YOUR VIA FERRATA ADVENTURE AWAITS
Be the first to experience our brand new via ferrata adventure programme in the historic mountain town of Cortina. Situated in the heart of the Ampezzo valley in the Italian Dolomites, Cortina is a paradise for active families with soaring mountains, forests, lakes and waterfalls and the famous via ferrata ‘iron paths’ to explore. Our Powder Byrne team will be on the ground in Cortina throughout the summer to host and support your mountain adventures. Prices include accommodation at the Faloria Mountain Spa Resort, luxury transfers between destinations, activities, equipment hire and local guides for all your mountain adventures.
Prices from £3,995 per person for a 7 day adventure
CORTINA & VIA FERRATA
Cortina is based in the heart of the Dolomites range and has a rich history dating back to Roman times. Originally a land of farmers, the dawn of the railway era and pioneering mountaineers first put Cortina on the tourism map. The mountains of Cortina played host to intense fighting in WW1 and in peacetime, Cortina hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956 and this heralded a golden age of La Dolce Vita, with film stars, social and political elites regularly frequenting the stylish hotels, restaurants and bars.
Modern day Cortina is well-known for some of the finest food in Italy, its vivid history and huge array of alpine activities which make it the perfect destination for a summer holiday full of outdoor fun. With miles of hiking trails, via ferrata (protected climbing) and downhill mountain biking to name a few of the activities you can enjoy in this awe-inspiring part of the world, make this your next summer adventure.
Via ferrata means ‘iron path’ and refers to the protected climbing paths that are scattered across the the mountains of the UNESCO world heritage park around Cortina.
- You are connected to the cable-way the entire time in via ferrata and it is amazing how safe and secure you feel on terrain that you might otherwise never have dreamed of attempting!
- Anyone who is reasonably fit and active can enjoy via ferrata, even people who are scared of heights! It’s great for children and we’d recommend 8 years upwards as they do need to be able to take responsibility for their harness as they move along the route.
- The equipment is very simple and easy to use for adults and children and everything you need is provided.
- The routes are graded by difficulty and each route differs in length. You will be accompanied by an experienced mountain guide who will help you along the route and share all their local knowledge and stories.
- Some routes combine nicely with an approach by e-bike, so you can ride out from your hotel through spectacular scenery and then clip straight into the via ferrata route. You’ll often come across wildlife such as chamois and the alpine flowers are beautiful in springtime.
- We’ll tailor each day to you and we’ll always incorporate lunch at a beautiful mountain hut along the way.
Tackling a Dolomites via ferrata route needs no prior experience or special skills, just a love of the outdoors and a can-do attitude. The marked routes involve a combination of hiking, scrambling and climbing to navigate your way along the bolted anchors, fixed ladders, steel cables and metal rungs securely fastened to the rock face to aid your progress along the via ferrata route. You wear a harness with two leashes, each bearing a sturdy quick-release clip at the end which you attach to the cable, always keeping at least one latched on with no heavy equipment or tricky techniques to master.
There are 48 via ferrata routes directly accessible from Cortina with varying levels of difficulty. Easy routes are perfect for families and complete beginners and you’ll soon find you’re progressing on to the more adventurous medium level routes. You can enjoy half day, full day and overnight tours with our local mountain guides; stunning scenery, dramatic peaks and varied landscape are guaranteed.
One of our most popular routes goes into the Fanes Valley and involves hiking behind a waterfall and into the river bed. Other routes involve hiking through caves and tunnels. One of the best places to spend the night in the mountains is Rifugio Averau, which has recently refurbished rooms and excellent food. Another popular via ferrata route is the 80km Great War Tour which passes through the Museum of the Great War, the largest open-air museum dedicated to the events that took place during WW1.
A more sedate but no less adventurous alternative to via ferrata, there are more than 400km of hiking trails to discover from your base in Cortina. Hike through meadows, forests and reach mountain summits offering phenomenal views over the dramatic scenery. Enjoy peaceful walks through the Natural Park of the Ampezzo Dolomites in Cortina and excursions to emerald coloured lakes such as Lake Sorapis. There are multiple day, hut-to-hut treks you can enjoy if you are looking for more of an adventure. There are also a range of hiking trails which provide a fascinating walk through history, taking you through places where important battles took place in the First World War. There are lots of options to choose from and trails to suit all abilities with gourmet restaurants and mountain huts dotted along the routes for you to enjoy as well.
