Cortina summer holidays: your perfect mountain escape
Cortina d'Ampezzo sits at the heart of the Dolomites, offering one of the most breathtaking mountain settings in the world. While most people associate this iconic destination with winter skiing, Cortina summer holidays have become an increasingly popular choice for travellers seeking fresh air, stunning alpine landscapes, and a rich variety of outdoor activities — all far from the suffocating heat of the city.
Surrounded by dramatic rocky peaks, lush valleys, and pristine trails, Cortina delivers an experience that goes well beyond a simple mountain getaway. Whether you are drawn by the thrill of hiking through UNESCO-listed Dolomite scenery, the excitement of climbing sheer rock faces, or simply the pleasure of wandering through elegant boutiques along Corso Italia, this destination has something meaningful to offer every type of traveller. Here is everything you need to know to make the most of your summer in Cortina.
Getting up high: cable cars and scenic lifts in Cortina
One of the most rewarding ways to experience Cortina d'Ampezzo in summer is to let the mountain come to you — or rather, to let a cable car carry you up to it. The network of lifts operating during the warmer months gives visitors access to panoramic ridges and dramatic viewpoints that would otherwise require hours of strenuous trekking. Have you ever stood at over 2,700 metres above sea level and looked out over an endless sea of jagged Dolomite peaks? If not, Cortina is where that moment can happen.
The Lagazuoi cable car is arguably the most iconic of these routes. Beyond the sheer visual spectacle, it serves as the gateway to one of the most extraordinary open-air museums in Europe — a preserved network of tunnels and trenches from the First World War, carved directly into the rock. History and altitude combined in a single ascent.
The 5 Torri chairlift transports visitors to the area surrounding the famous Five Towers rock formation, a landscape of immense historical, cultural and sporting significance. This is a spot that rewards slow exploration: take your time, look around, and let the scenery sink in.
Perhaps the most exciting addition to the summer lift network is the Cortina Skyline cable car, which links the Tofane massif with the Cinque Torri and Passo Falzarego area in just fifteen minutes. What once required a long drive or a full day's hike can now be experienced in a quarter of an hour, opening up entirely new possibilities for day trips and multi-point itineraries across the valley.
Sport and adventure in the Dolomites
For those who prefer to experience the mountains through physical effort, Cortina summer holidays offer an almost overwhelming range of options. The trail network covering the Cortina, Auronzo and Misurina areas is extensive, well-maintained and clearly marked, catering to every level of fitness and experience. A family with young children and a seasoned alpine hiker can both find routes that feel tailor-made for them — and that is a rare quality in any destination.
Climbers will find the Dolomite walls around Cortina particularly compelling. With over a thousand documented routes ranging from accessible beginner climbs to demanding multi-pitch challenges on vertical limestone faces, this is one of the most diverse climbing environments in the Alps. Equipped sport climbing crags sit alongside classic ferrata routes, meaning that even those without a full rack of gear can push their limits safely.
Mountain biking has also grown significantly as a summer pursuit here. The Cortina Bike Park Dolomiti offers dedicated downhill trails totalling several kilometres of purpose-built track, with bike and equipment rental available on site. Whether you prefer a leisurely e-bike ride along a valley path or a fast, technical descent through the trees, the terrain around Cortina accommodates both impulses without compromise.
What makes sport in Cortina particularly special is the backdrop. Every climb, every trail, every descent unfolds against a landscape of extraordinary beauty — one that has earned UNESCO World Heritage status and continues to inspire everyone who moves through it.
Shopping, food and evening life in the town centre
Cortina d'Ampezzo is not only a place for outdoor pursuits. The town itself carries a distinct elegance that sets it apart from most alpine resorts, and spending time in its centre is a genuine pleasure in its own right. Corso Italia, the main pedestrian street, is the social and commercial heart of Cortina — a place where locals and visitors mix naturally, where the pace slows down, and where the quality of what is on offer tends to be remarkably high.
The town has maintained a strong connection to fashion and craftsmanship since the mid-twentieth century, and that tradition is still visible today. Independent boutiques sit alongside artisan workshops selling locally made goods, creating a shopping experience that feels personal rather than generic. This is not a high street filled with chain stores — it is a curated collection of shops that reflect the character of the place.
When the afternoon light begins to fade, Cortina transitions smoothly into its evening mode. Bars and wine bars along and around Corso Italia fill up with people looking for an aperitivo before dinner, while pastry shops offer a quieter alternative for those who prefer something sweet and unhurried. The restaurant scene draws on both local Ladin culinary traditions and broader Italian cooking, with options ranging from relaxed mountain taverns to more refined dining rooms.
Whether your ideal evening involves a lively atmosphere or a quiet table for two, the town centre of Cortina delivers without effort.
Your summer in the Dolomites starts here
Cortina d'Ampezzo offers a rare combination of natural grandeur, outdoor adventure, refined culture and genuine alpine hospitality. Few destinations manage to balance all of these elements so effortlessly, and that is precisely what makes Cortina summer holidays so compelling for such a wide range of travellers. Whether you spend your days riding cable cars to vertiginous ridges, pushing your limits on a ferrata route, browsing boutiques along Corso Italia, or simply sitting on a terrace watching the Dolomite peaks change colour at dusk — the experience is consistently memorable.
The mountains are waiting, and the only thing left to do is get there. Reach Cortina easily and comfortably by bus, leave the car behind, and let one of Italy's most iconic alpine destinations do the rest. Start planning your trip today and discover why so many travellers return to Cortina summer after summer.
