The best après-ski bars and activities in Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina is the main host of the 2026 Winter Olympics, but it was the 1956 games that really put this town on the map, helping establish it as the place for wealthy, well-heeled Italians to come for their winter holidays during the postwar boom period. It’s a status Cortina still holds to this day.
As such, most of the après ski here caters for the higher end of the market – if you want to drink in smart cocktail bars, or sip Aperol spritz on a sunkissed terrace, Cortina has got you covered. If your idea of après is slamming schnapps and dancing on tables to Schlager music, there are fewer options.
That’s not to say there are no late-night options, but the best Cortina après traditions revolve around the passeggiata, the Italian tradition of dressing up in your finest, and wandering around pedestrianised streets at aperitivo hour, stopping into bars to gossip or greet friends. The car-free, café-lined Crosa Italia in the centre of town is perfect for it.
For further Cortina inspiration, see our guides to the resort's best accommodation and restaurants.
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Bars in Cortina d’Ampezzo
Zelda Cocktail Club
Named for the party-loving Zelda Fitzgerald, wife of F. Scott, and an author in her own right, the Zelda Cocktail Club in the boutique Hotel Ambra brings a modern take on Jazz age chic to the mountains. The walls are cluttered with art and advertising from the era, the seating includes outrageous clam-shell armchairs, and the atmosphere is sophisticated but lively. Come aperitivo hour, it often feels as packed as one of Jay Gatsby’s parties, and stays open until midnight.
Their Excess Spritz – named for the Ambra’s sister hotel, the Excess in Venice – features tequila and is well worth a try, as is their Margarita on Snowboard, made with gentian liqueur.
Contact: hotelambracortina.it
Price: £££
Enoteca
One of the oldest and most atmospheric wine bars in town, Enoteca has been run by Rita and Gerolamo Gaspari in a cellar near the bell tower since 1965. The decor is classic and functional – white cloth-covered tables, bench seating around the walls, tiles on the floor and a white, vaulted ceiling – but the atmosphere is warm and welcoming.
The focus is really on the wine. The variety both on display and in their cellar is staggering, with every region of Italy well represented, and an extensive selection from France, Spain, Austria, Germany and further afield. They also serve excellent grappa – any one of the barrel-aged varieties is well worth a try – and serve delicious platters of meats and cheese.
Contact: enotecacortina.com
Price: ££
1224 Lounge Bar
The 100-year-old Grand Hotel Savoia epitomises the old-world elegance on which Cortina’s appeal is built. Sophia Loren stayed here during the 1956 Winter Games. Elizabeth Taylor, Brigitte Bardot, Frank Sinatra and Audrey Hepburn have all passed through. With its large “picture windows” framing stunning views of the surrounding Dolomites, the hotel’s 1224 Lounge Bar is the ultimate place to soak up this history – and enjoy a bit of the opulence that brought such stars here.
Created by head barman Mauro Isidoro, their cocktail includes the Orient Express, a gin and saké concoction that makes for a lovely pre-dinner aperitif. The extensive wine list includes select bottles from all over Italy, as well as some imports.
Contact: grandhotelsavoiacortina.it
Price: £££
Molo Pub Cortina
Originally opened in the 1960s (under a different name) this small, welcoming establishment in the centre of town was taken over by two young Ampezzans, Matteo Bernardi, and Matteo Magri, nicknamed “Cap n’ Zack,” in 2004.
The pair were some of the first to bring American-style craft beer to Cortina, and in the 20 years they’ve been open, they have served over 300 different craft styles on tap, and over 400 in bottles. Open from 5pm until 1am every day, Molo serves tasty sandwiches, all named after classic arcade games – standouts include the Yoshi’s Island piadine, and the Pacman pulled pork burger. It tends to attract a younger crowd, but it’s by no means all craft beer bores. Matteo ‘Zack’ Magri also mixes a mean cocktail, and their selection of gins is excellent.
Contact: molocortina.com
Price: £
Pasticceria Lovat
Founded in 1928, Pasticceria Lovat is fast approaching its centenary. For most of that time, it’s been one of the most popular café-bars on the Corso d’Italia.
As the name suggests, it’s a cake shop first and foremost. They’re open for morning coffee, with spectacular pastries on display, and if locals have an occasion to celebrate, they will order a custom-made creation from here. They also serve sandwiches and other lunchtime options.
