Day trip to Cortina d’Ampezzo
Have you ever been to Cortina d’Ampezzo? It’s located in the Dolomites and it’s about 40 minutes driving from our B&B in San Candido. It’s the perfect destination for a day trip in the Dolomites, where you can go shopping, skiing and enjoying the Italian Dolce Vita. Below we listed what not-to-be missed when visiting Cortina.
Bon azeto in Cortina
The city of Cortina d’Ampezzo is located in the Dolomites in the province of Belluno and lies at 1224 meters above the sea level. In Italian is nicknamed the Queen of the Dolomites, because of its scenery and because it’s very popular among VIPs and rich people. Cortina and its people have a strong personality, thanks also to the famous “Regole d’Ampezzo“, their centuries-old traditions and its language, the Ladin language.
The pulsing heart of Cortina is Corso Italia, the main city street full of shops, boutiques and workshops; there are also cafés, restaurants and bars and it’s definitively the place where to be to experience the Dolce Vita. All main attractions are along this street: start from admiring Ciasa dei Pupe, a beautifully decorated building dating back to 1870, then stop by the comun vecio, the old town hall also decorated with coat of arms of the old families from Cortina. Close by visit the Basilica dei Santi Filippo e Giacomo, built at the endo of the 18th century and finely decorated inside; next to it there is the tall bell’s tower, that is one of the landmark of Cortina d’Ampezzo and that you see from any point of the city.
Cortina – Credits Dolomiti.org
Walking along Corso Italia you may want to visit the Museum of Modern Art Mario Rinoldi, hosted inside the Casa delle Regole, and displaying artwork by famous 20th century artists like De Chirico, Morandi and De Pisis. If you like museums we recommend to visit also the Ethnographic Museum of Regole d’Ampezzo and the “Rinaldo Zardini” Palaeontological Museum, that displays a large collection of fossils telling millions of years of history of life on earth.
Top destination for Winter sports
Cortina d’Ampezzo is one of the most famous ski resorts in the Alps, not just in Italy. In 1956 it was the location of the VII Olympic Winter Games for which the Stadio Olimpico del ghiaccio was built. In 2026 Cortina is going to be the city of the XXV Olympic Winter Games, happening from February 6th to 22nd 2026.
Cortina is surrounded by the stunning Dolomites mountains, listed in the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2009; it’s part of the Dolomitisuperski, one of the best ski resort in Italy tha includes also the Three Peaks ski resort and San Candido.
Like in a movie set
In Cortina d’Ampezzo have been filmed many international films, legend has it that there were filmed more than 100 films. The most famous are:
- The Pink Panther (1963) with the famous inspector Jacques Clouseau played by Peter Sellers, and filmed inside Hotel Cristallo
- A Place for Lovers (1968) with Marcello Mastroianni and Faye Dunaway, filmed in Cortina
- For your Eyes Only (1981) with Roger Moore as James Bond staying at the Hotel Miramonti and coming down from the Olympic track
- Cliffhanger (1993) with Silvester Stallone
You find the full list of movies filmed in Cortina d’Ampezzo here.
Photo credits Veneto Secrets
How to reach Cortina d’Ampezzo from Innichen
Our B&B in San Candido is located about 36 km from the center of Cortina d’Ampezzo. By car take the Strada Statale 51 and drive straight for about 40 minutes; if you prefer taking public transports there the Cortina Express bus running few times a day. If you like biking, take the Dobbiaco-Cortina bike trail.
