Cortina-Dobbiaco by bike, an easy and fun day in Cortina

Whether you are a cycling enthusiast or not, you should definitely consider cycling from Cortina to Dobbiaco as a wonderful way of spending a beautiful day in the Dolomites.

The 30-km-long bike path from Cortina to Dobbiaco is an easy cycling experience in the Italian Dolomites. You get to enjoy the peaceful woods, the scenic lakes and the stunning peaks – even a glimpse of the famous Tre Cime di Lavaredo/Drei Zinnen!

As you know, I am a couch potato, and yet I had a great time going from Cortina to Dobbiaco by bike. We went as a family, with 15-months-old Alexander sitting behind Darek, and with my local friend Elettra. So I am confident that you will enjoy it too 🙂

Keep reading to find out what the Cortina-Dobbiaco bike path looks like, where to rent bikes in Cortina, what to wear, and much more useful information.

Technical info on the Cortina-Dobbiaco Bike Road

Let’s start with some key info.

The lovely cycling route from Cortina d’Ampezzo to Dobbiaco runs along the former railway, a narrow-gauge rail track connecting Calalzo to the south, Cortina in the center, and Dobbiaco to the north. It is ideal for beginners and families, and anyone who wants to enjoy a nice day outside with some physical activity. Find here the itinerary on Google Maps.

Compared to other bike experiences in Cortina, this is definitely the easiest one. A similar alternative is to cycle south, down the Old Railway to the town of Calalzo, and then take a bus back – only trained people could ride their bike back up.

• Name of the route: Long Trail of the Dolomites (ITA: Lunga Via delle Dolomiti, that’s the name on Google Maps), Dolomites Bike Road or Cycle Path (ITA: Ciclovia delle Dolomiti or Ciclabile), Former Railway (ITA: ex-ferrovia). It is also very common to read Dobbiaco-Cortina Cycle Path
• Length: 30 km
• Time: Google Maps says 1 hour and 45 minutes one-way, but it took us 3 hours and 15 minutes, including a 30-minutes break and a few photo stops. Possibly without baby Alex we would have been a bit faster. Overall, it was basically a day trip: we left from the bike rental at 9 and returned at 17.30.
• Difficulty level: easy, but untrained people should take an e-bike instead of a mountain bike anyway. It is not steep, but it’s still long, and your legs and bottom will definitely hurt a bit the day after. People of any age with a normal fitness level can do it – and if you feel too tired or fed up, you simply go back 🙂
• Elevation gain: approximately 350 meters (start from Cortina at 1224 meters, reach Cimabanche at 1530 meters in the middle, finish at Dobbiaco at 1217 meters, and back)
• Restaurants and toilets: you’ll find cafés and restaurants at the Bus Station area in Cortina, then one at Ospitale, one at Cimabanche, one at Lago di Landro, and then lots in Dobbiaco.
• Description of the trail: some parts are paved with asphalt in decent conditions, some parts dirt and gravel. The first half in Veneto region (Cortina to Cimabanche) is in worse conditions than the half in Trentino region (Cimabanche to Dobbiaco). Also, the part from Cimabanche to Dobbiaco showcases a few posters with historical information along the way.
• Safety: the bike path is pretty safe overall. Some parts run close to the road, but never too close, and traffic isn’t heavy anyways. Just at Cimabanche you have to cycle between the parked cars and the road for 100 meters, where the two halves of the trail connect. If you feel unsafe cycling on gravel, slow down.
• Best time to do it: between April and October, when you’re sure the snow has melted everywhere. A sunny March or November day must be nice too. Definitely not on a rainy day.
• Public transport: you can load your bike on the special bike buses by SAD and Dolomitibus for part of your journey.

Looking for more easy hikes in Cortina? Check out my hikes for couch potatoes 🙂

Tips to enjoy Cortina-Dobbiaco by bike

There are a few key things to know before you cycle the Cortina-Dobbiaco which can make or break your day, especially if you are a newbie cyclist.

