Guide to Cortina D’Ampezzo: Best Hikes, Via Ferratas & Photography Spots

If you’ve been researching your upcoming trip to the Italian Dolomites, I am sure Cortina D’Ampezzo appeared more than once in your search results. It’s no wonder. Cortina is a great hub for seeing many of the famous Dolomiti attractions. Some of the best hikes and via ferratas in the Dolomites are around Cortina, and in this article, I will show you just how great this town is for outdoor and photography lovers.

About Cortina D’Ampezzo

Thanks to its central location, Cortina is considered the heart of the Italian Dolomites. The town rose to fame during the 1956 Winter Olympics. Today, it is regarded as an upscale mountain resort, but don’t let that put you off. Cortina has maintained its charm with a lovely cobblestone main street dotted with restaurants, cafes, and ice cream parlours.

The best way to get to Cortina D’Ampezzo

By bus

If you happen to be visiting Venice first, you can easily plan an escape into the mountains and reach Cortina by using a shuttle bus. You can book a shuttle on a daily bus from Venice Airport or Mestre Train Station. It’s undoubtedly a more environmentally friendly way to travel. You can catch a FlixBus to Cortina when travelling from Milan Bergamo airport.

By car

If you are travelling to Cortina D’Ampezzo by car, here are approximate travel distances and times from the nearest airports:

• Venice Marco Polo: 148 km / 92 mi / 1h 45 min
• Venice Treviso: 137 km / 85 mi / 1h 40 min
• Innsbruck: 164 km / 102 mi / 2h 30 min
• Munich airport: 358 km / 222 mi / 4h
• Milan Bergamo: 370 km / 230 mi / 4 h
• Milan Malpensa: 453 km / 281 mi / 4h 30 min

TIP: If you need to rent a car for your trip to the Dolomites, consider using Discover Cars. It’s an award-winning comparison site that I have been using for years.

Best Hikes Around Cortina D’Ampezzo

1. Croda Da Lago Circuit

• Distance: 12.5 km /7.8 mi
• Elevation gain: 854 m / 2801 ft
• Time required: 5-6 h

Circling the jagged peaks of Croda Da Lago, this is a tremendous full-day hike for anyone up for a challenge. The first half of the hike, which leads to Lake Federa, is rather easy. The second half, which involves descending a large boulder field, is much harder.

This is one of my favourite autumn day hikes in the Dolomites. The area truly comes to life during Fall, particularly in the second half of October. That’s when the larch trees in the surrounding valleys turn bright orange—a perfect time for photography enthusiasts.

Read more: Guide to Croda Da Lago Circuit.

2. Lake Sorapiss

• Distance: 12.1 km / 7.5 mi
• Elevation gain: 520 m / 1706 ft
• Time required: 4-5 hours

It’s not exactly a hidden gem, but it’s a gem nonetheless. The turquoise waters of Lake Sorapiss are the reason why this is one of the best hikes around Cortina. On any given summer day, it attracts hundreds of day hikers. If you want a little bit more peace, try to get there a bit earlier in the season.

I’ve done this hike a few times, including in early May when the lake was still covered underneath a sheet of ice and a blanket of snow. I only met a handful of other people on the trail and had the lake all to myself.

Read more: Guide to Lake Sorapiss hike.

3. Lake Limedes & Cinque Torri Circuit

• Distance: 9.7 km / 6 mi
• Elevation gain: 600 m / 1950 ft
• Time required: 4-5 h

This is a gentle hike that runs mainly above the treeline. It starts near Passo Falzarego and first heads to Lake Limedes, a seasonal lake with great reflections of the surrounding peaks.

It climbs to Averau Saddle before descending to the famous Cinque Torri rock formation. This is one of the best hikes near Cortina for history enthusiasts. At the foot of Cinque Torri, there is an outdoor World War I museum with remnants of trenches used in the battles.

Read more: Guide to Cinque Torri & Lake Limedes hike

4. Lagazuoi Tunnels

• Distance: 6 km / 4 mi
• Elevation gain: 673 m / 2200 ft
• Time required: 3-4 hours

The hike to Monte Lagazuoi is just on the opposite side of Passo Falzarego and Cinque Torri. What’s unique about this hike is that most of the route runs through a network of tunnels.

The tunnels were dug during World War I and used during battles. If you want to learn how the Dolomites became part of Italy, add this hike to your list.

Read more: Guide to Lagazuoi Tunnels hike.

