Cortina d'Ampezzo is an attractive
town situated in the northern extremity of the Veneto region in Italy.
It's in immerse in the Dolomites,
part of the eastern half of the Italian Alps, and is a popular and
well-equipped base for a full range of mountain activites.
The town is very nice, but of course
its main attraction is the massive summits of the Dolomites, universally
considered one of the most attractive mountain sceneries in the world. The Dolomites
are inherently fascinating because of their particular variety of shapes, with
spires and towers in sharp contrast to the sudden horizontal surfaces of the
ledges and plateaus.
Science and beauty are joined together in the Dolomite rock.
Recently declared a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO, Cortina enjoys a
unique position in the heart of this natural spectacle, where the valley opens
up into an almost circular basin, hemmed-in by four mountain passes.
Cortina basically has two tourist seasons, Winter and Summer. Winter is a real busy skiing destination, when
every facility opens the town fills with skiers heading to or from the slopes with
several cable cars and access to many ski. After the skiing finishes the town
closes down, before opening up again for summer visitors, becoming a popular
destination for walkers, climbers and cyclists, so plenty of cable-cars,
chairlift. Hotels and restaurants offer the taste of typical dishes of
the Ampezzo gastronomy and international food, often
characterized by home-made pasta, fruit and vegetables coming from the garden
and meat, cheese and milk coming from the cattle.
If you have a car, you will find some
spectacular drives and reasonably quiet roads.There are car parks where you can
leave your vehicle at the start of footpaths and by cable-cars, all kinds of
routes perfect for all kinds of walkers, from the most athletic to those wishing
simply to relax and admire breathtaking views.
However, it is surprisingly easy to
travel around the area by public transport and enjoy endless opportunities for
memorable days in the open air, immersed in uncontaminated nature.
