Known as the "Queen of the Dolomites", Cortina d'Ampezzo is one of the most famous Alpine holiday destinations in the world, and is inserted in the association
"Best of the Alps" which lists the most exclusive Alpine resorts from the 5 nations that make up the Alps.
The rocky cliffs of the Dolomites that crown the town, like Tofane and Cristallo, represent a dream for every mountain climber, and the pastures and forests of the Ampezzo basin are the destinations for many fans of mountain sports, or for those who are simply looking for relaxing holidays in one of the most scenic places in the world.
All year long, Cortina is home to grand events:
January – World Cup Women’s Skiing: Super G, downhill and giant slalom races.
February - Gran Fondo Dobbiaco-Cortina: an international cross country skiing 42 kilometer race from Dobbiaco to Cortina.
July - Cortina-Dobbiaco: an international 42 km mountain bike race.
September - the Dolomites Gold Cup: an international race for vintage cars.
And sports aren’t all: Cortina d'Ampezzo is also one of the liveliest holiday places in the Alps. Corso Italia, the city’s meeting place, is always hopping during shopping hours; here you can find shops and boutiques with the best that fashion has to offer, from clothing to jewelry and sporting equipment, not to mention the wide selection of local artisan goods.
Art and culture are right at home in Cortina. As always, the Queen of the Dolomites is an irresistible attraction for artists from all over the world.
During the tourist season, the many art galleries are continually holding exhibits by internationally respected contemporary artists, and writers frequently come to Cortina to present their new works.
Cortina also offers a series of interesting museums:
-The Paleonthological Museum "Rinaldo Zardini" - with an extraordinary collection of fossils from the Cassian period.
-The Ethnographic Museum of Ampezzo - objects, tools and costumes that tell the story of a peasant’s life, and the religious sentiments and artistic traditions of the
- Ampezzo populations.
- Museum of Modern Art "Mario Rimoldi" - one of the most important private collections of figurative art from the early 1900’s in Italy.
-The outdoor Museum Piccolo Lagazuoi - during the years of World War One, Mount Lagazuoi was disputed over by the Italian military and the Austrian-Hungarian forces.
Today it remains an extraordinary historical patrimony: positions, trenches, tunnels, dormitories and storehouses, in one of the most panoramic areas in the Dolomites.
In the spring and summer,
the forests and peaks that surround Cortina are the perfect place for all kinds of sports-loving holiday-makers.