Leaving Bormio was bittersweet. The town is stunning, steeped in history, and the food — pure Italy. On my final night, my hotelier recommended a local spot for pizzoccheri, the hearty Valtellina buckwheat pasta with potatoes, cabbage, cheese and butter. It was delicious. Both she and the res taurant owner offered the same verdict: The Olympics felt like it had perhaps one-third the energy of the World Cup races Bormio hosts each December. Eager for Cortina d’Ampezzo, I checked Apple Maps — defaulting to public transit, naturally — and got a daunting 16 hours and 45 minutes. The road distance is about 216 miles, so I switched to driving: five hours and 30 minutes. Skeptical, I set out. Forty-five minutes in, the route narrowed to a twisting two-lane road that made Utah’s Mine Road feel like a superhighway. Leaving Tirano (the train-bus transfer point for Bormio), I climbed five miles and gained nearly 2,400 feet — straight up, with an average grade over 9 percent. The drive confirmed what I’d suspected in the dark on the way to Bormio: The scenery is jaw-dropping, and the miles of tunnels Italians have carved through these mountains are engineering marvels that tame otherwise brutal ascents. As I headed toward Bolzano and the Brenner Pass, my definition of stunning needed recalibrating. Entering the Dolomites — a UNESCO World Heritage site for its sheer natural beauty — took my breath away. I’d visited Cortina last March with my daughter, Bella, but approaching from this direction was entirely new and utterly breathtaking. A quick disclaimer: Do not attempt what I did on the final winding 10 miles into town, steering with one hand while filming the landscape with the other. If Peter Jackson needs a location scout for the next Lord of the Rings, I’ve found his Middle-earth. Cortina d’Ampezzo, the “Queen of the Dolomites,” lives up to the title. This lovely, lively town is flanked by dramatic peaks and pulses with la dolce vita. During these Olympics, it hosts women’s alpine events, curling and sliding sports (bobsled, luge, skeleton). With one or two events nearly every day, the place hums with an energy that was noticeably absent in Bormio. The women’s alpine races at the Tofane center have delivered thrills and, unfortunately, spills for Lindsey Vonn in the downhill and Breezy Johnson in the super-G. Before I arrived in Cortina, Breezy Johnson claimed gold in the downhill with a time of 1:36.10, edging Germany’s Emma Aicher by a razor-thin 0.04 seconds, while Italy’s Sofia Goggia took bronze to delight the home crowd. Federica Brignone, the local star, added to the Italian medal haul with a commanding gold in the super-G the day I arrived and another in the giant slalom on Sunday, her second gold of the Games. Mikaela Shiffrin battled but finished just off the podium in the GS. These high-stakes races have packed the slopes and infused the town with an electric atmosphere. Breezy Johnson also picked up another gold medal of sorts: an engagement ring. Breezy, if you’re reading this, I’d be happy to arrange an honorary key to the city for you (though there’s a long list of local Olympians ahead of you on that list). Curling at the Olympic Stadium has brought its own drama: round-robin matches featuring upsets, comebacks (like the U.S. women stealing points in late ends against China), and even controversy over stone-touching violations involving teams like Canada and Britain. The daily action — often multiple draws — creates a constant hum of competition and crowd energy. This could be a nice addition for the greater Park City region. On my first full day in Cortina, the glorious weather tempted me to rent skis and buy an 80€ day pass (about $96). I rode the Funivia Faloria tram almost straight up the east side of Cortina, skiing just over the edge of a 1,000-foot cliff — 2,000 feet above town. From there, high-speed chairs fan out across the north flank of the mountain. The views that were already breathtaking from town became otherworldly 3,000 feet higher. The snowmaking and grooming here in Italy seem like an obsession, and they’re fantastic. As such, you can ski fast, though not as fast as the Olympians. That being said, I did top 53 mph (no, not kilometers!). The second evening, I dined at a longtime local favorite where everything is made from scratch. The menu blends regional dishes with subtle German influences (this area changed hands during World War I) alongside exceptional homemade pastas and pizzas so refined and flavorful that I immediately started planning the next night’s order. Because the restaurant was running on all cylinders and then some, when I arrived by myself and asked for a table for one, the lovely host at Il Ponte asked me in Italian: Ti dispiacerebbe sederti a un tavolo per quattro con un’altra coppia? I astutely deduced that if I didn’t join the couple waiting behind me at a table, I wasn’t going to get any delicious pizza that evening. Luckily, they were from Bristol in the UK, so I assured them that I spoke the language. Not Italian, but theirs. I did have to confess that I have only been to London and that my UK geography was pretty much limited to London, Manchester, Liverpool (thank you, Beatles) and Jeremy Clarkson’s farm in the Cotswolds! A hat tip to Park Record columnist Tom Clyde, who turned me on to “Clarkson’s Farm” on Amazon. It really is must-see TV. After dinner, I wandered Cortina. Unlike Bormio, car traffic isn’t heavily restricted here, making strolling a bit trickier, except along the famed, always-pedestrian Corso Italia. Lined with boutiques, cafés, bars, restaurants and hotels, it’s the heart of town. Here you’ll find the Olympic cauldron and the Omega countdown clock, now reading 00:00:00:00 as the Games roll on in full swing. Cortina delivers the festive Olympic atmosphere fans crave. The contrast with Bormio underscores a key lesson for future hosts: Spreading events across regions is ambitious and inclusive, but concentrating enough action in key venues helps sustain that unmistakable Olympic buzz. Park City could do Cortina one better — if we can conquer the transportation challenge. Next installment: More from the Milano Cortina 2026 Games. Bill Ciraco is a member of the Park City Council. The post Impressions from Italy: The queen of the Dolomites appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less