GIOVENTU » Cortina Wintersports
Cortina Wintersports
Where
do Italians go skiing?
A very popular and slightly posh destination for skiing
holidays is Cortina d’ Ampezzo. The village has nearly 7,000 inhabitants and it
is located at 1224m. Cortina is included in the Belluno province, 72 km from
the town of Belluno.
The Cortina D’Ampezzo’s valley is considered by skiers a
paradise. It might be because of its Sunshine (8 days out of 10 with 8 hours of
daylight), or because of its ski facilities 3 ski areas, 62 slopes (10 black
runs, 23 red, 28 blue and 1 green) for a total of 115 kilometres or for its
beautiful landscape and glamorous atmosphere.
This Olympic town (it hosted the 1956 Winter cup and
various World Cup events) for more than a century has been a showcase for
Italian style and fashion and it is still characterised by great events,
glamour, elegant shops, excellent hotels, restaurants, and cosy mountain
refuges.
Many motion pictures have been shot in Cortina, the most
popular being the Vanzina brother’s.
For all these reasons Cortina is still one of the best
known Italian tourist destinations. Located
only two hours from Venice, Cortina is renowned throughout the world for
its exclusive charm. Its landscape of unparalleled natural beauty, surrounded
by the spectacular Dolomite mountains, has recently been declared a UNESCO
World Natural Heritage Area.
Many are the
activities available in the valley from snowboarding to Alpine skiing.
On the snowy slopes around Cortina, even the most
die-hard snowboarders will be satisfied. Pocol and Socrepes are the ideal
slopes for novices, while those who want to test their skills with jumps and
breathtaking drops can head to 5 Torri and Faloria.
Expert skiers in search of adrenaline can tackle some of
the most exciting black runs in the Dolomites in terms of slope and scenery:
Vertigine Bianca, the Stratondi, Canalone Franchetti, Tondi normale and
Slittone slopes. The Cristallo ski area is home to the most daunting slope of
all: Canalone Staunìes, a black run which is not for the faint hearted.
Part of the Dolomiti
Superski area, the world’s largest skiing carousel, Cortina also offers the
chance to conveniently access an amazing 1220 kilometres of runs and 450 lifts
with a single ski pass.
For those who can’t ski, sledging is ideal especially if
combined with an invigorating excursion
on foot or using snowshoes. Mietres in Guargné has a dedicated kilometre-long
slope for sleds, perfect for thrilling descents with toboggan-sleds, which are
also available for hire. In addition, if you book, the Mietres Refuge will be
happy to organize dinner, with ascent by snowmobile and descent, if you wish,
by sled. Other refuges also organize dinners (again, booking is essential)
followed by night-time descent by sled.
Winter 2010 also
saw the opening of the Cortina Snowpark, in the Socrepes area of the Tofane
mountains, 500 metres long and serviced by a four-seater chairlift.
Giulia Lombardo
