It’s the seventh day of my week-long ski safari across the Dolomites and I find I have the mountain to myself for a moment. I’m skiing a five-mile run winding past dreamy icefalls against a backdrop of limestone pinnacles. Other than my guide there isn’t another skier in sight.
While Italy’s famed Dolomite Mountains are certainly no secret—especially to Europeans—more North Americans are finding that skiing in Italy’s northern UNESCO-recognized Alps comes with endless and spectacular ski terrain and a unique mix of cultures. And as the home of the 2026 Winter Olympics, there’s no doubt the crowds and spotlight will certainly grow in this already popular ski destination.
Cortina d’Ampezzo is the buzzy hub of the Winter Olympics and Italy’s most famous ski town (think of it as the “Aspen of Italy”). Since 1993, the annual Women’s World Cup championships have been held here, and they were underway when I visited last January.
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Cortina became a world-famous resort synonymous with chic skiing after it hosted the 1956 Winter Olympics. And now 70 years after its Olympic debut, Cortina will co-host (along with Milan) the Winter Games again.
On my ski safari with Dolomite Mountains, an Italian-based active outdoor travel company, I found the crowds and the glitzy vibe wane as we traveled beyond Cortina. Each day as we skied fresh terrain to a new cozy mountainside rifugio or hotel (while our luggage was zipped away to the next spot for us), we experienced different ski resorts and mountain valleys each with their unique culture—and sometimes even language.
Unlike backcountry skiing (seen here), a ski safari is usually on groomed slopes and accessible by lifts. Photograph by H. Mark Weidman Photography, Alamy Stock Photo
In Cortina, I appreciated the chance to swish down Olympic and World Cup slopes. Still, my most memorable run was the five-mile Armentarola piste in the valley of Alta Badia of South Tyrol. While more skiers joined us as we skied down this epic-long ski run, I was pleasantly surprised to see why a small crowd of people formed at the bottom. A horse-drawn carriage awaited to tow me and about 20 other skiers for three euros to the next ski area. It’s not something I have experienced at any other ski resort elsewhere in the world.
While the fastest skiers in the world are celebrated in the Dolomites—anyone can ski here. My ski safari was entirely on-piste (no backcountry ski experience necessary) with ski lifts and gondolas moving us around the area all on one ski pass. The Dolomiti Superski is the world’s largest ski area with 12 ski resorts and over 757 groomed slopes serviced by 450 lifts and gondolas. You never have to ski the same run twice here.
(Related: The Italian Dolomites are known for skiing. Now they can be your nature and wellness getaway.)
Three different languages and cultures
Beyond the 1200 kilometers (746 miles) of interconnected slopes, another unique aspect of the Dolomites is the medley of cultures—three different cultures and languages are spoken in this region. From the signs to the dishes, you’ll see and experience different cultures just a few kilometers and a ski slope away. Italian, German, and Ladin—a Rhaeto-Romanic language for more than 2000 years—are all spoken in the Dolomites. The region’s crossroads history is seen in the mix of Italian and Austrian flavors, too.
“You have the Italian, Austrian, and Ladin cultures all blended in this area. So, when you go skiing, you can see a little bit of the difference,” says Agustina Lagos Marmol, founder of Dolomite Mountains, known for creating custom outdoor experiences. Raised in Patagonia, she’s committed to preserving the region’s unique mountain culture, and ensuring her company’s impact remains positive for generations to come. Dolomite Mountains is a member of The Long Run, a collection of purpose-driven tourism businesses, and it offsets the direct impact of its activities by supporting conservation projects in Val di Fiemme and mitigates the indirect impact of its guests by contributing to the Amazon River conservation project in Brazil. They aim to be a climate-positive company by 2030.
This forest of coniferous trees near Fedarola Alm is considered part of the larger Dolomite forest ecosystem, known for its beauty and UNESCO World Heritage status. Photograph by mauritius images GmbH, Alamy Stock Photo
Ski safaris, like this one where skiers hit the slopes in Alta Badia, have become increasingly popular. Travelers crisscross scenic towns and valleys of places like Cortina, Civetta, Val Gardena, and Arabba, sleeping at different alpine inns each night. Photograph by Susan Wright, The New York Times/Redux
Rifugio Averau, an alpine inn in Cortina d’Ampezzo, is one of many huts, inns, and hotels where skiers can dine and rest before heading back out on their multi-day ski safari adventure. Photograph by Susan Wright, The New York Times/Redux
Rellihan advises, “With all this terrain to cover, having a local guide is paramount. This is not your ski instructor, but a guide who takes care of all the logistics and knows all the slopes.” Photograph by H. Mark Weidman Photography, Alamy Stock Photo
Marmol explains, “It’s still very local if you go with the right people. We work a lot with the community, and I don’t think you see that in any other place—that it’s still very family-run.” The alpine inns here offer incredible views and elevated cuisines—a fusion of flavors from the different Italian, Austrian, and Ladin cultures found in these valleys. In Cortina, you must try casunziei, its signature dish of beetroot ravioli. In the Ladin-speaking Val Gardena valley of South Tyrol, apple strudel is king. In Alto Adige, warm up with canederli, traditional bread dumplings influenced by its Austrian neighbors.