There are a huge number of cycling routes in Cortina with over 300 different cycle tours to choose from. A brilliant way to experience these as a family is on an e-bike adventure. E-bikes allow you to travel a greater distance than you would on a traditional pedal bike, you can also tackle steeper ascents and descents and go to places you wouldn’t be able to get to if you were on a pedal bike. E-bikes allow you to explore a much greater area and more challenging terrain, they are a fantastic way to see Cortina and the surrounding mountains. On an e-bike you can easily cover a distance of over 25km in half a day and there are a range of fantastic e-bike routes to suit riders of all abilities. Our e-bike mountain guides will take you on half day and full day cycling adventures designed to meet the specific requirements of your group. Some of e-bike adventures can be combined with via ferrata routes for the ultimate day of outdoor mountain adventures.
Our local team will be based in Cortina throughout the summer holidays to host and support your adventures and excursions both on and off the mountain. Along with the benefit of their local knowledge, advice and recommendations, you’ll enjoy a private driver service in our Powder Byrne vehicles, walking tours of the historic town, relaxed hikes on the mountain with all of your restaurant reservations and activity bookings taken care of with our tried and tested local partners.
OUR SUGGESTED EXPERIENCES
Our recommendation for a 4 day bespoke adventure in Cortina, you will enjoy a range of activities overseen by specialist local guides. Activities include experiencing the world-renowned via Ferrata, exploring the breathtaking mountains on e-bikes and hiking along scenic mountain paths to delicious restaurants. We have packed all the best bits of Cortina into this unique adventure.
After a scenic drive through the mountains, you will reach Cortina. On the first afternoon, you will have time to explore the town and settle in. You can spend the afternoon as you please – browsing the fantastic array of shops, sampling some of the finest food and wine in the Dolomites and taking in the incredible views. If you are looking for something a little more relaxing, the Faloria’s spa and wellness area is a perfect spot to unwind and indulge in a bit of me-time.
Depart from Hotel Faloria after a yummy breakfast and jump straight on e-bikes with your mountain guide. The half-day adventure will take you along a picturesque cycling path between the two towns of Cortina and Dobbiaco, covering a total of 60km. Along the way, you will stop at Rifugio Ospitale which is the oldest church in Cortina and Lago di Landro, a beautiful turquoise lake stretching over 1.4km. The lake sits between two nature parks Sesto Dolomites and Fanes-Sennes-Brais, surrounded by the stunning Cristallo mountain range. Tre Cime di Lavaredo viewpoint just north of Lago di Dobbiaco is another stunning spot to enjoy sweeping panoramic views across the valley. You will arrive back into Cortina on your bikes in time for lunch, leaving you to enjoy the afternoon as you please exploring more of Cortina or alternatively you can rest your weary legs in the hotel’s hammam.
This morning you will explore the mountains by the famous via ferrata involving a mixture of climbing and scrambling. To reach the starting point of your via ferrata route, you will have a short drive to Passo Val Parola home to the largest open-air museum, the World War 1 Museum. You set off through a long tunnel which turns around the mountain to the start of via ferrata. The climb to the top of the mountain takes you back in time, going through the Austrian army trenches. The ascent to the summit takes 2 hours and you are rewarded with sensational views across Cortina. On your way back down you can check out the museum to learn some fascinating facts about the area’s history. After being driven back into Cortina the afternoon is yours to enjoy. Some activities we would recommend if you are still feeling energetic would be to check out Cortina’s enormous indoor rock climbing wall or head out on a horse-riding tour to see the mountains from a different perspective.
On your last full day in Cortina, you have the opportunity to explore the beautiful area on foot. From Cortina, you can hop on the Tofana Gondola with your hiking guide and head up to Col Druscie, where your hike begins. Starting with a 20-minute descent you will then jump on a chair lift whisking up to the Sentiero dei Camosci hiking route which takes you along to Pie Tofana. Finishing off with a 20-minute push up to Col Druscie where you will be greeted by spectacular views across Cortina. We would recommend stopping for a late lunch halfway down the Col Druscie cable car at Restaurant Col Druscie 1778, where they serve delicious local delicacies. Next door is Druscie Masi Wine Bar which is a lovely place to stop for a drink before getting the cable car back down into the village. Your last afternoon can be spent exploring before heading back home the next morning.
Our recommendation for a 7 day adventure in Cortina , staying at the beautiful Faloria Mountain Resort, your luxury base for a week of active outdoor adventures, you’ll cycle, hike and climb your way around this fascinating mountain region, experiencing the thrill of the Dolomites via Ferrata. Our carefully planned itinerary will also allow plenty of time to enjoy all the wonderful facilities at the Faloria, as well as the cultural and culinary highlights of Cortina.
Arrive at the exceptional Faloria Mountain Spa Resort and you will instantly feel relaxed. Located in the village of Zuel di Sopra just a few kilometres from Cortina, you will be perfectly placed to enjoy the historic mountain town and all of the outdoor adventures you have lined up for your stay. Spend your first afternoon relaxing at the Faloria, enjoying the wonderfully secluded location, taking a dip in the pool and treating yourself to a session in the spa.
