Arrive in charming Cortina d'Ampezzo and settle into your hotel—consider a centrally located base like Hotel de la Poste or a cozy B&B near Corso Italia for easy access to shops and cafés. Start with a leisurely orientation stroll along Corso Italia to admire the snow-dusted façades and pop into Pasticceria Elena for a warm cappuccino and local pastry while soaking up alpine atmosphere and planning the day with maps and gondola timetables.
After lunch, take the Faloria cable car from Cortina to Rifugio Faloria for panoramic views of the Tofane and Cinque Torri; from the top enjoy an easy, well-marked winter walk along the ridge or a short snowshoe loop (rental is available at the base station) that offers sweeping photo opportunities without strenuous effort. Pause at Rifugio Faloria for a hot chocolate or a light snack while gazing over the powdery valleys, then return to town via the cable car for a relaxed wander through the Kurpark and the small boutiques selling local crafts and wool goods.
Dine at a traditional osteria such as Osteria Al Mas or Ristorante Tivoli to sample Tyrolean specialties—try casunziei (stuffed beet ravioli) or polenta with game—and pair it with a glass of Valpolicella or a local grappa. After dinner, enjoy a gentle moonlit walk to the illuminated La Cooperativa or the historic Chiesa Parrocchiale di Cortina to feel the town’s serene winter charm, then return to your hotel for an early night, refreshed and ready for tomorrow’s snowshoeing and museum visits.
Fuel up with a leisurely breakfast at your hotel or at Pasticceria Ballin on Corso Italia before heading to the Faloria cable car; from the top, join a guided snowshoe circuit that crosses gentle ridgelines toward Punta Nera, with rental and guides available from Cortina Outdoor or Dolomiti Adventures. The route is beginner-friendly and offers postcard views of the Tofane and Cristallo—pause for photos and a mid-hike espresso at Rifugio Faloria’s sun terrace before descending back to town in time for a late lunch.
Spend the afternoon exploring Cortina’s alpine heritage at the Museo Etnografico Regole d'Ampezzo and the Mario Rimoldi Modern Art Museum, both a short walk from Corso Italia; the museums present local crafts, mountaineering history and compelling regional art that deepen your sense of place. If you prefer fresh air, take the short drive or bus to the Lagazuoi/Falzarego area for a gentle snow walk among war-tunnel lookout points, returning to Cortina with panoramic winter light perfect for photography.
Treat yourselves to a relaxed après-walk at Enoteca Cortina or Bar Sport for mulled wine or a spritz, then reserve a table at Il Vizietto or Ristorante Lago for a refined dinner—try the saffron risotto or a hearty speck and mushroom dish paired with a local red. Finish the night with a slow stroll past the illuminated Kurpark and a stop at Pasticceria Elena for a late sweet bite before heading back to your hotel to rest for tomorrow’s drive over the high passes.
Leave Cortina after an early hotel breakfast and set out along SR48 toward Passo Giau, stopping at scenic pullouts for iconic views of the Croda da Lago and the ragged Tofane; pause at the small chapel near Passo Giau for atmospheric winter photos and to enjoy the silence of the snow-clad ridge. Continue the short drive into Alta Badia, pulling over at the Belvedere viewpoints above La Villa to capture the soft late-morning light on the Sella Group and to stretch with a brisk, easy walk among the roadside firs.
After a warming lunch at a mountain inn such as Rifugio Fedare or Ristorante La Marmotte in Corvara, explore Alta Badia’s quiet winter lanes and visit the charming little chapel of San Leonardo in Badia or the baroque parish church in San Cassiano for a glimpse of local culture. If conditions allow, take a gentle guided snowshoe stroll from Colfosco toward the base of the Sella for close-up rock formations and wide valley panoramas before returning to town for coffee and a slice of local strudel.
Check into your Alta Badia accommodation—consider a family-run guesthouse in Corvara or La Villa—then dine at a cosy stube like La Siriola or a rustic pizzeria for comforting alpine fare, sampling local cheeses and Speck. Finish the day with a relaxed moonlit walk through the village square or a quiet stop at a wine bar to compare Alto Adige reds, reflecting on the dramatic mountain scenery you’ve driven through before turning in for a well-earned rest.
After breakfast, drive or take the local bus into Val di Fassa and head to Sëlva di Val Gardena or the Ciampedie plateau above Pozza di Fassa for a morning of classic Alpine sledging; rent a toboggan at the Ciampedie lift station or join the family-friendly sled run at Col Rodella and enjoy adrenaline-filled but accessible descents framed by the Sassolungo and Catinaccio. Pause for a hot итalian cappuccino or vin brulé at a rifugio such as Rifugio Ciampedie to warm up and soak in last panoramic views before returning toward Pozza.
Spend the afternoon unwinding at the Terme Dolomia spa in Pozza di Fassa or the nearby QC Terme if you prefer a larger thermal complex; choose a warm outdoor pool, a Salt World session, or a restorative aromatherapy massage to relax tired muscles after snowy activity. If time allows before departure, take a gentle riverside promenade through Pozza di Fassa to visit the small parish church or pick up last-minute local treats—speck, canederli mixes, or honey—from a village deli.
For your final evening, enjoy an easy farewell dinner at a cozy Val di Fassa restaurant such as Ristorante El Pael in Pozza or La Stüa de Michil in nearby Vigo di Fassa, sampling hearty fare like gnocchi al Sènner or venison stew with a glass of Trentino red. If your schedule permits a late departure, take one last short stroll beneath illuminated peaks to breathe in the crisp mountain air before luggage pickup and your onward journey home.