Cortina d'Ampezzo 16 Sep
Gries am Brenner to Cortina 80 mile
Over breakfast, we heard news of heavy rain in Eastern Europe, leading to floods in parts of Poland, the Czech Republic, and eastern Austria. While it wasn’t an immediate concern, it was something to keep in mind as we were heading that way the following day. We decided to keep an eye on the developments in case a reroute was needed.
We left Gries am Brenner just after 9:30 a.m. The weather wasn’t exactly in our favour; it was raining and the chilly air didn’t help much. However, as soon as we crossed the Italian border, things started to look up. Though still cool, the rain had stopped, which was a huge relief. We felt like our journey was starting to go in the right direction.
Once in Italy, we joined the SS49 towards Dobbiaco. The road then transitioned to the SS51, and about 15 miles north of Cortina, we hit the SS48. This stretch took us over the Passo Tre Croci, a route filled with sharp hairpin bends that required focus, but also offered incredible views. The long straights that followed led us smoothly into Cortina d'Ampezzo, a lovely town nestled in the Dolomites.
Cortina d'Ampezzo has always been a favourite destination of mine, but it’s important to note that many restaurants here close on Sundays and Mondays. Last year, I was fortunate enough to stumble upon Restaurante Artisan, a charming spot highly recommended by our hotel. The food was excellent, but the only catch was that you couldn’t make a reservation. We were advised to arrive just before seven to secure a table.
Naturally, being back in Cortina on a Monday this year, we decided to revisit Restaurante Artisan. To our surprise, the restaurant was closed, leaving us scrambling for an alternative. After a quick scan of nearby options, we settled on the pizza restaurant next door, which turned out to be a good find.
To cap off the evening, we wandered over to the local sports bar for a beer before heading back to the hotel.