CORTINA CALLING

This little town in Northern Italy is famous for the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and for its winter sports

- By Aruna Rathod

While most tourists visit Italy to experience the beauty of the Renaissance, very few know about the Alps in Northern Italy. One of the better known resort towns to enjoy the snow is Cortina - which is located in the Belluno province in the Veneto region. It is approximately 160 kms from Venice.

Cortina promises plenty of action and is a great destination to relax after doing the rounds of Rome and Florence. Known as the Queen of Dolomites, it nestles in the middle of the spectacular mountains. The Dolomites are a mountain range located in North-Eastern Italy and in August 2009, these peaks were declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Situated at a height of 4015 feet, Cortina is the rich man's playground during winter, where skiing and winter sports, make this beautiful town come alive. In 1956, it hosted the first Italian Winter Olympic Games. Come winters and the recesses in the mountains come alive with hot tubs and hotter parties of the rich folks from all over the country. Even when its off-season (during European summers), there are things to do like biking, trekking and motorcycling. During the peak of winter most people come up here for skiing.

The village is ringed by spectacular Dolomite peaks which rise over 9,800 feet from the base area. Sunsets are picturesque, and if you want some action, check out the bobsled races and on-snow horse shows. Night action includes night clubs and discos.

How to reach Cortina