What It's Like Skiing/Snowboarding at Cortina d'Ampezzo

Cortina d'Ampezzo Ski Resort

Cortina d'Ampezzo Ski Resort is one of the most popular and well-known Italian ski resorts. It's located in the Dolomiti SuperSki and is interconnected with the other resorts that combine to make this unique area.

I'll be honest: this is something that's very cool but also very confusing if you're new to the area. Our first day at Cortina, we had to pull out our ski map at every turn to ensure we were choosing the correct slope. A wrong turn could take you all the way to a different town.

There's plenty of amenities, with a number of bars and restaurants around the lifts and nestled on the slopes themselves.

Typically this area gets a lot of snow but does have a solid snowmaking system to supplement when and where needed.

Last year, February was warmer than normal and only the higher slopes were still nice, with those lower down still open but pretty much slush. I wouldn't consider those snow conditions the norm, it's just something for you to be aware of if you notice that the weather is warmer in the days leading up to your trip than you expected.

From Cortina d'Ampezzo, you have plenty of options of where to even start your day, shown below in the ski slope and lift map.

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Lift Tickets

When you arrive for your first day of skiing and are buying your lift tickets (or when purchasing them online), they're going to ask if you'd like a ticket only for the Cortina d'Ampezzo Ski Resort or the entire Dolomiti SuperSki.

The ticket for just Cortina will give you access to all lifts and slopes on the map below. A ticket for the SuperSki will give you access to all 12 resorts that make up the area.

The right ticket really depends on your plans. If you're only in town for a day and are starting in Cortina, you'll likely just need that ticket but if you're visiting for longer and want full freedom, the SuperSki ticket might be worth it.

The price difference is minimal. For 2025/2026, daily tickets range from:

• Only Cortina: €72-80
• Dolomiti SuperSki: €77-86

Here's the specifics on the tickets to find the exact price for the day you're planning to visit.

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Slopes

There are 120 kilometers (74 miles) of slopes accessible from Cortina d'Ampezzo and are broken down like:

• Blue (easy): 45 kilometers
• Red (intermediate): 59 kilometers
• Black (advanced): 16 kilometers

As you can see, you can either take a gondola east or west from Cortina to start your day on the slopes. Truthfully, we were intimidated by Misurina as those are only intermediate and advanced slopes. We're solid intermediate snowboarders but do enjoy a cruisey blue that we can have some fun on.

We took gondola 25 up from Cortina and then hopped right on gondola 26. That area is where we found the not so cool vibes I'll talk about below. We assumed (incorrectly) since those were more blues (easy) and reds (intermediate) that we'd be with our people.

From there, we tried most slopes in that area and then moved down to the slopes around Rumerlo. The lower slopes at Socrepes are for true beginners and weren't so fun for us.

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Cinque Torri

The next day of our trip, we opted to take gondola 85 over to Cinque Torri instead. We loved that area and took our 3rd and final day also at Cinque Torri instead of going back to the main ski areas at the town of Cortina d'Ampezzo.

Although Cinque Torri is technically part of the Cortina ski resort, it does take longer to get here and you can't get on the gondola right in town, making me categorize it as it's own place in my head.

It's not as interconnected as other parts of the SuperSki but man, it is fantastic.

Cinque Torri is home to the Super8 circuit (you can find a loop with that label on the left hand side of the map above). The entire circuit makes for a really fun day out on the slopes as you'll never do the same run twice. Plus, it's jaw-droppingly beautiful. So beautiful that I did take a few extra spills simply because I was distracted by the surrounding mountains.

The biggest thing to keep in mind if you're a snowboarder and want to try the Super8 is that some of the runs that connect you around are pretty flat. This means you'll need to get speed when you can or be comfortable skating from time to time.

We ran into another snowboarder out there who really hated this but since we're happy to cruise, the overall experience was worth sacrificing some speed in our book.

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The Overall Vibe of Skiing or Snowboarding in Cortina

There's a very particular vibe to the ski resort at Cortina. If you're from the US, I can simplify it by likening it to Aspen.

For everyone else, here's what you can expect: Cortina is far bougier than other ski resorts we've been to. It's home to some of the stereotypical skiers racing with no one but themselves who certainly don't mind cutting off anyone in their way.

If you're after a laid back vibe where you can cruise the mountain, I'd suggest you set your sights on somewhere else. If though, those sound like your people, the rest of us would much prefer you stick with Cortina and leave the other slopes enjoyable.

Ok, it wasn't really that bad but compared to other places I've snowboarded in Italy, I truly felt the disdain for snowboarders and those not trying to win gold on every slope.

The Pros

That said, there are some real pros about planning your ski trip to Cortina. First off, you're nestled right in the Italian Dolomites and part of the Dolomiti SuperSki area. That means, if you buy the ticket for the entire area, you truly have more slopes to traverse than you could possibly cover in one season.

Since you're right in the Dolomites, you can also expect really great views. While I still think nearby Cinque Torri is the most beautiful place we've snowboarded, you'll get sweeping views from everywhere here.

Given that Cortina d'Ampezzo is so popular, you won't have any problem finding accommodation, even if you plan your trip relatively last minute. You might have to stay outside of town but regardless, there are plenty of options, unlike in small resorts where accommodation is limited.

The Cons

I won't harp again on the vibe, although in my book it's certainly a con to snowboarding in Cortina.

Another con, again from my point of view, is specific to the 2025/2026 winter season. In February 2026, Cortina is one of the main hosts of the Winter Olympics. This means you can expect serious closures, crowds, and changes to what a typical ski season might look like here.

I'd think carefully before choosing this for your winter ski trip, unless you're more motivated by enjoying the hype of the Olympics than getting time on the slopes yourself.

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Where to Stay in Cortina

Cortina is a really popular town, so as I mentioned above, there are plenty of options on where to stay. If you already know which area you plan on skiing, you can stay closer to those lifts or gondola. If you're not quite sure and plan to play it by here, anywhere in or around the center will be good.

When we visited Cortina, we actually stayed in a small village just south of town. This was more affordable and was still a quick and easy drive to the slopes each day.

In my opinion, the town of Cortina is just as bougie as the slopes make it out to be, so I was good not staying there. I'm happy we've been but have enjoyed other mountain towns far more.

• Budget Stay: Villa a Borca di Cadore: This is where we stayed when we visited Cortina. You'll see it's a short drive from the town center in a small village. Personally, we enjoyed the views, tranquility of the area and the price difference than if we would have stayed right in Cortina.
• Mid-Tier Stay: Ciasa Vervei: If you're more interested in being near Cinque Torri and having direct access to the slopes or hiking trails, I recommend staying here. Although you'll be a drive away from Cortina, you're in the perfect place for nature.
• Luxury Stay: Barisetti Sport Hotel: If you're planning a trip to Cortina with a group of friends or family, this spacious rental home is in the perfect location to be able to hop right on the gondola. Plus, it offers half board (breakfast and dinner) so all you have to think about is the slopes.

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Will You Plan Your Winter Trip to Cortina?

With the exception of Cinque Torri, I don't see Raf and me going back to Cortina anytime soon. Compared to other ski resorts in the Dolomites and the neighboring mountains in Northern Italy, it simply didn't hit the repeat vibes for me.

For skiers looking for a race, you'll likely love it but for the rest of us looking to enjoy a chill day on the mountains keeping to ourselves, head specifically to Cinque Torri or somewhere else in the region.