Cortina d'Ampezzo Ski Map

Cortina d'Ampezzo is a ski resort and town in the Dolomites that comes with an exclusive reputation. The centre of Cortina is pedestrianised and lined with classy boutiques, eateries and bars. This is a resort which attracts the rich and famous with some fantastic accommodation on offer. However, those of us on a slightly smaller budget can also enjoy Cortina, there is a plentiful supply of accommodation on offer which ranges from hotels to apartments. Cortina has a noble skiing pedigree and is firmly established on the ski calendar as the host of the of the 1956 winter Olympics which helped solidify its reputation.

Cortina is a medium sized resort town with multiple lifts enabling skiers to reach a number of distinct ski areas. There is a shuttle bus that circum-navigates the town to enables skiers to reach each area, although we do think the bus frequency could be improved

The town has a good range of Alpine bars and restaurants which cater to a variety of budgets. During the prime season Cortina is buzzing with people who fill its higher end bars and designer stores. The skiing in Cortina is excellent and the Dolomites provide a beautiful backdrop. The dolomites are created from a hard limestone and so the peaks are just a bit more jagged than other areas of the alps and this helps create the perfect backdrop for some fantastic skiing in Cortina.

The altitude range here is impressive. On the Tofana side of the valley you can reach 3,000m via lifts and when the snow is good ski back down to Cortina on tree lined trails to 1240m. There is a real variety of slopes and pistes on offer and good snow can be found throughout the season which is also helped along with an array of snow making equipment. On the slopes Cortina caters well for beginners, intermediates and expert skiers as each can find pistes to suit their abilities. The piste and lift layout work well for boarders here, as long flats towards the ends of pistes are minimal so the area is popular with boarders as well as skiers.

Cortina is easily accessed form Marco Polo airport, about 2 hours drive away and so many visitors combine a week of skiing with a trip to Venice for a spot of luncheon. Its’ all thoroughly Italian and very civilised indeed.