This morning you will explore the mountains by the famous via ferrata involving a mixture of climbing and scrambling. To reach the starting point of via ferrata, you will have a short drive to Passo Val Parola where the largest open-air museum, the World War 1 Museum is located. You set off through a long tunnel which turns around the mountain to the start of via ferrata. The climb to the top of the mountain takes you back in time, going through the Austrian army trenches. The ascent to the summit takes 2 hours and you are rewarded with sensational views across Cortina. On your way back down you can check out the museum to learn some fascinating facts about the area’s history. After being driven back into Cortina the afternoon is yours to enjoy. If you still have energy to burn and have got the climbing bug, we recommend checking out the enormous indoor rock climbing wall.
Head off on your exciting e-bike adventure, a 60km round trip from the centre of Cortina to Rifugio Prato Piazza where you will stop for a delicious lunch. The first part of the route is an 18km cycle path, the old railway road connecting Cortina to Dobbiacco. Leaving the cycle path at the village of Carbonin you will cycle along the gravel road that leads to Prato Piazza. The gravel road section is 6km long with a steepness at times of 6-8% – this is where the e-bike really comes into its own! The top section gives way to wide pasture and green meadows where at the end of a long flat section of gentle cycling you will find your lunch stop Rifugio Prato Piazza. After a good bite to eat (maybe a glass of wine) and a rest, it’s back on the e-bikes for your return to Cortina via the same route.
After a few intense days of exciting activities, today is your chance to take life a little slower. We recommend heading into Cortina to explore the town and soak up the ‘La Dolce Vita’ lifestyle that made Cortina famous. For foodies, we particularly recommend Tivoli Restaurant which serves an ever-changing menu of Michelin-starred local cuisine. There are also plenty of other activities that we can recommend and organise if you prefer to keep active on your ‘day off’. A horse riding tour is a great way to enjoy the Dolomites at a more leisurely pace, or a white water rafting experience for some high-adrenaline fun.
This morning it’s off for a mountain hike to take in the stunning scenery of the Dolomites. You will set off from the centre of Cortina and take the cable car to the top of Mount Faloria. Taking the Dolomieu path you will hike along the scenic ridge, through woodland and mountain pines for approximately 1.5 hours until you reach Rio Gere. Here you will find a traditional mountain hut for lunch, which began its life as a restaurant in 1957 following the Olympic games in Cortina. On the hike back to Cortina in the afternoon you can stop at Rifugio Mietres and take refreshment on their sunny terrace with an outstanding view of Cortina below.
Your last big adventure is an action-packed day combining e-biking and via ferrata. Setting off from Cortina on e-bikes with your mountain guide, you will cycle for approximately 1.5 hours to reach Rifugio Duca d’Aosta and the starting point of the Ra Pegna via ferrata. Rated by the local mountain guides as an easy to medium via ferrata, Ra Pegna will take around 1 hour to complete. Stop for a quick refreshment break at Rifugio Pomedes before you take on your next via ferrata section, Sentiero Astaldi, one of the oldest equipped paths in Cortina and famous for its red coloured rocks. The Sentiero Astald via ferrata section takes around 1 hour to complete and finishes at Rifugio Dibona, your stop for a well earned lunch. After all that hard work before lunch, your afternoon session is much easier with a 30 minute hike back to your e-bikes and then it’s back to Cortina for 3-4pm, depending on how long and relaxing your lunch was.
Wake up on your final morning in the Faloria Mountain Spa Resort and you’ll no doubt be feeling a bit stiff and sore from all of your exertions over the past week. You’ve hiked, climbed and cycled your way around the Dolomites and now it’s time to relax. Visit Cortina town one last time for a spot of lunch and some souvenir shopping or simply relax and hit the spa for some rejuvenation before you head for home.
OUR HAND-PICKED ACCOMMODATION
In a secluded location boasting spectacular views across the Italian Dolomites, Faloria Mountain Spa resort has undergone a recent refurbishment and renovation creating a luxurious mountain retreat.
Discover culinary excellence, stunning views over the Dolomites and a state-of-the-art spa at 5-star Cristallo Resort & Spa. The perfect base where you can relax and enjoy your alpine sun adventure.
TRAVEL INFORMATION
Approx. Flight Time
LHR/LGW – VCE: 2 hrs
Transfer Times
2 hrs
Time Difference
GMT +1
When To Travel
MAY – SEPTEMBER
Average Temperature
21°C
Average Hours of Sun
14HRS IN SUMMER
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