Weather and climate
The Typical Ampezzo climate has short, sunny and relatively fresh summers, whereas the winter season is long and fairly cold.
The change of the season is usually windy and rainy. Winter is usually fairly long with snowfalls from November to April.
The lowest temperatures are normally registered from the end of December to the beginning of January. Summer on the other hand is generally short, but sunny, without excluding the odd afternoon rainshower.
Spring and Autumn usually have mild and pleasant temperatures.
When planning an excursion and preparing your backpack, we recommend that you bring adequate clothing and consult the forecasts by local providers such as Arpav - Meteo Dolomiti, which provide updates every 6 hours. Daily bulletins are displayed at the Cooperativa shop in the centre and outside the Mountain Guide Offices.
There's no such thing as bad weather
Only bad clothing
Many sports activities are equally viable on rainy as on sunny days, but on days when the weather acts as a showstopper, why not opt for an activity in town. Organize a mini-golf tournament or a game of indoor tennis with family or friends, or enjoy a day of complete relaxation in one of Cortina’s spas or hotels with wellness centres. For fans of ice skating, the Olympic Ice Stadium has a skating rink open all year round, with skate rental on-site.
We also recommend a rainy low-altitude walk in the forest, where the trees shelter you from summer showers. This is a special experience, that offer magical contact with nature, when it's easy to see foxes, deer and squirrels that take advantage of the soft silence of the rain to come down to the woods in search of food.
Higher altitudes too offer different but equally majestic Dolomite landscapes and illuminations in the rain. Have lunch in one of the many mountain refuges, easy to reach by cable car or jeep service and happy to provide you with panoramic as well as culinary pleasures.
The centre of Cortina d'Ampezzo offers many enjoyable and interesting pastimes, including browsing the craft shops, workshops and the many beautiful boutiques and stores, or visiting the exciting art collection of the Mario Rimoldi Museum of Modern Art, various art galleries with temporary exhibitions, the famous fossil collection in the Rinaldo Zardini Palaeontology Museum, or exploring Cortina's history in the Regole d’Ampezzo Ethnographic Museum.
You will also find plenty of cultural events, including literature, art, current affairs, history and music. For an updated programme of events, check the news page at cortinadolomiti.eu or ask at the Info Point.
The Eden Cinema screens the latest international films.
Equipment for a one-day hike
- Backpack rain-cover, for heavy rain.
- Telescopic trekking poles can be helpful, since they offload part of the weight from the shoulders onto the poles and improve balance when walking.
- A 1-litre water bottle, Topographic and/or normal map, Compass and altimeter, A torch.
- A change of underwear as rain and sweat can be a problem, especially at high altitudes. A quick change can help you avoid chills and cold
- Bandanna or neck warmer. Useful if the wind picks up, or to substitute lighter headwear. Sunglasses, sun screen, and a cap.
- Food. Some fresh or dried fruit, nuts, chocolate or sandwiches. The best rule is to take several short breaks during your hike, eating a little each time.
- First aid basics... band aid plasters, gauzes and disinfectant. It is also advisable to bring something for fever or headaches (classic aspirin).
Dress for hiking
When hiking in the mountains you should use multi-layered clothing, allowing you to put on or take off layers according to changing weather conditions.
- A waterproof and preferably wind-proof jacket, your outer shell. This should be light, so that once folded it does not take up much space in your backpack. A simple K-way may be sufficient.
- One heavy and one medium thickness fleece top. Rain can easily bring with it a dramatic drop in temperature (sometimes 10° C / 50° F in a few hours).
- Long trousers if you intend to pass through forests, preferably not jeans. In summer, shorts may be fine, but it's a good idea to have long pants packed, in case of sudden weather changes.
- Hiking boots.
