What's on in Cortina d'Ampezzo (Dolomites), Italy through the year

Peak crowds — World Cup downhill, Christmas and New Year

• Rule

  Rifugi book out in spring

  1 Jan – 31 DecBook early

  The Dolomite huts take summer bookings from around March and the Alta Via stages go within weeks. A via ferrata week planned in June is a week of walking between full refuges. Source ↗

• Festival

  World Cup downhill

  15 Jan – 1 Feb · usuallyMajor festivalCrowdedBook early

  The women's speed races come to the Olympia delle Tofane most Januaries. The run closes to the public for several days beforehand and the town books out around it. Source ↗

Still on: Ski season (1 Dec – 10 Apr (usually)), Avalanche season (15 Dec – 10 Apr (usually)), Christmas and New Year (22 Dec – 6 Jan)

Peak crowds — World Cup downhill, Italian ski weeks

• Season

  Italian ski weeks

  1 Feb – 8 MarSchool holidaysCrowdedBook early

  Italy takes its settimana bianca in February and Cortina is where Milan and Venice take theirs. Lift queues, restaurant tables and rates are all at their worst in these five weeks.

Still on: Rifugi book out in spring (1 Jan – 31 Dec), World Cup downhill (15 Jan – 1 Feb (usually)), Ski season (1 Dec – 10 Apr (usually)), Avalanche season (15 Dec – 10 Apr (usually))

Busy — Italian ski weeks, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in March.

Still on: Rifugi book out in spring (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Italian ski weeks (1 Feb – 8 Mar), Ski season (1 Dec – 10 Apr (usually)), Avalanche season (15 Dec – 10 Apr (usually))

Busy — Easter holidays in Italy, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

• Closure

  Between-seasons shutdown

  15 Apr – 10 Jun · usually

  Between the last lift day and the first hut opening the cable cars stop and most hotels and kitchens close for six weeks. The same gap returns for most of November. Source ↗

Still on: Rifugi book out in spring (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Ski season (1 Dec – 10 Apr (usually)), Avalanche season (15 Dec – 10 Apr (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: Rifugi book out in spring (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Between-seasons shutdown (15 Apr – 10 Jun (usually))

Peak crowds — Tre Cime toll road opens, Summer holidays in Italy

• Opening

  Tre Cime toll road opens

  1 Jun – 15 Oct · usuallyTrail seasonCrowded

  The road up to Rifugio Auronzo, and with it the easy circuit of the Tre Cime, is only open once the snow clears. In high summer the car park fills before eight and a shuttle replaces it. Source ↗

• Opening

  Huts and via ferrata season

  20 Jun – 25 Sep · usuallyTrail seasonBook early

  The rifugi are staffed from about the solstice to late September, which is also the window when the wire on the via ferrata routes is clear of snow. Beds are booked, not chanced. Source ↗

Still on: Rifugi book out in spring (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Between-seasons shutdown (15 Apr – 10 Jun (usually))

Peak crowds — Tre Cime toll road opens, Summer holidays in Italy

Nothing new starts in July.

Still on: Rifugi book out in spring (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Tre Cime toll road opens (1 Jun – 15 Oct (usually)), Huts and via ferrata season (20 Jun – 25 Sep (usually))

Peak crowds — Tre Cime toll road opens, Ferragosto

• Holiday

  Ferragosto

  5–25 AugSchool holidaysCrowdedBook early

  Italy takes the middle of August in the mountains, and Cortina is where a lot of it goes. The Tre Cime road hits its car cap by eight in the morning and the town is at its most expensive. Source ↗

• Season

  Mushroom season and permits

  25 Aug – 10 Oct · usuallyForaging season

  Porcini come up after the first cool rains and the woods fill with locals at dawn. Picking needs a paid daily permit in Veneto and there is a limit per person; the wardens do check. Source ↗

Still on: Rifugi book out in spring (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Tre Cime toll road opens (1 Jun – 15 Oct (usually)), Huts and via ferrata season (20 Jun – 25 Sep (usually))

Peak crowds — Tre Cime toll road opens, Summer holidays in Italy

Nothing new starts in September.

Still on: Rifugi book out in spring (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Tre Cime toll road opens (1 Jun – 15 Oct (usually)), Huts and via ferrata season (20 Jun – 25 Sep (usually)), Mushroom season and permits (25 Aug – 10 Oct (usually))

Busy — Tre Cime toll road opens, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

• Nature

  Larches turn

  1–25 Oct · usuallyAutumn colour

  The larch woods below the Cinque Torri and around Passo Giau go gold for about three weeks in October. Half the town is already shut, which is the point. Source ↗

Still on: Rifugi book out in spring (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Tre Cime toll road opens (1 Jun – 15 Oct (usually)), Mushroom season and permits (25 Aug – 10 Oct (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in November.

Still on: Rifugi book out in spring (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Peak crowds — Christmas and New Year, Christmas holidays in Italy

• Season

  Ski season

  1 Dec – 10 Apr · usuallyBook early

  Lifts run from around the start of December to early April, on a pass that reaches most of the Dolomites. The bowl faces every direction, so there is shade or sun depending on which side you pick.

• Hazard

  Avalanche season

  15 Dec – 10 Apr · usuallyClosures

  Off-piste and the high passes run on the daily bulletin through the winter, and after a big dump the roads out towards Falzarego and Tre Croci close until the crews have worked them. Source ↗

• Holiday

  Christmas and New Year

  22 Dec – 6 JanChristmas & New YearCrowdedBook early

  The dearest fortnight of the winter here. Corso Italia at passeggiata time is as much the point as the skiing, and the good rooms are sold the previous spring. Source ↗

Still on: Rifugi book out in spring (1 Jan – 31 Dec)