5. Col De La Puina

• Distance: 7.6 km / 4.7 mi
• Elevation gain: 550 m / 1800 ft
• Time required: 2.5 – 3 h

This very unassuming hike quickly became one of my favourite hikes around Cortina. With only a 7.6-kilometer (4.7-mile) distance and 550 meters(1800 feet) of elevation gain, it’s neither long nor strenuous, yet it pays tenfold in views.

The hike runs at the foot of the towering Monte Pelmo and takes you to a small ridgeline. From here, you get great panoramic views of Monte Antealo, the second-highest peak in the Dolomites.

Read more: Guide to Col De La Puina hike.

6. Tre Cime Circuit

• Distance: 9.5 km / 5.9 mi
• Elevation gain: ca. 400 m / 1300 ft
• Time required: 4-5 h

Cortina is a great town to use as a base if you want to check out the Dolomite’s most famous Nature Park – Tre Cime. There are excellent bus connections from Cortina to Rifugio Auronzo, where you can hike the Tre Cime Circuit.

This is the number one hike in the park, with hundreds of tourists visiting every day. However, if seeing many other people on the trail isn’t something you want to experience, then skip this hike. There are plenty of other less-frequented routes in the Tre Cime Nature Park that you can undertake.

Read more: Guide to Tre Cime Circuit hike

My Favorite Via Ferratas Around Cortina D’Ampezzo

Cortina is a paradise for any via ferrata enthusiasts. You can reach at least 20 different routes within less than half an hour’s drive from the town centre. I have a separate article dedicated to all via ferratas near Cortina, but I thought I would share a few of my favorites.

1. Marino Bianchi

• Difficulty level: intermediate
• Time required: 6-7 hours

If you want a personal recommendation, via ferrata Marino Bianchi is one of my favourite routes in the Dolomites. That said, one needs to work hard to get to it first. I am talking about an hour-long, calf-burning approach through a scree gully to the Staunies saddle, where the ferrata begins.

It is a continuous feast for the eyes once you start your scramble along the cable-protected sections. Make sure to pay attention to the route; some sections of this ferrata, though well-protected, are very exposed.

Read more: Guide to via ferrata Marino Bianchi

2. Ra Bujela

• Difficulty level: intermediate
• Time required: 3-4 hours

Amazing views, a very well-thought-out route, and easy access. I don’t think there is another via ferrata in the Dolomites that packs so much in such little time. If you are looking for a quick half-day outing around Cortina, perhaps somewhere to practice using your via ferrata gear, you should pick this route.

The beginning of via ferrata Ra Bujela can be reached with a chairlift, and the bottom of the chairlift is only a 10-minute drive from the centre of Cortina.

Read more: Guide to via ferrata Ra Bujela

3. Michielli Strobel

• Difficulty level: intermediate
• Time required: 4-5 hours

If you want to see Cortina in all its glory, one of the best panoramic views of the town, with Monte Pelmo as the backdrop, is from the Michielli Strobel iron path. The route climbs along the western ranks of the Pomagagnon range and reaches Punta Fiames.

This is a lesser known via ferrata, so if you want to escape the crowds, you should consider this route.

Read more: Guide to via ferrata Michielli Strobel

4. Averau

• Difficulty level: beginner
• Time required: 2 hours (not including hut approach)

Witnessing sunset from the top of Monte Averau is still one of the best experiences I have had in the Dolomites. It was a pure dream in every direction for a photographer like me.

It’s a quick summit tour, and the via ferrata section is no longer than 50 meters. The rest of the route is just a hike to the top.

Read more: Guide to via ferrata Averau

5. Degli Alpini Al Col Dei Bos

• Difficulty level: intermediate
• Time required: 3-4 hours

This iron path is a popular choice for guided tours leaving Cortina D’Ampezzo. If you would like to try a via ferrata accompanied by an experienced guide, you’ll likely be offered the opportunity to tackle this route.

This route has plenty of history, which is why it’s chosen for tour groups. It starts near Passo Falzarego, a strategic point during World War I.

The pyramid-shaped Monte Antelao and Marmolada, two of the highest peaks in the Dolomites, can be seen from this ferrata. 

Read more: Guide to via ferrata Degli Alpini Al Col Dei Bos

6. Giro Del Sorapiss

• Difficulty level: advanced
• Time required: 10-12 hours (not including hut approach)

Completing this iron path will be a true test of your endurance. Giro del Sorapiss is a circuit around Monte Sorapiss, one of the peaks at the foot of which Cortina was built.

