Cortina d'Ampezzo, Dolomites, Italy (July 2026)

After we completed our first river cruise, which started in Budapest, Hungary, and ended in Munich, Germany, we continued our trip from Munich to the famous Italian Alps, the Dolomites, Lake Como in Italy, and Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. I picked up a rent car at the Munich International Airport. The car was almost brand new and it was an excellent vehicle. 

Our first stop was Salzburg, Austria. From there, we made a random comfort stop and discovered a pleasant surprise. This place, called Uttendorf in Austria, is one of the vacation places for Austrians and the scenery was beautiful.

Once we entered the Dolomites, our first stop was San Candido. After a quick stop, we continued to our first lodging in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Hotel Cristillano d'Ampezzo. We were astounded by the stunning views around us. This astonished feeling continued for several days. Even the view from the hotel was wonderful. 

The next day, we first drove to Rifugio Auronzo. I reserved a parking spot in advance so as not to miss the opportunity to visit the famous Tre Cime de Lavaredo, or Three Peaks of Lavaredo. Many people walked along the hiking trail around Tre Cime, but due to Kristin's limited mobility, we walked only to the Rifugio Auronzo, a mountain cabin. Even this 20-minute walk made us continually say, "Wow!" 

We returned to the parking lot to pick up the car and visit Lago di Misurina, or Misurina Lake. This emerald lake was amazingly beautiful. We walked around the lake for 45 minutes, and we could not stop our amazement. 

After we left the lake, our next destination was Passo di Giau, or Giau Pass. Many cyclists love this pass for its winding roads as well as its beauty.

After we had dinner, we strolled Corso Italia, or Italian Course, meaning the downtown walking area of Cortina d'Ampezzo. The streets had many shops, restaurants, and cafes, packed with tourists.

The next day, we drove to the Tofana Cable Car. We purchased the Super Summer Pass, which allowed access to most of the cable cars and gondolas, numbering more than 100 in the area. The package I purchased was good for three days out of four days. Apparently, this cable car has been running for 50 years. We rode one cable car and subsequently two gondolas to reach the top. 

 

Afterwards, we drove to Baide Dones to take a sky lift to Cinque Torri, or Five Towers. Not all of them were significant enough, but the view was panoramic. We stopped by Rifugio Scoiattoli. There was another Skyline cable car to operate over the mountain range. Not many people were riding this one, but we made a round trip to relax. 

Our next stop was Funivia Lagazuoi to go up to Rifugio Lagazuoi. The view of the mountain range from the Rifugio was really panoramic and fantastic. Probably, it was the best view of all we saw. 

From the Rifugio, we walked to a big cross on the ridge of a mountain. The round trip was approximately one hour. 

We drove down via Passo Falzarego to our next hotel in Arabba, Hotel Alpenrose, located to the west of Cortina d'Ampezzo.  - Jeffrey