by Cortina is one of the oldest ski resorts in Europe, in the far north-east of Italy, with grand hotels dating back to Victorian times and set amongst the stunning scenery of the Dolomites. It is also one of the few resorts in the Dolomites with an entirely Italian atmosphere and almost none of the Germanic and Austrian culture and language of most resorts in the region.
Cortina’s slopes are fragmented, with three independent ski areas, each with a totally different character. There are tours for all levels, but intermediates who are happy to try all three areas (and further afield) will make the most of them, and buses between the areas are quite frequent. The station hosted the Winter Olympic Games in 1956 and will host them again in 2026, together with Milan. Cortina also hosts regular races on the women’s World Cup circuit and hosted the Alpine World Championships in 2021.
Stay up to date with the resort’s essential facts below and scroll down for our insider’s guide to a day on the slopes, expert ratings and tips. For more Cortina inspiration, check out our guides to the resort’s best accommodation, restaurants and après ski.
In this guide:
Inside the complex
Cortina is the most exclusive resort in Italy and attracts many weekend tourists: many wealthy residents of Venice and Milan come here to stay in their second homes. Stylish shops and galleries selling expensive art, designer clothing, jewelery and furs line the street, along with an incredible four-story Co-op department store, selling everything from food and drink to clothing and shoes, DIY items , electronic devices, luggage and children’s items. toys.
The central, pedestrianized, cobbled area of Corso Italia and Piazza Angelo Dibona is charming and a lovely place to both walk and stay. A 65m-high illuminated green and white bell tower adds to the atmosphere, as do the charming old buildings housing hotels, restaurants and cafes and pastry shops. Après ski is primarily quiet and refined, rather than raucous and lively.
Most of the visitors are Italian and many do not go near the slopes, but rather see them walking around the city in their best clothes. This makes the slopes relatively quiet most of the time. However, at 5pm, the central car-free area of Corso Italia is packed with curious onlookers in fur coats taking part in the traditional Italian afternoon passeggiata, and virtually no one is wearing ski gear.
Away from the centre, the resort spreads widely and roads can be congested with traffic. This means that it is worth choosing your accommodation location carefully.
Cortina’s 120 km of slopes are divided into three different and varied ski areas: Faloria-Cristallo, Tofana-Socrepes and Cinque Torri-Lagazuoi, the last two linked by a gondola from Son dei Prade to Bai de Dones. The landscape that serves as a backdrop to all three is simply stunning, with red-tinged peaks (this is the effect of the famous Enrosadira, or “alpenglow” phenomenon) rising vertically from the top of the slopes. From the furthest reaches of Lagazuoi it is possible to access the vast Sella Ronda ski area with more than 400 km of further slopes.
There is little evidence in Cortina of the huge battles between Italian and Austrian soldiers that took place in the mountains above the complex during the First World War. However, Cinque Torri-Lagazuoi has visible evidence of wartime emplacements and is part of a large First World area. War ski tour marked on an exclusive piste map.
on the slopes
Cortina’s three main ski areas are connected by buses, lifts and slopes. Although they add up to a modest 120 km of slopes, they offer an interesting variety. Even in a year with little natural snow, there should be good coverage, as 95 percent of the slopes are covered by artificial snow.
The Tofana-Socrepes area, with 52 km of varied pistes, is reached by 10-seater gondola, on foot or a short bus ride from the city centre, or by a 10-minute bus ride to the outskirts of Socrepes and from there on fast chairlifts. The gondola opened in 2019 and replaced a 50-year-old cable car.
The top slopes of Tofana-Socrepes include some tough red runs and one extraordinarily scenic black (Forcella Rossa), which offers wonderful views of both the city and the mountains. The Ra Valles four-seater chairlift in Ra Valles, Cortina’s highest ski area, was installed in late 2020 and provides quick access to the Tofana Bus piste at 2,836m.
The extensive lower slopes above Socrepes, a network of wide, easy blue runs served by high-speed chairlifts, form the best area of Cortina for beginners and timid intermediates.