The Sorapiss circuit encompasses 3 separate via ferratas: Alfonso Vandelli, Carlo Minazio And Francesco Berti. They are intertwined with long hiking sections. The circuit can be done in a day, provided you start at sunrise and finish at sunset. A much safer option is to stay the night at the cosy Rifugio Vandelli or one of the two alpine bivouacs along the way.

Read more: Guide to via ferrata Giro Del Sorapiss

7. Giovanni Lipella

• Difficulty level: advanced
• Time required: 6-8 hours

Via Ferrata Giovanni Lipella scales the western slopes of Tofana Di Rozes and is filled with World War I history. Together with Tofana di Dentro and Tofana di Mezzo, Tofana di Rozes forms the Tofane group, which stands proudly above Cortina D’Ampezzo.

Whilst Tofana Di Mezzo (3rd highest peak of the Dolomites) can be reached with a cable car, the only way to get to the top of Tofana di Rozes is with the power of your legs (and hands).

Read more: Guide to via ferrata Giovanni Lipella

My Favorite Photography Spots Around Cortina D’Ampezzo

1. Passo Tre Croci

This beautiful viewpoint of Monte Cristallo is only 30 minutes into the Lake Sorapiss hike, which starts at the Tre Croci mountain pass. I took this photograph at sunrise in the second half of October.

2. Cinque Torri

Cinque Torri translates to five towers. It is a beloved subject amongst landscape photographers. I took my favourite shot of Cinque Torri (pictured above) at sunrise near the summit of Monte Lagazuoi. The pyramid-shaped mountain in the background is the Dolomites’ second-highest peak – Monte Antelao.

3. Passo Giau

Passo Giau is the easiest-to-reach photography spot around Cortina. If you want to capture the incredible light hitting the Ra Gusela summit, the mountain that made Passo Giau famous, then be there for sunrise.

4. Monte Lagazuoi

Another easy-to-reach photography spot near Cortina D’Ampezzo is Monte Lagazuoi and the Lagazuoi mountain hut. It is only a cable car ride away from Falzarego mountain pass. You can book an overnight stay in the hut and enjoy sunrise and sunset atop the summit.

5. Rifugio Pomedes

Another excellent mountain hut to stay at for any photography enthusiast is Rifugio Pomedes. Similarly to Lagazoui, it can also be reached with the help of a chairlift. You have great views of the jagged Croda Da Lago and Monte Antelao from the hut’s terrace. The start of the previously mentioned via ferrata Ra Bujela lies nearby.

6. Lake Auronzo

If you are a sucker for emerald lakes and mountain reflections, then take a 30-minute drive from Cortina D’Ampezzo to Auronzo. The lake lies on the Southern tip of the Tre Cime Nature Park, a 40-minute drive from Cortina.

7. Summit of Mount Averau

Monte Averau is my favourite sunset photography spot near Cortina D’Ampezzo. You can see Antelao, Croda Da Lago, Mount Pelmo, and Mount Civetta all perfectly aligned from the summit. To reach the summit, you must tackle a very short via ferrata section, so make sure you are properly equipped.

8. Summit of Ra Gusela

Some of my best sunrise shots from the Dolomites were taken atop Ra Gusela. Rifugio Nuvolau and the previously mentioned summit of Monte Averau can be seen in the picture.

9. Lago Federa

The ultimate autumn photography spot in the Italian Dolomites lies along the Croda Da Lago circuit hike. I am talking about Lake Federa. Reserve a bed at Rifugio Palmieri, built right on its shoreline, If you want to be there at sunrise. In my opinion, that’s the best time to photograph the lake.

10. Lake Di Limides

This tiny seasonal lake can be reached within 20 minutes of the Cinque Torri hike. Lake Limides (also written Limedes) reflects Tofane di Rozes and Monte Lagazuoi well. The lake is only there between June and September. Most of the water dries out by October, turning into a swamp.

My Favourite Hotels in Cortina D’Ampezzo

Other Regions of the Dolomites Worth Visiting

• Puster Valley (Val Pusteria)
• Fassa Valley (Val Di Fassa)
• Funes Valley (Val Di Funes)
• Primero Valley (Val Primero)
• Badia Valley (Val Badia / Alta Badia)
• Gardena Valley (Val Gardena)
• Tre Cime Nature Park

More travel and hiking resources in the Dolomites

• Photography spots in the Italian Dolomites
• Regions in the Italian Dolomites
• Itineraries for the Italian Dolomites
• Via ferratas in the Italian Dolomites
• Day hikes in the Italian Dolomites
• Hut-to-hut treks in the Italian Dolomites