	Belluno
Vertical	1,611 meters (5,285 ft)
Top elevation	2,930 meters (9,610 ft)
Base elevation	1,224 meters (4,016 ft)
Runs	101 runs over 120km total 45km (38%) easy 59km (49%) intermediate 16km (13%) difficult
Longest run	11 kilometers (6.8 mi)
Lift system	27 lifts and 33.5 km total 6 aerial tramways 19 chairlifts 2 gondolas 2 surface lifts
Lift capacity	42,212 Passengers/hour
Total length	120 km (70 mi)
Website	Cortina Dolomiti

Cortina d'Ampezzo has a long and proud history of hosting major sports events. It hosted the 1956 Winter Olympics and the 2021 Alpine World Championships. Cortina also co-hosted the 2026 Winter Olympics and the 2026 Winter Paralympics with Milan.

Stadio Olimpico Del Ghiaccio in summer 1971

The town is home to SG Cortina, a professional ice hockey team that plays in Italy's top league. Cortina d'Ampezzo is also the start and end point for the annual Dolomites Gold Cup Race, a classic car event.

Monte Cristallo (3,221 m)

Cortina d'Ampezzo is a fantastic place for amateur skiers, located within the huge Dolomiti Superski area. It boasts 115 kilometers of ski slopes with 34 lifts. You can count on snow from December to April. There are six ski schools with about 300 instructors to help you learn.

The Olympic ski jump

The Faloria-Cristallo-Mietres ski area offers amazing views and slopes for all skill levels, including children. For more challenging runs, the Tofane area has exciting slopes from an elevation of 2,500 meters (8,202 feet). The longest run, the Armentarola piste, starts at 2,752 meters (9,029 feet).

Besides skiing, Cortina offers many other winter sports like curling, snowboarding, and sledding. In summer, you can enjoy trekking, trail running, biking, rock climbing, tennis, and golf. Cortina is famous for its many via ferratas (protected climbing routes) in the surrounding mountains, like the VF Ivano Dibona, which was used in the movie Cliffhanger.

Delicious Food in Cortina

Cortina d'Ampezzo offers amazing food that mixes local traditions with Austrian flavors. You can try tasty dishes like "chenedi" and "Casunziei," which are savory pasta dishes. Hearty meat dishes include mushroom roast and "gröstl." For dessert, don't miss the delicious apple strudel and ricotta tart.

Getting to Cortina

The new retro-styled Espresso Cadore is a sleeper train that returned to service in 2024. The closest train station is Calalzo-Pieve di Cadore-Cortina, about 35 kilometers (22 miles) south of Cortina. To make it easy to reach Cortina, this station connects to the Cortina Link service, which has increased services for the Winter Olympic Games. You can also easily reach Cortina from Venice Mestre with daily connections.

The Cortina Airport was built for the 1956 Winter Olympics but is currently closed. The nearest airports are in Venice. Treviso is 138 kilometers (86 miles) away, and Venice Marco Polo Airport is 148 kilometers (92 miles) away. Both can be reached by road in about two and a quarter hours.

Famous People Connected to Cortina

Cortina d'Ampezzo has inspired many famous people. Writers like Dino Buzzati and Ernest Hemingway spent time here. Famous mountaineers such as John Ball, Emilio Comici, and Angelo Dibona explored its peaks. Sports stars like skier Kristian Ghedina and bobsledder Eugenio Monti are also linked to Cortina.

Local heroes from Cortina include skiers Enrico Colli and Vincenzo Colli, and gold-medalist curler Stefania Constantini, who won at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Cortina's International Friends

Cortina is twinned with:

Cattolica, Italy (since 1971)
Skardu, Pakistan (2010)

Cortina d'Ampezzo facts for kids

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