With all this terrain to cover, having a local guide is paramount. This is not your ski instructor, but a guide who handles all the logistics and knows all the slopes. All we had to focus on was skiing— instead of being glued to a map. Beyond showing us the best runs every day, my guides Carlo and Marco shared interesting tidbits about the Dolomites’ history and culture as we rode up the mountain in a gondola or took a break for lunch.
(Related: How to scale the ‘iron paths’ of the Dolomites.)
Where to stay before—and during—the Olympics
“Right now is a good time to visit because you don’t have the Olympics prices,” suggests Marmol. “I think after the Olympics there will be changes on the horizon, especially in the area of Cortina. It’s becoming more and more popular because of the Olympics and for North Americans.” Marmol foresees a rise in the number of high-end hotels opening in the area. And while I recommend you pepper your trip with some nights in a hotel with a sauna and other amenities to restore your tired muscles, the small family-run inns and refugios make skiing here unlike anywhere else in the world. Marmol is also a co-owner of the renovated and reopened Rifugio Sponata in the Alta Badia Valley.
Some hotels offer a mix of high-end and local vibes. Hotel de LEN is a modern and environmentally friendly nod to the Dolomites Ladin culture with its Climax Hotel-certified energy-efficient wood design. It’s in the heart of Cortina, and I saw the ski slopes light up at night from the rooftop spa’s open-air hut tub and overlooked Cortina’s church steeple and snow-covered rooftops from the sauna. Hotel La Perla, Corvara in Alta Badia balances Ladin hospitality with contemporary luxury and is home to Michelin-starred La Stüa de Michil.
And while prices and hotel rooms will rise, there’s still a focus on reviving the alpine spirit of the past here, too. I took the new retro “snow train” that was put back into service in 2024 from Rome to the Dolomites and will resume for the Winter Olympics. This vintage sleeper train route was brought back due to the popularity of night train service and to offer a sustainable way for travelers to get to the Dolomites. The slow way can still be an adventure here too.
(Related: These are the must-see sights of Italy’s Veneto region.)
How to get to the Dolomites
Snow-covered Lake Misurina is the largest natural lake of the Cadore, a historical region in Italy’s Veneto region. About 10 hotels surround the lake in Auronzo di Cadore with the Dolomites as its picturesque backdrop. Photograph by Joana Kruse, Alamy Stock Photo
The Espresso Cadore will return for the 2025/2026 ski season to coincide with the 2026 Winter Games. It leaves Roma Termini Station on Fridays at 9:50 p.m. and arrives at Calalzo-Pieve di Cadore-Cortina D’Ampezzo station at 7:57 a.m. on Saturdays. An included coach bus takes passengers directly from the train station to the center of Cortina d’Ampezzo in 50 minutes. On Sundays, the Espresso Cadore returns to Rome at 9 p.m. and arrives at Roma Termini at 6:40 a.m. on Mondays. Visit trenitalia.com for tickets and more information.
One-way tickets for the Espresso Cadore start at $183 for a bunk bed in a six-person cabin, and $422 for a single private cabin; for the exclusive use of a four-person cabin, prices go up to $655. Private cabin tickets include a three-course dinner, and all tickets include breakfast. Tickets can be purchased on trenitalia.com. For more information, visit treni turistici.it.
Alternatively, you can take a non-overnight train from Rome to Calalzo-Pieve di Cadore-Cortina and back. It usually takes around 6.5-7.5 hours and costs between $45-$135. Or if you fly into Venice, you can take a private transfer to Cortina D’Ampezzo which Dolomite Mountains can also arrange.
A Dolomite Mountain ski safari for 7 days / 6 nights from Cortina d’Ampezzo to Val Badia Is around $4890 per person (based on 6 people). For a shorter getaway, they offer a three-day ski safari for $2640 per person.
This trip was created with the support of Dolomite Mountains.
