Rifugio Lagazuoi above the clouds with Monte Pelmo in the background, Dolomites, Italy

© Nicolo Miana/eStock Phot

Après-ski in the Dolomites

Today's homepage image features Rifugio Lagazuoi, a ski lodge located at about 2,700 metres above sea level on Italy's Mount Lagazuoi. With an elevation higher than most ski lodges in this area of the Dolomites, it gives visitors opportunities for breathtaking views like this one. The ruggedly beautiful mountain landscapes, pristine natural environments, and distinctive geologic formations all contributed to the Dolomites being recognised as an UNESCO World Heritage site in 2009.

While the area is accessible all year long, it's worth visiting during the ski season to check out the Great War Ski Tour, an open-air museum and where you can see World War I trenches and tunnels created by Italian and Austro-Hungarian troops as they fought each other in this precipitous and stunning terrain.