Skier & Snowboarder-Submitted Reviews for Cortina d'Ampezzo
Planning a ski trip to Cortina d'Ampezzo? Browse our collection of visitor-generated reviews that rank the mountain and ski town on a scale of one to five stars in the following categories: Overall Rating, All-Mountain Terrain, Nightlife, Terrain Park and Family Friendly. See how Cortina d'Ampezzo stacks up to others in terms of skiing and après, and read up on pros, cons and comments from fellow skiers and snowboarders. Don't forget to submit your own Cortina d'Ampezzo review! Scroll to the bottom of this page to let other travelers know about your ski area experience.
Skier & Snowboarder-Submitted Reviews for Cortina d'Ampezzo
Total (4.0)
A ski resort's overall star rating displayed here is not calculated based on a simple average but takes several factors, including the age of a review, into account.
Cortina is a great mountain, with many spread out areas of the resort. Because it is an Olympic mountain, there are lots of hotels and other accommodations. The views are spectacular especially from above the clouds. Cortina is relatively easy to get to, it is only a 1 hr and 45 minute drive from Venice and about 3-4 hrs from Milan.
ujkadusko
Visited four times in last fiver years on a family ski vacation. There are better places in the Alps for skiing alone but if you want to feel special in a Dolce Vita style this is a place to be!I am going this year for a fifth time and not regretting
Absolutely the
worst place for apre ski anywhere, this from a 72 year old who is still alive and rocks. Very disappointed with the early night life. Ski runs are good, but if you want to think you are alive and not past it avoid Cortina like the plague. Sad really that there is no Italian entrepreneur that can get a grip and make it a place to want to return to. Take a lesson from Folie Douche France. Probably the reason the Italians are not the top of the league in ski resorts...get your finger out and make it exciting. This from a very British, not dead guy.
Joaquin
Cortina is for those more interested in the view and scenery, probably ideal for a romantic skiing holiday. The scenery is breathtaking, and the town has good offer of restaurants, shopping, etc.
While the skiing options and conditions are very good, with lots of pistes for all levels, and access to the Dolomiti area (which is very vast), the mountains are not as well connected as they could be. This means the runs are not as long and varied as in probably Alta Badia (which is a few km away from it). The upside of this is that it tends to get less busy than its more 'skiing focused' neighbours (Alta Badia, etc). All in all, a very good all rounder and a good option if you are not an all-about-the-powder.
anonymous
All lifts, gondolas and slopes need serious reconstruction, better marking. Gondolas are from 1956.
Cortina is simply one of the most amazingly beautiful places you will ever ski. I've spent quite a bit of time in the Dolomites in summer and winter and always love it. Cortina stands out a bit in winter as it has some runs that are more challenging that other areas of the Dolomite. Its heavy on intermediate terrain and while I'm an expert, I loved it anyways because I was so giddy with the beautiful views and terrain and ripping up high speed turns. I enjoyed the Falloria area and feeling like I was on top of the world as you're perched on an area set high up above cliffs that you climb on a tram. Going up to ski at Tofana was fun though the runs on top are a bit limited and more crowded, but the ride is spectacular and there is some quality challenge coming down.
I explored every little area here and enjoyed even the easy stuff because you just felt like you were in a winter wonderland where ever you went. Skiing by Cinque Torre was cool. Five massive rock towers off to the side of a run and the mountain was pretty much ours.
The most spectacular run is the long long run from the top of Laguezoi down to Armentarola. I recommend stopping at Laguzoi too for a nibble or something. I once had a gnocci dish done with three different sauces up here that was to die for. The run is a delightful meandering mostly blue run that can take up a lot of time as you stop to take in the sites as you pass through canyons and great terrain. There is a bus back.
The town is fun too and the people watching is great. People stroll through the town in their furs and such every evening like clockwork year round. At the top of the lifts you'll find the non-skiers working on their tans in bikini tops and reflective screens. Its definitely a "La dolce vita" kind of place for those trying to impress which leaves the slopes a little bit more open for the serious skiers.
Italy's most famous and stylish resort, often ranked along side St Moritz (you can play polo on snow at both), Cortina d'Ampezzo is certainly one of the world's best known ski centres. The resort, beloved by James Bond Roger Moore and earlier Ernest Hemmingway was host to the 1956 Winter Olympics.
Located in the wide sunny Ampezzo valley, Cortina is surrounded by the spectacular back drop of the Dolomites, with their famous vertical sides and pink rock used to great effect in the recent hit movie 'Cliffhanger' (no, that wasn't Colorado...) Despite being only 40km (25 miles) from the southern Austrian border, Cortina differs from most of the other resorts in the Dolomites in that there is no strong Germanic influence, common in the South Tyrol. Instead the resort is very Italian and very chic, beloved by the great and the good of Milan, Rome and Venice, many of whom have second homes here.
Cortina's long history as a world class ski resort, dating from the sport's earliest days is reflected by the variety of long-standing annual international competions staged here, including the Women's Ski world Cup every January, international bobsleigh competitions, the famous Dobbiaco - Cortina 42km International Cross-Country ski race, the Winter Polo Cup and a range of ice hockey, figure skating and curling events.
Cortina's skiing is more varied than at many resorts in the Dolomites where the mountains' famous precipices and otherwise steep sides going straight down to relatively flat and narrow valley floors make it difficult to create much beyond easy slopes in the valley and the occasional steep black down from on high.
Cortina has three major ski areas: Tofana, Cristallo and Faloria, and is on the famous Dolomiti Superski pass which gives unlimited access to around 1200km of trails from ski centres all over the Dolomites.
Beginners normally start to ski or 'board on the Socrepes area's nursery slopes, where the ski school is based. With more than half of the runs categorised as 'easy' it's a good place to progress during your first week of sliding.
Intermediate level skiers will perhaps have the most fun of all, with the widest choice of runs open to them in all areas, including the 9km long descent towards Armentarola on the Alta Badia circuit from Lagazuoi reached by the Passo Falzarego cable car the base of which is a short drive from the resort.
Some of Cortina's toughest skiing is on the Tofana mountain where the legendary descents include the Stratofana, inaugurated for the 1956 Olympics, on which skiing great Tony Sailer won his third gold medal. The Forcella Rossa is equally highly thought of, as is the Staunies run in the Cristallo area.
Although many of the slopes are sunny and south facing, snow making covers 100km of 30 key trails.
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