Averau and Monte Pelmo seen from Lagazuoi Mountain near Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy

© Olimpio Fantuz/Offset

Averau and Monte Pelmo seen from Lagazuoi Mountain near Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy

The Dolomites of Italy are rugged to be sure, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that visitors to the mountain range must relinquish their creature comforts. Lagazuoi, like some other mountains in the Dolomites, offers a ‘rifugio’ (refuge), where climbers can catch their breath, have a meal, and even stay the night. From an expansive terrace, guests can see Averau and Monte Pelmo, two other peaks in the northeast Italian mountain range. Below this altitude, situated between the towering mountains, is the village of Cortina d’Ampezzo, which is a popular ski resort town for some of the wealthiest Europeans.