• Where to rent e-bikes in Cortina: there are many shops and probably they are all good, just compare the prices and book in advance. Especially in August, cycling is very popular and bikes can sell out. We chose the shop Snow Service 1 because it is right across the road from the Cortina Bus Station, an easy access point to the Old Railway (map here).
• What to ask for, what you get: if you are a beginner like us, just choose the most basic e-bike. Make sure you choose the right size for your height, otherwise it will be quite uncomfortable. You can choose to add a child seat behind the adult seat and other extras, and one bike will have an emergency toolbox (although I would not know how to use most tools :)) I strongly recommend you ask for a seat cushion or padded saddle, because your hip bones and glutes will hurt for sure! Also, ask for a lock, so you can lock the bike and enjoy your lunch in peace. The shop assistant will show you how the bike works, how to adjust the seat etc. and don’t be afraid to ask for clarifications.
• What to wear: layers of sports clothes are key, because it will be warm in the sun and chilly in the shadow or windy parts. A t-shirt or sleeveless top, a sweatshirt (a zipper is better, so you can open up a bit without getting off the bike) and a windproof jacket, and on your legs comfortable sports trousers (without hard seams in the chafing spots), socks and trainers, and a hat if you like. I strongly recommend renting or investing in a pair of biking pants with padding on your bottom: it made a massive difference for me! After all these instructions, let me reassure you that Darek wore a polo and knee-long jeans, and he was perfectly fine 😀
• What to pack: you don’t want a heavy backpack hurting your shoulders, so pack only the essentials: a bottle of water (refill it at the fountain at Cimabanche), snacks, tissues, a plastic bag to collect your trash, plasters. Of course, phone, wallet with some EUR cash, keys. No need for a change of clothes in my opinion. One useful gadget would be some kind of phone holder, so you can place your phone on the handlebar and grab it quickly to snap pictures (very gracelessly, I put my phone in my bra).
• What to pack for kids: water, snacks and fruit, bibs and napkins and tissues, cutlery, diapers. Place the water and snacks in easy-to-reach parts of your backpack, so you or your partner can feed the child without stopping (yes, Alex ate a big box of grapes while Darek was cycling :D). Choose toys that are easy to hold, or plan ahead games to do together with the scenery, or stories to tell.
• How much it costs: cycling on the Cortina-Dobbiaco bike path is free! Renting an e-bike for a day will cost 50-60 EUR, a snack and drink at Cimabanche 5-8 EUR, and lunch in Dobbiaco really depends on the restaurant. Looking back, I would have brought sandwiches to eat by  lake Dobbiaco instead of having lunch at a crowded restaurant.

So, is it worth cycling on the Cortina-Dobbiaco? Yes, we had a great time! The scenery is wonderful and relaxing. Some parts of the trail felt steep for my weak legs, and my bottom really hurt on the way back, but we were also satisfied with our physical performance 🙂 no doubt, the e-bikes were key! We would have never made it with normal bikes.

It is also fundamental to be in good company, with people who enjoy the outdoors and won’t complain. As a family, it was good to have Alex at age 15 months, because he was entertained with fruit pieces and with the scenery, and he fell asleep on Darek’s back. Older children or more demanding children could get bored, ask for toys, or need more space to fall asleep, so maybe a bike trailer could be more suitable.

Description of Cortina-Dobbiaco bike trail

Now that you know how to prepare for a day on a bike from Cortina to Dobbiaco, here you’ll find what to expect.

Start by getting to the bike rental shop early, at 9 at the latest. You’ll need some 30 minutes to learn how to use your e-bike, how to change the gears, check how to raise and lower your seat, place your child on the bike seat.

The reason why we chose the rental shop Snow Service 1 is that you just need to cross the street to reach the Bus Station parking lot and the Old Railway bike path. Take a few minutes to practice pedaling on your e-bike here: it is a very weird and unexpected sensation to reach a “high” speed with a normal push of your leg.

We started our cycling adventure at 9.30. As you read in the description above, the first half is uphill, but it’s not steep. The first 2,5 km (approx 15-20 minutes) are on the paved Old Railway: stick to the left side, because lots of pedestrians crowd the right side.

As you enter the forest, the paved path turns to a wide gravel road (here). From here there are very few pedestrians.  The high mountains around you are so majestic! The Pomagagnon mountain is on your right, and you’ll see the triangular Col Rosá on your left. You’ll also pass by the abandoned station of Fiammes.

It was almost 10.30 when we reached the two short tunnels. Even though they look scary and the illumination is scarce, I promise that they are very short. Claustrophobic people should pedal quickly through the first, take a breath on the bridge, and then push quickly through the second one too.

The woods are fresh and peaceful until the abandoned station of Ospitale. Shortly after you’ll find the tiny Ospitale Church and restaurant. At this point it was 10.45 for us: we started to feel warm and we could relax on the flat trail, between the road on the left and the river on the right.

