Best hikes near Cortina d'Ampezzo

This story takes you on a two-stage tour of the Dolomites. For the first 4 days, the group arrives in Pocol, a hamlet high above Cortina d'Ampezzo. From this ideal starting point, we'll explore emblematic sites such as the Cinque Torri, a variant of the Alta Via crossing the Formin plateau to Lake Fodara, and the balcony paths at the foot of the Tofane di Roses. The second stage of the trip took us to the Tre Cime area for 3 days of hiking through even more spectacular Dolomite scenery. Get ready for a week full of panoramic views, picturesque trails and fascinating history in the heart of the Italian Alps.
 

1. Arrival Pocol - Cortina d'Ampezzo
 

We head for the north of Italy, to the Dolomites in particular, and their unique, rugged terrain, with its many spectacular vertical towers rising to over 3,000 metres for your viewing pleasure. It is this very special aspect of the Dolomites that earned them UNESCO World Heritage status in 2009.

As its name suggests, the Cortina Dolomites tour revolves around the famous town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, which hosted the 1956 Winter Olympics. It's in Pocol, a small hamlet on the heights of Cortina, that we're based for the first part of this tour.
 

Day 2: Cinque Torri
 

Our first day's hike takes us to the Cinque Torri area. The weather is superb, and the group is immediately fascinated by their first contact with these spectacular mountains. After beautiful, gentle meadows, we climb up into a mineral environment, sometimes austere; almost hostile if a very good path didn't lead us through these labyrinths of rock. As we pass the pass, the view opens up, in particular of the Marmolada, the highest point in the Dolomites at 3342 m and its glacier sparkling in the sunlight, and the Civetta at 3220 m, also known as the wall of walls by mountaineers. Its north face, visible from here, is up to 1,200 metres high and over 7 kilometres long...

After a very wild first part of the hike, we reach the more lively Cinque Torri area. These five beautiful rock towers, planted as they are in the surrounding meadows against a backdrop of the great peaks of the Dolomites, are a sight to behold! On this side, Tofanes (3241 m), Cristallo (3221 m), Sorapis (3205 m) and Antelao (3264 m) are the star attractions. The historic side is not left out, as there is an open-air museum on the Great War. We are in fact here on what was for a long time the front line between the Austrians and Italians. So hikers, walkers, climbers and the curious can all make their way through this intricate maze of rocks to the delight of their eyes!
The pretty grounds of the hotel in Pocol are a popular spot for the whole group to relax at the end of the day, with a breathtaking view of the imposing surrounding peaks and the opportunity to sip (in moderation) a Spritz, the official aperitif of the Veneto region!
 

Day 3: Alta Via and Formin plateau
 

On this second day of hiking, we take a variant of the Alta Via: these are long-distance footpaths that cross the entire Dolomite massif. We reach the gentle grassy plateau of Formin, then the view opens out over the high peaks and Cortina as we gain height. Our goal is Lake Fodara, nestling at the foot of imposing rock faces. It's precisely these rocky cliffs that make the Dolomites so famous. Originally known as the Pale Mountains, these mountains are now named after the rock they are made of: Dolomite. It was the French geologist Déodat Gratet De Dolomieu who first identified the particular characteristics of this rock in the ^18th century. In the following century, the rock was given its name as a tribute to this discovery. It is the characteristics of this rock that give these mountains their unique appearance, with their immense, vertical and tormented walls... The more adventurous can take advantage of this enchanting setting to take a dip in the refreshing waters of this high-altitude lake. It's an ideal spot for a picnic in the shade of the larches! Then a beautiful descent through a thick forest takes us back to our hotel.

Day 4: Tofanie di Roses
 

Tofane di Roses is one of the colossi of Cortina d'Ampezzo, not only because of its altitude of 3225 m, but above all because of its characteristic profile. It is an immense pyramid with three faces: the north-east face is the least steep, and it is along its flanks that the normal route to this prestigious summit winds its way. The West face is steeper, and this is where the spectacular Via Ferrata Lipella takes place. As for the South face, it offers up to 800m of vertical wall and is the domain of climbers. It's at the foot of this immense South Face that we spend our last day from Pocol, on magnificent balcony paths.
 

As at the Cinque Torri, the painful traces of history are all around us, with trenches and military buildings dotting the mountain. The Italians were positioned on the Cinque Torri side while the Austrians occupied this side.
 

Just before reaching our hotel, we pass some ski slopes. It was the perfect opportunity for a sweeping descent; in the style of the great Alberto Tomba la Bomba, the group let loose!

3 more days around Lake Misurina with the Tre Cime
 

For the last three days of our stay, we're changing areas and heading slightly north of Cortina, to the Lake Misurina area, home to one of the emblems of the Dolomites: the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, also known as the Drei Zinen in this German-speaking region.

For our first day at the foot of these three imposing peaks, we'll be skirting around them to the west and reaching the Forcellina Lakes, where the impressive north faces of the Tre Cime are reflected. It's a guaranteed thrill to see the climbers hanging from these vertical walls. The emotions are still running high: we leave the meadows to reach the dense vegetation of the Val Ribon on a very good path that cleverly weaves its way through the cliffs. There's another change of scenery on the way back to our hotel, as we follow the course of the Rimbianco torrent!

We're staying in the spectacular Tre Cime area for another day, but this time we're going to deviate from the classic trails and venture onto wilder slopes. To do the Monte Paterno tour, we reached the Val di Cengia, home to many Edelweiss, the magnificent white flowers of the high mountains. The first pass takes us above the pretty Lacs dei Piani.

We leave the tranquillity of this valley behind us as we cross a second pass that takes us to the Locatelli hut (Dreizinnen Hut). In front of us is a splendid view of the Tre Cime, undoubtedly the best-known viewpoint of the famous towers. A final pass takes us to the Auronzo hut and car park.
These two days of hiking will have given us the chance to see the Tre Cime di Lavaredo from every angle! leurs coutures !

It's in the Cadini de Misurina that we end our stay in style. As on previous days, here again it's the spectacular shapes of the mountains that take centre stage. Vertical and jagged, these mountains are truly fascinating... The Cadinis of Misurina, with their dozens of needles, bell towers and other rocky towers, are an exceptional sight and a prime target for climbers. The Fonda Savio refuge, our goal for the day, is ideally situated in the middle of this forest of grey-ochre coloured peaks, offering a 100% mineral panorama. On our return from our wonderful excursion, it was on the banks of Lago Antorno that we ended our memorable stay over a tasty picnic, with our heads full of exceptional images...
 

As you may have read, this 7-day trip was divided into two distinct parts. The first 4 days were devoted to exploring the area around Pocol, a hamlet perched high above Cortina. From here, the group explored emblematic sites such as the Cinque Torri, a variant of the Alta Via passing through the Formin plateau to Lake Fodara, and the balcony paths around the Tofane di Roses. The second part of the trip continued with 3 days in the Tre Cime area, with hikes around the impressive peaks of the Dolomites.

Find ours trips on our website

• Dolomites of Cortina in guided hike
• Dolomites of Cortina in self-guided hike