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# 68 • SEPTEMBER 21 , 2015
Antelao, Sorapiss, the Croda da Lago,
Croda Rossa, the Tofane and the Cristallo - all mountain groups of rare beauty.
Just as stupendous is the natural wall
of Pomagagnon, also a backdrop to the
aforementioned groups.
a little more speed? Not to be forgotten
are the rafting, kayaking, canoing and
even bobsledding options.
With its 87 miles of ski slopes, Cortina
makes up part of the Dolomiti Superski
circuit (one ski pass to access 12 different ski zones covering 758 miles of slope, making it the largest complex of ski
courses in the world); its principal ski
areas are Faloria, Cristallo, Pocol-Tofana
and Cinque Torri.
Not only skiing and summer sports: in
Cortina are about 250 shops where shoppers can find the Italian high fashion and
the best of Made in Italy, in addition to
local artisan goods, art, jewelry and antiques. Corso Italia, Cortina’s thriving center, is one of the best-known shopping
streets on the Peninsula, always teeming
with tourists admiring the shop windows,
and abounding with the cafes and trendy locales that line the Corso.
Among the most exciting itineraries in
the Cortina district are those slopes comprised by themes, such as the Skitour
Olympia, where Olympic races were held
in 1956; and the Great War Tour, whose
courses pass by trenches and posts built
during World War I. To explore even further the enchantment of these snow-covered mountains, the more adventurous
can take an excursion in snow shoes, or
try out the cross-country ski slopes.
The 20th Century left indelible marks on
the history of this zone: the open-air museum (under the Cinque Torri) that treats
WWI is a must, as is an excursion to the
Natural Park of the d’Ampezzo Dolomites, where visitors can admire nature in
its purest form by way of eight vie ferrate and six other equipped trails; eleven
mountain refuges scattered throughout
the park and just outside also welcome
trekkers.
Even in summer Cortina offers multiple
opportunities for relaxation, athletics
and fun: the advantage of 186 miles of
pathways means the possible itineraries
are countless. For the most advanced,
a via ferrata, or iron road, permits climbs to the most beautiful and panoramic
mountain peaks. And, as far as summer
sports go – choices include golf, horseback riding, mountain-biking, and of
course, mountain climbing. In need of
The area’s cuisine is highly-influenced by
the Tyrolean tradition, and in fact, many
of the typical dishes are still called by
their original German names. The most
celebrated are the canederli (a variant of
the Tyrolean knödel), a sort of large dumpling primarily made with dried bread
crumbs; and the casunziei, triangular raviolis filled with red turnips or potatoes
and flavored with hot butter and poppy
seeds.
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