Cinque Torri: Scenic Ski Day Trip from Cortina d'Ampezzo

Introduction to the Cinque Torri Ski Area in Cortina d’Ampezzo

This post covers part of our two-day trip to Cortina d’Ampezzo, the current hot spot of the Italian Dolomites, just before the upcoming Winter Olympic Games. On this day we snowboarded in the Cinque Torri area, the scenic escape from the busy slopes of Cortina.

Cinque Torri - Cortina d'Ampezzo

Lifts

8

Slopes

13

km of slopes

29 km

Elevation

1,900m - 2,700m

Nearest Town

Cortina d'Ampezzo

Website

Visit Website

Skipass

Dolomiti Superski

Days of Fun

1-2

Best Parking

Cinque Torri Location Copy GPS

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Cinque Torri is a small, formerly independent ski area named about the famous rock formation consisting of five distinct towers. That changed in 2022 when the Cortina Skyline was built, connecting Cinque Torri to the larger Tofana ski area of Cortina d’Ampezzo. Before the connection, you had to ask yourself: “Is it worth driving all the way there for just a handful of slopes and some views?” These days, the moment you get bored in Tofana, you hop on the gondola and in 15 minutes you’re soaking in the gorgeous views of the towers. Once you’re over it, you get on the gondola again and you’re back in Cortina in no time. A convenient scenic excursion. The best way to ski Cinque Torri in our opinion.

Apart from the beautiful rock formation (which by the way has some great climbing too), the Cinque Torri - Passo Falzarego ski area is also known for the Super 8 ski circuit. A ski route that winds through the peaks of the area in an 8-shape.

Getting to Cinque Torri

The Cinque Torri ski area is located just below Passo Falzarego, about 15km/20 minutes driving from Cortina d’Ampezzo. We have different recommendations depending on how you want to visit the area.

Cinque Torri by Car

Scenario one. You’re coming by car from either side of Passo Falzarego. You’re either staying at one of the local huts, or you simply want to maximize the time skiing Cinque Torri. Then this is how to do it. There is a free parking lot by the Col Galina Location Copy GPS chairlift just below Passo Falzarego. Or alternatively there is another free parking lot a little bit lower, by the Cinque Torri chairlift Location Copy GPS . Both are good options but the latter one makes more sense in our opinion as it is reachable from all parts of the ski area without having to take an extra chairlift. (Assuming the Falzarego-Bai de Dones connection catwalk has enough snow.) So apres-ski and then straight to car is very viable!

Cinque Torri on Skis from Cortina

Scenario Two: You’re staying in Cortina and you want to take a day trip to Cinque Torri on skis. This is possible since 2022 via the Cortina Skyline gondola and in our opinion this is the best way to visit Cinque Torri. You can either park in Tofane by the Skyline gondola station Location Copy GPS or you can get to the gondola from anywhere else in Tofana on skis.

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The gondola ride takes about 15 minutes and has excellent views of Cima Tofana and the Lagazuoi peaks. Honestly, it’s probably worth it even if you don’t care about skiing Cinque Torri at all.

The gondola ends right by the Cinque Torri chairlift that goes straight to the towers. Once you’re done, you hop on the Cortina Skyline gondola again and it takes you back to Cortina. How convenient.

Where to Stay: Accommodation for Cinque Torri

We visited Cinque Torri while we were staying in Cortina. It is definitely doable and it worked out very well for us. But if you want to stay closer or if you’re craving a true alpine experience, both Rifugio Averau Website Location Copy GPS and Rifugio Scoiattoli Website Location Copy GPS offer overnight stay during the winter season. The demand is high and the capacity of the huts is limited so make sure to book it well ahead through their websites.

If you decide to do it like us and stay in Cortina d’Ampezzo, here’s a map of available accommodation:

Where to stay around Cinque Torri - Cortina d'Ampezzo

Here's a map of the accommodations in the area. We also included some of the places we visited and the parking spots for better orientation.

In full transparency, we do get a commission if you book through our map. But don't worry, it's not coming from your pocket! The prices you see are the same as what you'd find on the booking platforms directly. And it helps us keep the site running.

Skiing Cinque Torri

The Cinque Torri ski area is not the biggest and it’s probably most famous for the towers themselves and the scenic views of the Dolomites surrounding Cortina. But since it’s mostly on the north-east side of the mountain, the snow there is usually better than on the south facing slopes of Tofana and it gives itself to surprisingly good skiing.

There are basically two ways you can approach your visit to Cinque Torri.

The Best Skiing in Cinque Torri

You came here for the views but you’re also not leaving till your Strava shows some respectable vertical drop. The best place to ski hard in Cinque Torri is around the fast Cinque Torri ski lift and potentially the old, slow, two-seater Averau higher up the mountain.

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If you go all the way up the Averau chairlift, you can take the scenic Averau blue run and soak in the views of the towers. The blue then links to a handful of red slopes around the Cinque Torri chairlift. They are not the longest, but they are steep, nice and wide, and a lot of fun.

Do it top to bottom in one go and you’ll feel the burn in your legs. That’s a good time to stop at the Rifugio Scoiattoli Website Location Copy GPS for a quick coffee or a full lunch. That hut has hands down the best view of the towers.

Cozy Hut Stop

Sometimes when the weather is winning or when our legs are sore, it's time to warm up and take a break in a nearby cozy hut.

Rifugio Scoiattoli Website Location Copy GPS

We treated ourselves to a full lunch. That gave us time to enjoy the views of the Torri. The food was delicious and not overly expensive. No regrets.

