Good to know
Good to Know
- Guided tours are highly recommended for many of Cortina's historical sites, particularly the World War I open-air museums like Cinque Torri and Lagazuoi; local guides can provide invaluable context, share expert insights, ensure safe and informative experience through potentially challenging terrain, and often bring the history to life with personal stories.
- Starting in 2025, parking space must be reserved in advance at Rifugio Auronzo or take a bus from Cortina; recommend reserving as far in advance as possible because they book up quickly, especially in July and August; the reservation allows up to 12 hours in the parking lot; early timeslots recommended to enjoy trails with fewer crowds.
- With the exception of the Lagazuoi cable car, most cableways stop operating by late September.
- Cortina is a small mountain town, so most of the businesses and attractions are concentrated in the central area and are easily reachable within walking distance.
- Exploring the numerous free things to do in Cortina, such as wandering Corso Italia, visiting local churches, or simply hiking easy trails, can balance out costs for pricier attractions.
Museums
Mario Rimoldi Museum of Modern Art
- Location
- Located inside the 'Casa delle Regole' in the center of Cortina d'Ampezzo
- Description
- An impressive collection of 20th century paintings and sculptures, including pieces by De Chirico, De Pisis, Sironi, Guttuso, Morandi, Music, Savinio and Tomea. Over 300 works of art made by great Italian painters in the early twentieth century.
Museo Paleontologico Rinaldo Zardini
- Location
- Located within the Alexander Hall, a multifunctional center just a short distance from the center of Cortina
- Description
- Italy's most significant private collection of fossils from the San Cassiano formation 220-230 million years ago.
Museo Etnografico Regole d'Ampezzo
- Location
- Housed in a recently renewed historic Venetian-style sawmill, really close to the other museums
- Description
- Showcases the history and traditions of Cortina. Focused on the Regole d'Ampezzo as a centuries-old collective property; presents the collective institution and represents the territory and collective management of forests and pastures.
Cortina War Museum (Museo Postazioni Italiane Grande Guerra)
- Type
- WWI open-air museum
- Description
- Open-air museum treating WWI as a must-see; features the opportunity to explore trenches, tunnels, and fortifications from the Great War.
Forte Tre Sassi
- Location
- Passo di Valparola area (outside immediate town center)
- Description
- A historical fortress and museum located on the road to the Passo di Valparola, within the municipality of Cortina d'Ampezzo in the southern Dolomitic Alps.
Pocol Military Shrine (Pocol Ossuary)
- Type
- WWI memorial
- Description
- Situated at an altitude of 1,535 meters above sea level.
Must See Sites
Corso Italia
- Type
- architectural/shopping
- Description
- Cortina's central pedestrian area, easily identifiable and with most businesses and attractions concentrated within walking distance. One of the best-known shopping streets on the Peninsula, always teeming with tourists admiring the shop windows, and abounding with cafes and trendy locales.
Basilica Minore Dei Santi Filippo E Giacomo
- Type
- religious site
- Description
- 18th century parish church with slender, pale-green clock tower; inside features frescoes by Tyrolean painter Franz Anton Zeiller and elaborate altars. The church tower was completed between 1851 and 1858 and is to this day one of Cortina's main attractions.
Angelo Dibona Monument
- Type
- monument
- Description
- Stands in the middle of the main square; honors an Ampezzo-born mountain guide and pioneer of the Dolomites to whom 60-70 tours are attributed; several climbing routes in the Dolomites are named after him.
Cinque Torri (Five Towers)
- Type
- natural landmark/WWI heritage
- Chairlift Access
- Chairlift from Passo Falzarego (€10-€15 return)
- Description
- A group of five tower-like rocks outside the town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, one of the most famous attractions in the Dolomites offering an array of outdoor recreation opportunities. The Cinque Torri doubles up as an open-air war museum, where visitors can view relics of trenches and bunkers from the First World War.
Mount Lagazuoi
- Type
- mountain/WWI heritage
- Description
- Located halfway between Cortina d'Ampezzo and Alta Badia; the top can be reached in 3 minutes with a modern cable car departing from the Falzarego Pass.
Olympic Heritage
- Overview
- Cortina hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956 and plans to repeat in the 2026 edition.
Historic Venues
Olympic Ice Stadium
- Current Use
- Will host curling and wheelchair curling competitions; the world's top curling athletes will compete for Olympic and Paralympic medals
- Description
- Originally built in 1955 for the Cortina d'Ampezzo 1956 Winter Olympics; hosted the Opening Ceremony and figure skating. Now showcases an impressive blend of modern design while retaining aspects including part of its original wooden tribune; in 1956 was home to the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and men's ice hockey and figure skating competitions.
Olympia Delle Tofane
- 2026 Role
- As the primary venue for Women's Alpine Skiing during the Milano Cortina 2026 Games, this slope represents the pinnacle of Olympic technicality
- Description
- A historic venue for major skiing events; recognized as one of the most prestigious courses on both the Italian and international circuits. Stretches 2,560 metres with a vertical drop of 750 metres; has been a regular stop on the women's Alpine Ski World Cup since 1993.
Cortina Sliding Centre (Eugenio Monti)
- Description
- Hosting bobsleigh, luge and skeleton events; built on the historic track named after Eugenio Monti, nicknamed the 'Flying Red,' a two-time Olympic bobsleigh champion at the 1968 Grenoble Winter Games.
Nearby Heritage Attractions
Tre Cime Di Lavaredo
- Access Fee
- Toll fee for vehicles entering the park around €30 per car for 2025, subject to change
- Description
- Iconic UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites landmark accessible from Cortina
- Distance Note
- Near iconic hikes and lakes including Tre Cime di Lavaredo
Lago Di Braies, Lago Di Sorapiss, Lago Misurina
- Description
- Dreamy lakes of Lago Federa, Lago di Sorapis, Lago d'Antorno, and Lago Misurina
- Distance Note
- Day trip accessible from Cortina
Passo Giau
- Description
- Panoramic mountain pass
- Distance Note
- Day trip accessible from Cortina
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this history, museums & sightseeing research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Cortina d'Ampezzo
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.