Cortina d'Ampezzo — Peaks, Lakes, and a Quiet Basilica
Venice was absolutely amazing. Now on to Cortina. Courtney, on the way in:
As brutal as a 5:30 AM vaporetto ride sounds, I was actually so glad to be out on the water that early. The Grand Canal at sunrise, before the city was awake and bustling with people, was quiet and unbelievably beautiful. It gave me the perfect chance to take some photos without all the usual chaos of Venice.
I've seen mountains before, but I have never seen anything like the Dolomites. Pictures truly do not prepare you for them. The scale of them is just jaw dropping and awe inspiring.
Tomorrow Ian is going climbing with a guide while I hang back, explore the town, and soak it all in a little more slowly.
May 17 — A Climb and a Church
Ian spent the day on the west face of Punta Fiames — a climb five months of training had been aimed at, and a goal he'd set for himself before turning 50. That one gets its own full write-up: Via Ferrata Strobel — Punta Fiames.
Back in town, Courtney had the day to herself:
Cortina is absolutely breathtaking! Ian went off to climb a mountain today, so I spent the day exploring on my own.
The highlight of my day was stepping into Basilica dei Santi Filippo e Giacomo in the middle of a service and quietly sitting for a few minutes to listen. It was all in Italian, so I had no idea what was being said, but it was beautiful nonetheless.
I really wanted to photograph the inside of this stunning basilica, so I wandered around town for a couple of hours and came back after the service had ended. I ended up having the church almost entirely to myself for about 15 minutes before other visitors started trickling in.
The colors, architecture, and details inside are absolutely beautiful. I'm so glad I was patient and went back because it ended up being one of my favorite moments of the day.
The basilica itself has anchored the center of Cortina since 1769, its Baroque nave built on the site of two earlier churches going back to the 1200s. The 73-meter bell tower that dominates the skyline came later, raised through the 1850s — funded, oddly enough, by selling off timber rather than passing a collection plate.
May 18 — A Day of Lakes
Courtney again, the day after:
Ian hired a private driver for the day yesterday to take us on a tour through some of the most breathtaking lakes in the Italian Dolomites.
We visited Lago di Braies, Lago di Dobbiaco, Lago di Misurina, and Lago di Santa Caterina, each one completely different and somehow more beautiful than the last. Emerald water, mountain reflections, and tiny villages tucked into the landscape.
It was a day filled with beautiful scenery and a wealth of knowledge about the area from our driver, Massimo.
Braies is the one most people picture when they think of the Dolomites — a small alpine lake at about 1,500 meters, its water an intense, almost unnatural emerald green caused by minerals dissolved out of the surrounding dolomite rock, with the sheer face of the Croda del Becco mirrored across its surface. Misurina, further along, carries the nickname "Pearl of Cadore" and sits beneath the Tre Cime and Sorapiss peaks, in air so clean the area has long been known for respiratory health retreats.
Lago di Braies
Lago di Dobbiaco
Lago di Misurina
Lago di Santa Caterina
May 19 — One More Climb
One more mountain before Cortina let us go. Less hiking this time, more straight-up climbing — a couple of pitches running nearly 100 meters vertical. The full account: Via Ferrata degli Alpini — Col dei Bos.
That was the last of Cortina. From here, it was on to Florence.