Feeling tired? Stop for a few pictures at the precious, magical lakes on the right: Lago de Rufiedo and Lago Nero.

Time for a break! You reached the halfway point, the area of Cimabanche. From here, you’re going downhill. We got there at 11.10 and we gladly sat down for 30 minutes at the small restaurant Chalet Passo Cimabanche, opposite the red house Casa Cantoniera (where the road maintenance companies store their machines and supplies). We had coffee, sandwiches and cake while Alex explored his surroundings, happy to get off the bike himself. If you’re on a budget, you can sit at the outer tables and eat your own food.

Ready to get going again! After the parking lot, get back on the trail on the right of the road. After warming up on the ascent, now it may feel very windy and chilly on the descent. Also, I felt surprisingly anxious with the speed I could reach going downhill on the gravel, and memories of a bad fall from my childhood popped up in my head. I took it slow and enjoyed the peaceful forest around me.

The next sight is Lago di Landro, which we reached around 12. It is also known as Durrensee, the German name, since it is located in the bilingual region of Trentino Alto-Adige. This large alpine lake is usually quite crowded: people stop to admire the view, to have a snack at the Ristorante Lago di Landro, and to climb the mountain on the opposite side. I think the view is much better on the way back to Cortina – see the picture below.

Very shortly after, you may miss this spot if you don’t pay attention: the panoramic deck for the Tre Cime di Lavaredo/Drei Zinnen/Three Peaks (map here)! Indeed, we missed it 😀 but we stopped on the way back.

Not long to go now. We didn’t stop at the abandoned barracks of Fort Landro, nor at the military cemetery. The bike path is a bit noisier, as it’s right next to the road for a while, and the under passage to cross it is quite steep and felt a bit dangerous to me.

Finally, a gorgeous blue lake will appear on your left: it’s Lago di Dobbiaco! For us, at 12.45, this was the destination (and also for hundreds more people). However, in just some 15 more minutes, you can arrive at the center of Dobbiaco.

The views are just wonderful. The shiny, peaceful lake is surrounded by impressive mountains, and the picturesque restaurants are decorated with flowers. We cycled for 3 hours and 15 minutes (with a 30-minutes break) and we deserved a nice lunch.

Looking back, we should have brought sandwiches. I’m sure there must be space on the grass, or by the lake, or on some benches, to just sit and eat. Instead, we waited outside of Ristorante Il Fienile (map here) with maybe 30 more people for some 30 minutes – of course, on a lovely summer day, it was packed. The menu was very traditional and tasty, Alex had fun on the swing, but the food was overpriced and the service mediocre. I had polenta with sausages for 16 EUR, Elettra had eggs with speck and potatoes for 13,50 EUR, and Darek had a tuna steak for a whooping 26 EUR. Plus drinks. Also, somehow my friend’s dish came first, so she waited a bit for ours to arrive… But they didn’t! She ended up eating her half-cold dish alone, because Darek’s and my orders arrived quite a while later. Finally, we asked twice and waited a long time for the waitress to come with our bill. Overall, it was not worth it for us.

It was 3 PM when we climbed back on the bikes – and it hurt so much! Our legs were sore, and our bottoms and bones just did not want to sit down.

However, the way back felt much shorter. We warmed up going uphill and stopped to admire the Three Peaks.

Normally I like to take another way to go back, but on the Cortina-Dobbiaco bike trail, the way back shows different mountains! The scenery is totally different, and in my opinion, better.

At 4 PM we were at Lago di Landro, with the majestic Monte Cristallo in the background (you can see the other side of it from Cortina!).

Without even noticing, we were already going downhill, through the tunnels, and at 5 PM we were approaching Cortina.

Had we not stopped for this postcard-perfect picture at my friend’s house, we would have made it back to the rental shop at 5.30 PM.

Final thoughts on the Cortina-Dobbiaco bike experience

What a day! We had a great time: lots of wonderful mountain views, with fresh air and blue lakes, the right amount of physical effort – and pain the day after. Yes, at times it was a little boring, but overall I think the attractions are well-distributed along the way, making it easy to stop often and admire your surroundings.

Now that you know everything there is to know about cycling from Cortina to Dobbiaco, are you ready for this easy and rewarding bike experience in the Dolomites? Let me know in the comments!

Cheers!