Cortina d’Ampezzo Through a Design Lens

More than just about any other place, Cortina d’Ampezzo has long embodied a kind of nostalgic European glamour. Think of Slim Aarons’ photographs from the ‘60s and ‘70s of the après ski crowd in chic winter woolens, relaxing in the sun against snowy mountain peaks. (And anyone who grew up on the Pink Panther movies can’t forget the sparkle of the Hotel Cristallo in the original 1963 movie.) How did it get that way and what is the special sauce of that cinematic blend of Tyrolean rusticity and Venetian elegance? Cultural writer Servane Giol’s The Queen of the Dolomites: Living in Cortina d’Ampezzo, answers this, in two chapters: winter and summer. She traces the birth of the Sci Club Cortina in 1903 and the aristocrats who popularized the sport (and the daring English climbers who inspired obsessives); the proliferation after the war of prestigious vacation homes centered around elaborate ceramic stoves; and how the 1956 Olympic Games (with the world’s first ski jump) turned Cortina into a tourist destination, attracting writers and royalty (both Hollywood and actual) drawn by its dolce vita vibes. It’s all told with a mix of beautiful interiors of private homes and huts, alongside vintage photographs and posters. Since Servane has been visiting Cortina for decades, we wanted to get her favorite addresses in the village that Hemingway called “the loveliest country I’ve ever known”—and which will once again be hosting the Winter Olympics, in 2026.    —A.P.

How did you come to know Cortina so well and what do you love most about it?

When I married my Venetian husband, I had no clue that actually just an hour and a half from the Venice airport stands the ski station of Cortina d’Ampezzo. This is where Venetians (and more generally Italians) spend all of their ski weekends and holidays in summer and winter. I fell immediately under the spell of the region’s incredible natural surroundings and elements. I think the Dolomite Mountains offer the most breathtaking views; some compare it to an oyster shell. As the pearl in its valley, the adorable village of Cortina mixes the best of both worlds: the Italian one, with great food and happiness/that dolce vita lifestyle, with a Tyrolean heritage, and the incredible craftsmanship developed during the 400 years when Cortina belonged to Austria.

How did it come to be known as such a glamorous destination?

I think the Olympic Games of 1956 put Cortina on the world map, but the glamour came through the royal families initially, then writers and later, actors. In the ‘20s, royals from Austria, Belgium, Russia and Italy often stayed in Cortina. Then writers, including Hemingway himself, came various times to Cortina, starting from the ‘30s, even writing a novel located in the village. Then came the movies such The Pink Panther, or in the ‘80s, James Bond. Actors fell in love with Cortina, and you could find Henry Fonda or Sharon Tate sipping an aperitivo at the Posta.

Your book focuses in large part on private homes, castles, mountain huts and hotels. Is there a particular Cortina style or aesthetic?

What really surprised me coming from the Swiss or the French Alps was the total lack of chalet style in Cortina. Here the casas are mainly done half in masonry and half in modern wood, giving the lodging a very ‘50s or ‘60s look. In fact, most of them were built right after the first Olympic Games and reflect that time. Other traditional fienili or baita were houses where both animals and people would live together in olden times, and the homes still show that particular construction: masonry in front for humans, wood in the back for animals or hay. Inside both the old and modern houses you’ll find the very characteristic stube [room] and stufe [ceramic heater], the heart of any house in Cortina. That room tends to be entirely paneled in wood and has a heated stufa to decorate and warm it up, which can be an incredible work of art in itself.

Are any of the houses/buildings in the book open to the public? If so, what would you urge us to see and what kind of interesting design elements should we look for inside?

Yes, the stube of the Hotel de la Poste is a bar/restaurant, where you can admire the wooden paneling of the stube and in the middle, the amazing traditional lamp called luster, made with animal horns. Another place opened to the public is the Castle of Valcastello in Dobbiaco, where you can stay. There, I would admire just everything from the architecture to the amazing silver and glassware.

What are your favorite places to stay in Cortina?

Keep an eye on the five-star Hotel Cristallo. It’s still under a multi-year restoration, but should open for the Olympics. It used to be the most beautiful hotel in Cortina, so I hope it will still be as fabulous as it was. I do also like the Rosa Petra Hotel, one of the few with a spa. For families, I would advise the family-run hotel Menardi. It has a very authentic atmosphere, and if you are lucky, you can meet the athletes from the Swiss women’s ski team, who stay here during the Mondiali Races. More modern and right in the center, the Hotel de Len is the newest in the village.

Any favorite discoveries in terms of favorite places to eat and drink?

A must is an aperitivo in the Bar del Posta, Hemingway’s favorite—try a Puccini cocktail. You can also stay for dinner and their signature soufflé.

A nice place for lunch on the terrace with a breathtaking view is the Jägerhaus in localita Cadin. Here the family of ski champion Kristian Ghedina offers very typical and local dishes. For dinner, I love the Lodge Alvera. A family restaurant that still does all the typical and local dishes, from the pasta casunziei (beetroot-stuffed ravioli in butter) or spaetzle, as well as local game meat.

How about your favorite après ski spots? 

Après ski is a concept that is just starting in Cortina. People would normally just go home, change, and go out again for aperitivo. This is changing, though, and on the slopes more and more rifugi are starting to do it, like the Rifugio Faloria on the mountain of the same name. Or the Col Drusciè on Tofana Mountain.

Any under-the-radar cultural spots that you feel capture the essence of Cortina?

I actually love the local pharmacies. They make their own creams with local plants, and the arnica cream is a total bestseller for any little bruise. Another must is the typical Tyrolean jackets for men and women—so chic and elegant on any occasion. You can find them at Franz Kraler on the main corso. Another spot not to miss is the Cooperativa. This is the department store of Cortina. It has just anything you can dream of, from food and spices to clothes and homewares like bed linens with little hearts, beeswax candles…all the best locally crafted items can be found here. A real experience!

What are some winter seasonal traditions that can still be observed in Cortina?

Cortina is a very religious village. You can see it from the number of little churches and processions (traditional costume parade) linked to the Catholic calendar, or the big bonfires on August 15 for Santa Maria. Right after Christmas on January 6 is the Festa della Befana, where a witch brings sweets to the good children. In February, they celebrate the Carnival, though a smaller version than the Venetian one. The traditions can also be found in food. The winter introduces certain cakes, such as strudel and krapfen, or frittelle for Carnival.

Can the town survive the Olympics without being forever changed?

I hope so! I think the impact of the 2026 games will be very different from the 1956 ones. There are more regulations on building new houses today. And the races will be held in many locations, not only in Cortina. What I really do hope that they change are the roads and the infrastructure of the parking lots, which can get very traffic-y on weekends. I do hope too that the Olympics will bring more international tourism to Cortina. Until now, it has remained a little Italian jewel, with mainly Italian crowds. Let’s hope it becomes a bit more international in the coming years. It deserves it!