Lunch break - 2 full meals, 2 beers, 2 coffees

49.50 EUR

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The slow Averau chairlift as an equally slow sibling on the other side of the mountain - the Fedare chairlift. It has a fun red slope - Nuvolau and it’s definitely worth at least one or two runs. That is if it is open. Since it is on the south side of the mountain, it can unfortunately have significantly less snow and sometimes it’s not running at all.

Even if the Fedare chairlift is not running, you can take the upper part of the red slope and about halfway down, you exit to the right to the short Croda Negra chairlift. That one spits you out on the west side of the Averau peak, which then connects via a scenic half-red-half-catwalk run to the Falzarego part of the Cinque Torri area.

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There is a decent but short red slope by the Ovest chairlift. We did it a few times and once we were ready to return back, we took the Ovest chairlift up one more time, gunned it down the red slope, but at the bottom instead of going to the chairlift, you carry your speed, turn skiers right and blaze through the Falzarego-Bad de Dones connection catwalk back to the Cinque Torri chairlift.

And that’s it, you just clocked in some serious skiing in the Cinque Torri area.

The Super 8 Circuit from Cinque Torri

Other than gorgeous views, the Cinque Torri ski area is known for the Super 8 Circuit. A ski route winding through the mountains in an 8-shape. There’s obviously multiple starting points given it’s a circuit and below is one way how you can do it.

Start at the bottom of the Cinque Torri chairlift, take it up, and switch to the Averau chairlift all the way to the pass. Grab a coffee at the beautiful Rifugio Averau Website Location Copy GPS and soak in the views on both sides. Go down south the Nuvolau red slope. If it’s open, you can take it all the way down, then take the Fedare lift back up, before continuing the circuit. Halfway down the Nuvolau red slope exit right to the Croda Negra chairlift. That will sling you through the rugged pass on the west side of the Averau summit. From there the only way is to take the scenic catwalk to Falzarego. Stay as much to the skiers left as possible to make it to the Lagazuoi cable car station. If you don’t make it on the first try, take the 2 lifts up to Col Gallina. That should give you all the elevation you need to easily make it to the cable car.

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Take the cable car up to Lagazuoi - a whopping 2,700m above sea level. From there take the Armentarola red slope dropping all the way down to the village of Armentarola over a respectable 7.3km.

Now comes the only annoying part of the circuit. There’s no chairlift connection so you have to take the free shuttle back to Passo Falzarego. From there you take the cable car back up to Lagazuoi. This time take the Lagazuoi red slope going east, back to Passo Falzarego. At that point you’ve completed the upper part of the 8.

From Passo Falzarego take the Falzarego-Bai de Dones connection catwalk. You can always first take the Col Gallina chairlift to gain some speed for the catwalk.

At the end of the catwalk take the Cinque Torri and Averau chairlift all the way up and ski down on the same side of the mountain to complete the bottom part of the 8.

Before going all the way down you can stop at Rifugio Scoiattoli Website Location Copy GPS for a celebratory brewski over the view of the towers. After that take one of the reds going back down to the Cinque Torri charilift. And that’s the full Super 8 circuit.

Wrapping Up: Is Cinque Torri Worth the Visit?

Our answer: Yes, it absolutely is. It might not be the biggest area with the most modern lifts but it makes up for all that with its character. Tucked away from Cortina to be a bit less busy but close enough to be reachable in a convenient way. With fun skiing on a surprisingly good snow, complemented by amazing views. With all the modern, yet traditional and cozy huts. It’s got it all for a perfect fun day, where you don’t even once find yourself asking “I’m bored, what now?”

We visited in early January when the snow conditions were far from ideal but even then, we noticed a lot of open terrain which would be a ton of fun on a good powder day. So Cinque Torri definitely earned a spot on our To-Return list.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the altitude/elevation of Cinque Torri - Cortina d'Ampezzo?

The elevation range is 1,900m - 2,700m.

Is Cinque Torri worth visiting from Cortina d’Ampezzo?

Yes, especially if you want a scenic, quieter day with dramatic Dolomite views. It’s easy to reach from Cortina and pairs well with the larger Tofana area for a balanced day.

How do you get to Cinque Torri from Cortina on skis?

Use the Cortina Skyline gondola connection built in 2022. From the Tofana side you can ride the gondola to Cinque Torri and return the same way when you’re done.

Can you drive to Cinque Torri and park?

Yes. There are free parking options near the Cinque Torri and Col Gallina chairlifts. The lower Cinque Torri lot is usually the easiest for ski-in/ski-out access.

What are the best runs at Cinque Torri for stronger skiers?

The most fun laps are around the Cinque Torri chairlift and the upper Averau area. The reds are short but steep and wide, making them great for fast, repeated runs.

Is Cinque Torri beginner-friendly?

It can be, but the standout terrain here is more intermediate and advanced. Beginners can still enjoy the scenery and select easier runs, but it’s not a beginner-heavy area.

What is the Super 8 circuit and how long does it take?

It’s a scenic route that loops through the Cinque Torri–Falzarego–Lagazuoi area in an “8” shape. Timing depends on lift lines, snow conditions, and whether you stop at huts, so plan at least a half day.

Do you need to take a shuttle on the Super 8 circuit?

Yes, there’s a short shuttle link near Passo Falzarego when you drop down toward Armentarola. It’s the only non-lift transfer on the route.

Where should you stop for food in Cinque Torri?

Rifugio Scoiattoli is a great stop with standout views, and Rifugio Averau is another scenic option near the pass. Both are popular and they even offer overnight stay.