Cortina d’Ampezzo: The Best Ski Slopes in the Dolomites

A world-class destination in the Italian Alps, Cortina d’Ampezzo – the “Queen of the Dolomites” – is a true paradise for snow sports and mountain wellbeing. The resort offers a wide variety of pistes and lifts for every level, all set in a UNESCO World Heritage landscape. Alpine skiing is in Cortina’s DNA: from the 1956 Olympic Winter Games to multiple Ladies’ World Cup races and the 2021 World Championships, with another spotlight coming at the 2026 Winter Olympics alongside Milan. Whether you’re lapping cruisers, hunting steeps, or chasing long panoramas, Cortina’s slopes turn winter days into pure cinema.

Check the live piste map for Cortina d’Ampezzo for open lifts, runs, and conditions.

TOFANA: Cortina’s Big Stage

37 slopes (6 black, 12 red, 19 blue) | 11 lifts (1 gondola, 1 cable car, 9 chairlifts)

This is Cortina’s headline act. Up high, experts can test themselves on classics like Forcella Rossa and the Schuss of the Tofana, part of the arena used for World Cup and World Championship racing. Down lower, the terrain softens into the welcoming blues and reds of Socrepes and Pocol, ideal for confidence building or family cruising. It’s a rare zone where mixed-ability groups can split and re-join easily.

A new gondola starting from Son dei Prade links Tofana to 5 Torri, creating seamless, car-free access to the Falzarego-Lagazuoi area. From there, the famed Armentarola piste connects into the wider Dolomiti Superski carousel, making routes like Sellaronda, the Great War Ski Tour, and the Super8 Ski Tour easy to reach. The flow works both ways, so skiers from Alta Badia and Val Gardena can also glide toward Tofana.

FALORIA–CRISTALLO: High, Long, and Iconic

15 slopes (5 black, 8 red, 2 blue) | 7 lifts (1 cable car, 5 chairlifts, 1 ski lift)

Faloria-Cristallo is renowned for altitude, long views, and a long season that typically runs from late November into May. Classics include Stratondi, Canalone Franchetti, and Vitelli – the latter used for the giant slalom at the 1956 Olympics. Expect big-mountain scenery and satisfying fall lines.

5 TORRI–LAGAZUOI: Storybook Scenery, Signature Run

16 slopes (9 red, 7 blue) | 7 lifts (1 cable car, 5 chairlifts, 1 ski lift)

Between the Giau and Falzarego passes lies a network of easy-to-medium pistes with outsized beauty. The crown jewel is Armentarola – an 8.5 km glide beneath the Fanes mountains that belongs on every Dolomites checklist.

Big-Name Ski Tours to Add to Your List

• Sellaronda – The Dolomites’ iconic loop linking four valleys and multiple passes in a single day.
• Great War Ski Tour – A moving circuit beneath peaks like Civetta, Pelmo, Tofane, Lagazuoi, and Marmolada, tracing WWI frontlines through today’s scenic pistes.
• Super8 Ski Tour – A photogenic figure-eight highlighting some of the region’s most sculptural rock faces.

Ski Mountaineering & Freeriding

When you want silence and solitude, Cortina’s surrounding ranges deliver. Ski mountaineering days venture beyond the lifts into calm, snow-draped valleys. Freeriders find steep, aesthetic lines with that Dolomite sense of theater – always best tackled with a certified guide and close attention to conditions.

Snowboarding

Cortina doesn’t just welcome snowboarders – it gives them range. First-timers favor the forgiving gradients of Pocol, while riders seeking more challenge gravitate to 5 Torri and Lagazuoi. Each winter, Cortina also hosts Snowboard World Cup racing on Faloria’s Tondi slope, with additional World Cup snowboard events periodically staged on other local venues.

Cross-Country Skiing (Nordic)

Cortina is a Nordic treasure, offering about 70 km of cross-country tracks across a spectrum of difficulty, including trails inside the Ampezzo Dolomites Nature Park. It is part of Dolomiti NordicSki, Europe’s largest Nordic carousel with roughly 1,300 km of trails, and links to the Dobbiaco Nordic Arena along the scenic route used each year by the Granfondo Dobbiaco-Cortina.

From race-ready descents to family-friendly cruisers, from panoramic tours to powder playgrounds, Cortina d’Ampezzo is the Dolomites at full volume. If you’d like a base that’s as memorable as the mountains, explore our collection of luxury holiday chalets in the Dolomites.

FAQs

1) Is Cortina good for beginners?

Yes. The lower areas of Tofana, especially Socrepes and Pocol, are tailor-made for first turns with broad, forgiving blues and excellent ski schools. This is consistently cited as the best beginner zone in Cortina.

2) What’s the can’t-miss run for intermediates?

Armentarola in the 5 Torri–Lagazuoi area – an 8.5 km scenic cruise through one of the Dolomites’ most dramatic corridors.

3) Where should advanced skiers head first?

Start with Forcella Rossa or the Tofana Schuss to sample Cortina’s steeper, more technical personality, then explore the black runs on Faloria–Cristallo.

4) Is there good snowboarding terrain?

Absolutely. Beginners love Pocol; step up on the reds at 5 Torri & Lagazuoi; and chase speed and event vibes on Faloria, which has hosted Snowboard World Cup races in recent seasons.

5) Can I do cross-country skiing in Cortina?

Yes – around 70 km of tracks across all levels, including routes inside the Ampezzo Dolomites Nature Park, plus connections within the Dolomiti NordicSki network (about 1,300 km total) and the Dobbiaco link used by the annual Granfondo Dobbiaco–Cortina.

6) Where can I check which lifts and runs are open today?

Use the live piste map for real-time openings, grooming status, and conditions.