Where We Be
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Cortina d'Ampezzo -- Dolomites, Italy |
We all decided it was time for a non-hiking day,
so we went on a car ride to Cortina d'Ampezzo
instead -- a good two-and-a-half hours away
from Val di Funes. The drive was extremely
winding but scenic, and Cortina itself was worth
the effort, seeing as how it's essentially the
premier alpine resort town in the Dolomites and
was recently famous as the host of the 2026
Winter Olympics.
It was the height of the August tourist season
and the place was hopping. We lucked out and
managed to snag a spot for lunch on the patio
of a restaurant right on the main pedestrian
street. Here we enjoyed a leisurely lunch while
soaking up the atmosphere, then strolled down
Corso Italia itself, admiring the boutique shops
and churches and Olympic- themed statues and
such. After an hour or so we drove home -- glad
for the chance to see Cortina but equally glad to
return home to our much quieter setting up in
the mountains.
so we went on a car ride to Cortina d'Ampezzo
instead -- a good two-and-a-half hours away
from Val di Funes. The drive was extremely
winding but scenic, and Cortina itself was worth
the effort, seeing as how it's essentially the
premier alpine resort town in the Dolomites and
was recently famous as the host of the 2026
Winter Olympics.
It was the height of the August tourist season
and the place was hopping. We lucked out and
managed to snag a spot for lunch on the patio
of a restaurant right on the main pedestrian
street. Here we enjoyed a leisurely lunch while
soaking up the atmosphere, then strolled down
Corso Italia itself, admiring the boutique shops
and churches and Olympic- themed statues and
such. After an hour or so we drove home -- glad
for the chance to see Cortina but equally glad to
return home to our much quieter setting up in
the mountains.
| Corso Italia is the main pedestrian street in Cortina d'Ampezzo, running right through the heart of the historic center |
| Getting to Cortina d'Ampezzo took some doing -- it was a long drive each way, but at least the scenery was good |
| We passed a fair number of alpine hamlets and farms along the way |
| It made us realize just how big the Dolomites are. In fact, they cover a total area of over 6,000 square miles in northeastern Italy. |
| We stretched our legs (and arms) at several scenic overlooks |
| At last we arrived at Cortina d'Ampezzo and got our first view overlooking the town |
| A sign welcomed us into town -- and reminded us all that this was the home of the 2026 Winter Olympics |
| We parked near Cortina's hockey rink, which hosted the Olympic curling events in 2026 (hockey matches were held in Milan) |
| The city was adorned with colorful flowers and signage and felt like it was thriving |
| The Olympic Rings are prominently displayed atop the hockey rink |
| We snagged the perfect table on the patio of Croda Cafe Pizzeria and had ourselves a party! A jug of wine, a pizza (or two), and thou! |
| Afterwards we strolled down Corso Italia, enjoying all the Olympic-themed art |
| Cortina is certainly a pretty town -- made all the prettier with evocative statues like this one |
| We loved all the flower boxes brimming with colorful blooms |
| And this is the massive stone bell tower of the Basilica of Cortina |
| The bell tower from a different angle |
| Note the reindeer and the Olympic rings at the top of this building |
| We take a different route home -- one that is slightly less tortuous but still rewards us with fine scenery |
| The mountains surrounding Cortina are chock-full of famous hiking trails we didn't get to experience on this particular trip |
| The historic Hotel de la Poste makes a colorful impression of its own |
| Looking down the cobblestone promenade of Corso Italia, with the Dolomites in the background |
| Time to go! We have a long drive ahead of us. |