But the distinction that exists in the UK between licensed premises and cafés is much more blurred in Italy. It’s not uncommon to see people sipping a glass of white wine before 10am, and when it comes to aperitivo hour, around 6 or 7pm, this is one of the places to park up and enjoy a cold Aperol spritz.
Contact: lovatcortina.it
Price: £
Hotel de la Poste Bar
Dating from 1835, the Hotel de la Poste has been run by the Manaigo family for generations, and its bar is a fantastically atmospheric place to stop for a cocktail. Think: vintage red leather barstools, a low, wood-panelled ceiling and an antique grandfather clock ticking away in one corner.
If the walls could talk they’d have some tales to tell, but they don’t need to, because barman Antonio Di Franco has been working here for more than 60 seasons, and has seen it all – serving royals, politicians, and celebrities including Liz Taylor and Henry Fonda. These days he’s ably assisted by Filippo Borghi, and the pair’s cocktails remain as on point as ever. We recommend trying something classic, like a negroni, to suit the ambience.
Contact: delaposte.it
Price: ££
Janbo
Housed in a modern, glass-panelled building below street level, Janbo is a lively après bar that turns into a late-night club, and stays open until 3am. In the daytime, they serve bar food staples including burgers, panini and club sandwiches. More recently, they have added poké bowls to the menu.
But Janbo really gets going once people come down from the slopes, with DJs and occasionally karaoke taking over their impressive soundsystem. On sunny days, the glass walls slide back, allowing the party to spill seamlessly outside. They have an excellent selection of beer on tap, including craft brews like a Brooklyn IPA, and an innovative cocktail list, including the Jimmy Carter (made with peanut whisky) and one called Do You Want Those Kiwis?, which mixes white vermouth with gin and kiwi soda.
Contact: janbo.it
Price: ££
Belvedere Discoteca
A taxi ride outside of town, the Belvedere has been a nightclub since the 1970s, and has featured in films including Ash Wednesday, with Elizabeth Taylor and Henry Fona. In recent years, management of the venue has been taken over by Now.Here. the same events agency responsible for Zelda’s bar in the Hotel Ambra (see above), bringing a slightly more youthful vibe to this venerable establishment.
Après ski sessions start from 1pm and run until after the lifts close (6 or 8pm, depending on the night). Late night parties run until the small hours, with international DJs flying in to entertain the crowds on a regular basis. The vibe is raucous, but always fun-loving, and both the music, the building itself, and the crowds it attracts are a cut above what you would find in your average sticky-floored, ski resort disco.
Contact: belvederecortina.com
Price: ££
Activities in Cortina d'Ampezzo
Try curling at the Olympic ice rink
Curling, the sport that combines lawn bowls with competitive chimney sweeping, often dominates coverage of the Winter Olympics in the UK, if only because it’s one of the few winter sports that we’re genuinely competitive in. If you have ever watched it and fancied a go, here is your chance – and on an ice rink that has hosted the winter games, no less.
Built as an open air arena for the 1956 games, the ice rink still has the original, wooden-clad stands. A roof has been added in recent years, and the whole thing has been enclosed, allowing for easier temperature control.
As well as normal ice skating sessions and skate rental, they offer beginner curling classes, which teach you the basics in two hours. The school is open between midday and 4pm, and again between 8pm and midnight. You need a minimum of six people and a maximum of eight to make up a group.
Contact: curling.it
Price: £
Stargazing at the Osservatorio del Col Drusciè
Cortina has enviably low levels of light pollution, making it a perfect place for looking at the night sky. Built in 1972, the Col Drusciè observatory sits at a height of 1,772m overlooking the town. It’s accessible by lift in the daytime, or by road at night, and the Associazione Astronomica Cortina, which runs the facility, offers morning visits (for sun observation) or nighttime stargazing sessions for groups on request.
The observatory has two seriously-powerful telescopes, a 40cm diameter Ritchey-Chretienda telescope and a 28cm Schmidt Cassegrain, which the local association has used to discover 40 supernovae, and a completely new asteroid, named Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Contact: cortinastelle.it
Price: £
How we choose
Every bar, venue or activity in this curated list has been expertly chosen by our ski expert, who has visited the resort to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from casual pubs on the piste to exquisite cocktail bars – to best suit every type of skier – and consider the drinks, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. Non-ski activities are chosen to provide an alternative to traditional aprés, whether for families or adrenaline junkies looking to enjoy the mountains in winter away from the slopes. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations.
