![\"view](\"https:\/\/elitetraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/12\/viewofcortinaitalyinsnow-300x200.jpg\")
<\/div>\nIf you hadn\u2019t heard of Cortina before, you\u2019re about to: the upscale ski resort in Italy\u2019s northern Dolomite region is about to become one half of the duo hosting the Winter Olympics 2026 from February 6 — 22. Visiting for the first time? Worry not \u2013 we\u2019ve tapped into the experts for our insider guide to Cortina.<\/p>\n
Mostly frequented by Italian ski-seekers, Cortina is about two hours north of Venice, just south of the Italy-Austria border, and around 50 mins via helicopter from fellow host Milan. Up until its Olympic involvement, it often slipped below the radar for international visitors (St Moritz isn\u2019t too far, and often stole the limelight). This isn\u2019t to say Cortina doesn\u2019t have its fair share of flash though: high-end labels have gladly set up shop and big-name hotel groups are beginning to settle in.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe main drag has remained pretty much unchanged despite the big brands setting up camp here,\u201d says Emily Bellini, founder of Italy-centric travel agency, Bellini Travel<\/a>. \u201cA smattering of actors have winter homes here, but it\u2019s mainly Italian aristocrats who keep it still wonderfully stuck in the 1960s (think Peter Sellers and Audrey Hepburn). [It\u2019s] the definition of understated, old-fashioned chic.\u201d<\/p>\n Cortina has a history of grand old-timer hotels as well as some posher newcomers (the historic Hotel Cristallo<\/strong> is slated to re-open under the Mandarin Oriental umbrella in 2026, but is currently looking like it will miss the Olympics buzz).\u00a0<\/p>\n Among the town\u2019s best is Rosapetra<\/a><\/strong>, a distinctly Alpine hotel (think: fir wood paneling, fur throws, and mountain views) with an award-winning spa. Its 33 rooms and suites are cozy and welcoming \u2013 and crucially, each has views. Rosapetra is twinned with Palazzina Grassi hotel in Venice for easy city-ski packages.<\/p>\n For a dose of well-rehearsed international luxury, consider the Aman Rosa Alpina<\/a><\/strong>, which opened in summer 2025. It\u2019s around a 50-minute drive away from Cortina, but the minimalesque suites, top-class dining and the huge wellness space will make the commute worthwhile.<\/p>\n For a little town, Cortina punches above its weight on the restaurant scene with a mix of traditional eateries and fine dining destinations (there\u2019s two Michelin-starred restaurants in town) and a scattering more in the surrounding area).<\/p>\n The town\u2019s proximity to Venice is clear in its dining scene. \u201cI love having lunch at Villa Oretta<\/a><\/strong>,\u201d says Fortela<\/a> creative director and Cortina regular Alessandro Squarzi. \u201cIt\u2019s one of Cortina\u2019s most iconic restaurants \u2013 it has strong Venetian culinary influences and its baccal\u00e0 mantecato<\/em> [whipped salt cod spread] is truly outstanding.\u201d<\/p>\n Just a short way out of the main drag of town is SanBrite<\/a><\/strong>, an internationally renowned Michelin-starred restaurant by owner-chef Riccardo Gaspari. The tables are sparse and the dining room rustic. Many ingredients are grown on-site \u2013 Gaspari is guided by what\u2019s available and intertwines classic local techniques into his menus. Act quick to snag a reservation here.<\/p>\n For lunch on the slopes, SanBrite co-owner Ludovica Rubbini suggests Rifugio Pomedes<\/a><\/strong>, a mountain hut at the base of Punta Anna putting out traditional Italian alpine dishes. \u201cFantastic food with an incredible view,\u201d is Rubbini\u2019s take.<\/p>\n A must in the winter season is Gherardo \u2018Bar\u00f9\u2019 Gaetani<\/a> Ski Bar<\/strong> \u2013 an open-air grill and BBQ on the Faloria slopes. To find him, \u201cask anyone where Bar\u00f9 is and \u2018follow the smoke,\u2019\u201d says Bellini.<\/p>\n The parting tip for dining in Cortina? Book quickly, according to Bellini:\u00a0 \u201cLest you ever forget it\u2019s more about lunch than skiing in the Dolomites.\u201d<\/p>\n Cortina doesn\u2019t do \u2018apr\u00e8s\u2019 in the same way other European resorts do \u2013 the Italians are a deeply chic people \u2013 but that isn\u2019t to say there aren\u2019t some wonderful spots for a drink. \u201cEnoteca Cortina<\/a><\/strong> is perfect for a glass of wine and Hotel de la Poste<\/a><\/strong> is a timeless classic \u2013 especially the old part of the bar,\u201d says Rubbini.<\/p>\n Bellini backs up Enoteca<\/strong>. \u201cIt is the best wine bar in town filled with locals and serves wine by the glass or from 1\/2 bottles upwards,\u201d she says. \u201cThe interiors are charming and cozy, and with serving platters of delicious local meats and cheeses, you may find you won\u2019t want to leave.\u201d<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Olympic buzz is settling in in the Dolomites \u2013 we tapped into the experts for the lowdown.\u00a0 If you hadn\u2019t heard of Cortina before, you\u2019re about to: the upscale ski resort in Italy\u2019s northern Dolomite region is about to become one half of the duo hosting the Winter Olympics 2026 from February 6 — 22. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2771,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","beyondwords_generate_audio":"","beyondwords_project_id":"","beyondwords_content_id":"","beyondwords_preview_token":"","beyondwords_player_content":"","beyondwords_player_style":"","beyondwords_language_id":"","beyondwords_title_voice_id":"","beyondwords_body_voice_id":"","beyondwords_summary_voice_id":"","beyondwords_error_message":"","beyondwords_disabled":"","beyondwords_delete_content":"","beyondwords_podcast_id":"","beyondwords_hash":"","publish_post_to_speechkit":"","speechkit_hash":"","speechkit_generate_audio":"","speechkit_project_id":"","speechkit_podcast_id":"","speechkit_error_message":"","speechkit_disabled":"","speechkit_access_key":"","speechkit_error":"","speechkit_info":"","speechkit_response":"","speechkit_retries":"","speechkit_status":"","speechkit_updated_at":"","_speechkit_link":"","_speechkit_text":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2770","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2770","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2770"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2770\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2771"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2770"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2770"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2770"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"rosapetra](\"https:\/\/elitetraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/12\/rosapetrahotelcortina-2560x1707.jpg\")
Where to stay in Cortina during the Winter Olympics<\/h2>\n
![\"aman](\"https:\/\/elitetraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/12\/amanalpinarosa-2560x1920.jpg\")
The best restaurants in Cortina<\/h2>\n
![\"sanbrite](\"https:\/\/elitetraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/12\/sanbriterestaurantcortina.jpg\")
![\"cortina](\"https:\/\/elitetraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/12\/cortinatown-2560x1707.jpg\")
The best bars in Cortina<\/h2>\n