Hiking in the Dolomites: Cortina d'Ampezzo
Things to do:
Cortina d'Ampezzo is known for skiing, but I do not do winter sports so I shall not speak on the subject. If visiting during an off-season (or on-season), a car is recommended - factor in extra cost for parking.
*Note: Remember to respect the land - take home your trash, leave the trail as is, and go prepared - temperature can drop quickly.
Things to eat (& drink):
If visiting to hike, hitting La Cooperativa for some groceries to pack was my go-to.
During travel, you'll notice that there is greater German-influence depending on where in the Dolomites you go. Cortina d'Ampezzo is still very Italian, but keep an eye out for flavors of the area (casunziei, polenta, etc.).
How to get there:
I took a Flixbus from Venice to Cortina d'Ampezzo as they are known to have cheap bus tickets to various locations. However, there are also bus routes that go to Cortina.
As a note, this is one location where a car would come in handy as it allows for flexibility in reaching different trail heads when buses may not be in service.
From Venice:
For around the same price as a Flixbus, you can take the ATVO from Venice to Cortina. (Found under Tickets Venice Airport (Marco Polo) or Tickets Special Services). It should be line 29.
Another option is the Cortina express. From the same starting point (Venice Mestre), it costs a few extra euros to go to the Cortina bus station.
Where to stay:
I dug out the apartment where my group stayed back in 2018 and to be transparent, the price tripled from my original booking price. I paid $380 for two-nights for 7 people and now it's seems to be a minimum of $380 for one night with a minimum of 3 nights only for 2 people - INSANE! However, for the sake of showing the option that I know, I present Chalet Falorie.
I usually recommend places near the city center as I am well-versed in short-trips and it's good to stay close to the action during short-trips; however, the 40-minute walk from Zuel to Cortina d'Ampezzo was gorgeous (I am a walker). We arrived at night and it was pitch-black, so we were so surprised by the views in the morning.
Alternate Housing:
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