CORTINA D’AMPEZZO

Thanks to the knowledge and experience gained over the years, our local experts, Les Clefs d’Or Concierges in Cortina d’Ampezzo, are delighted to welcome you to the Dolomites and are more than happy to share with you the best ways to explore this Italian destination to bring incredible memories home with you! This morning at the Grand Hotel Savoia the alarm clock sounds very early to give us the chance to enjoy a whole day of emotions! Let’s start with a delicious breakfast at the Alverà pastry shop, at the end of Corso Italia, a small temple of good taste capable of satisfying the finest palates. Massimo Alverà chooses with extreme care the ingredients, always first choice with a particular attention to seasonal products. You will not only find cakes and pastries, but also the best savory specialties, different types of bread, pizzas or the traditional “Pucce”, made with rye and wheat flour flavored with wild fennel seeds. After this delicious breakfast, our young mountain guide Alessio will pick us up with a minivan in Piazza Roma at the parking lot of Baita Bai de Dones and from where we will then take the chairlift to the Cinque Torri. The journey will take about 30 minutes along the Dolomite road that will leave you amazed by its breathtaking view of the Ampezzo Valley. Once we arrive at the car park, we will swipe the ski pass to take the chairlift from where we will slowly climb up to the mountain. The panorama is incredible and you can see the first skiers of this beautiful sunny day starting to run along the slopes. Now we get off the chairlift to prepare the equipment for snowshoeing. In front of us, the Five Towers stand proudly against the sky. This area was the scene of conflicts between Italian and Austro-Hungarian troops during the First World War. Evidence of the fighting and the war shelters built by the Italian army are present and have recently been reconstructed to create an open-air museum with historical itineraries. Unfortunately, these war shelters are not visible during the winter season because they are totally covered by snow. Meanwhile, Alessio shows us how to attach snowshoes to our feet, reminding us to wear a woolly hat, a pair of gloves, a scarf, sunglasses, not forgetting a bottle of water, which he warmly recommends. Snowshoes allow us to walk easily on the snow without sinking too much. This pleasant winter activity is aimed at both adults and children, because thanks to the continuous movement of arms and legs, it strengthens and tones all the main muscle groups of the body. Leaving the Cinque Torri, we start to enter the woods and Alessio teaches us how to stand on our feet to avoid falling as we approach the descent. Looking up, he explains us that in this place pine trees predominate, from which we obtain an excellent grappa. Our snowshoeing tour show is over and Alessio has to go back downtown to meet other customers, but he is available to take us to the Tivoli restaurant where we booked for lunch. Located at the foot of the Tofane, the starred restaurant in Cortina is set in a refined alpine house not far from the ski slopes. Chef Graziano Prest will welcome you and amaze you with his traditional cuisine, as well as the most creative and unusual dishes. The menu offers revisited and innovative recipes such as Alpago lamb, Lamon beans or Cadore mushrooms and for the most demanding palates, his proposal offers interesting fish dishes that the chef creates with love, equally divided between the ingredients of the mountains and the sea. After this excellent lunch at the Tivoli restaurant there is nothing better than strolling along Corso Italia, the pulsating pedestrian street in the heart of Cortina’s social life and a point of reference for those who love shopping. There, you will find the most prestigious beers of the world, next to art galleries, famous jewelries, antique shops and craft shops for a shopping experience for all tastes. The ideal way to end this fantastic day is to enjoy a well-deserved relaxing hour at the Hotel Cristallo SPA. Its indoor swimming pool allows you not only to relax and regenerate, but also to enjoy the panoramic view of Cortina, considered the true queen of the Dolomites.

Marco Rinaldo