The Faloria-Cristallo area (20 km of slopes) is reached by a two-stage cable car, a 200 m walk or a short bus ride from the city center. As there is no track back to Cortina, the cable car is also the way down. The views from the top of Faloria (2123m) over the city 900m below are stunning.
The slopes here are all red and black and lead to a couple of high-speed chairlifts. It’s a great area for confident intermediates and fast cruisers. A long red track leads to a huge car park and the chairlift that goes up the other side of the valley to the Cristallo area; It has a couple of very short runs (red and blue) at the top and a long red run down. However, the way back to the Faloria area is a tediously slow triple chairlift.
Cinque Torri-Lagazuoi, with 24 km of slopes, is 17 km from Cortina, 25 minutes by bus or Skyline gondola, installed for 2021/22. With the rocky Cinque Torri (five towers) spiers giving the area its name, the scenery here is even more impressive than in the other two ski areas. There is little difference here between the blue and red runs (they are all red slope) unless you venture towards the Lagazuoi side of the valley. This is done via the cable car at Passo Falzarego, which can also be reached directly by bus from Cortina, and the blues over Passo Falzarego on the way to the cable car are really easy.
Intermediates and betters shouldn’t miss the epic 8km Armentarola red piste (also known as the Hidden Valley piste) from Lagazuoi. You walk away from all the lifts amidst a stunning landscape of towering cliffs and frozen waterfalls, and at the end, a horse-drawn sleigh with ropes attached tows everyone back to civilization in Armentarola. From there it is possible to explore the Sella Ronda area before taking a shared taxi back to Passo Falzarego and catching the bus back home.
For experts, there are good ski tours to enjoy from the Cortina ski areas with a guide (new for 2023/24 is a tour from Cortina to Alta Badia from Mount Lagazuoi via the Torri ski area to Tofane). And after a snowfall, fresh tracks can usually be found between the tracks for several days; Relatively few visitors to Cortina venture off-piste.
Cortina also offers an interesting ski tour for intermediate skiers: the Super8 Ski Tour. A figure-eight itinerary that crosses three mountain passes in the Dolomites: Forcella Averau, Croda Negra and Lagazuoi.
In addition to several ski schools, including the traditional Cortina ski school (founded in 1933), and independent professionals, there is a cross-country ski school (Cortina has around 70 km of cross-country ski trails for all levels) .
Who should go?
The Cortina slopes are best suited for intermediate and expert levels. There are 13 tricky black runs, plus countless off-piste opportunities in good snow conditions. However, the business of skiing and snowboarding takes a backseat to the social sport of seeing and being seen. Cortina is famous for being the most elegant resort in Italy, with a large number of luxury hotels and gourmet restaurants. Non-skiers are especially well catered for: they can walk their dogs, visit more than 300 shops and enjoy long lunches in restaurants. The scenery of the Dolomites is glorious and a day trip to Venice is possible for those looking for a touch of ski culture.
Know before you go
Essential information
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British Embassy/Consulate: Via 20 Settembre, 80a, 00187 Rome; 0039 06 4220 0001; gov.uk
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Police: dial 113
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Fire: dial 118
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Emergency services from your mobile phone: dial 112
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Tourist Office: Visit dolomiti.org, the website of the Dolomites region and the Cortina tourist office, for piste maps, weather reports, lift status, webcams, traffic details and local event listings. Pick up maps, brochures and other information at the Info Point Cortina, the Tourist Information Office on the main street, Corso Italia.
The basics
Local Laws and Etiquette
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A simple ‘buongiorno’ in the morning or a ‘buonasera’ in the afternoon or evening goes a long way. ‘Ciao’ is for friends, family or young people. If someone thanks you by saying “grazie,” it is good manners to respond “prego” (you’re welcome).
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Italians tip very little; 5% is enough and often it is enough to round the bill to the nearest 5 or 10 euros.
