My wife and I reserved e-mountain bikes to ride around Cortina and we were blown away by the ease…read moreand efficiency of this shop. The employees were kind and professional getting us set up on bikes that were right sized for us and fitted with a gear kit and padded seat covers. They gave us a lock in case we needed it and shared some recommended routes around town. We wound up biking north about 20 miles on a mixture of paved and gravel paths through forests and tunnels. The area has a rich history and is super accessible. The bikes have multiple levels of assistance from eco to tour to turbo. I was worried that we wouldn't have enough juice in the battery to assist us all day but after returning our bikes to the shop after 50 miles and nearly six hours of biking, we both still had more than half our battery left. Amazing!

I've rent via ferrata gear from one other store and asked about it at two more-the service at this…read moreshop was fantastic. Sadly I didn't catch the guys name but he rented us what we needed for via ferrata quickly and efficiently, and gave us recommendations where to go. Based on his info we changed our plans and were happy with the option! They also have QR codes to various via ferratas on a key chain and he flipped through it to find the suggestions option. Then he googled the images of it so we know what to look for AND told us about the gravel road that may be best to park and walk. Great guy, great service-oh and all this was in English! So helpful, I'd would come here before any other rental in town. They also have maps for hiking and biking (road and mountain) and they seem to help people find what they're interested in rather than other places where they rent you the gear but advice is hard to come by.

We came to the Dolomites with a group of 21 people, and everyone who needed skis and snowboards…read morerented them here. We were staying just steps away at Crep Sella, so the location couldn't be more convenient. We checked in on computers they had up front, which was very efficient. Service was friendly and probably the quickest we've ever had! Thanks Marco L and everyone else! They said we could exchange our skis if we wanted. And most of us did, at least once during the week. No hassle.. Top notch!

Sport Kostner is an all encompassing store located in what is the centre of Corvara for shopping…read more It is at the top of the village by the main bus stop and despite it's name it also has a supermarket, newsagents, general store and children's clothing section all under one roof as well the sport section. The newsagent is well stocked and has English press as well as Italian and German and also has a good local book section with guides, maps and general information books. The supermarket and general stores are also good if a little pricey though you can usually find everything you need in them. The kids clothing part is quite trendy and a bit Benetton like but for mums with money it's a good place to visit and it is certainly nearly always busy. The upper two floors are occupied by the sports section and they have good stock in both summer and winter. It's mostly well known labels and technical gear but all very good at a price. They are extremely helpful and stock a good range of climbing and ski hardware as well depending on the season.

There are a variety of ways that you can save money when it come to transportation (bus, train,…read morecable cars, etc.) in the South Tyrol, which as a brief visitor I found to be confusing and non well marketed. There's at least a Mobil or a Combi Card, for various lengths of time, and for different services. Rick Steves' book mentions that all this can be explained at the Bozen Train or Bus Station, but I didn't find that to be true at all. Gayle and I ended up buying a 3-Day Combi Card at this Alpine Sports store in Castelrotto proper. Even staff working here couldn't explain the options, although there were some neat sporting goods on sale. Our Card covered the bus to the Seiser Alm cable car station and then up. Any of the chair lifts at Compatsch were extra or at least the extended card to cover this was not a good value. My advice? Figure out what works the best you can, and get your butt up there for some great hikes!

"Lazy" Lorenzo was an amazing guide on my 50th. Did a lift supported Sellarondo. The perfect…read morecombination of making me feel like I'm a better mountain biker than I am, and challenging me (all the while having a great time the entire day.

1962 and 1963- Peter Sellers, David Niven and the gorgeous and sultry Claudia Cardinale were here…read morein Cortina filming " The Pink Panther". 1981 - 007 " For Your Eyes Only". 1993- Sylvester Stallone " Cliffhanger". 2026 - the Ray man and his team to experience this sheer beauty and magnificence of the Italian Alps and the Dolomites. It is prettier in person. Great for skiing and snowboarding. Coincidentally this region is hosting the 2026 Winter Olympics. This is a gorgeous and picturesque town that lies in Northern Italy and is right by Austria, Switzerland and Slovenia. What that means for this lucky foodie is a blend of Austrian, Venetian and Italian cuisines featuring: Casunziei- red turnip and potato ravioli Canederli- huge ham, cheese, spinach and bread crumb dumplings that are extraordinary. My dear Yelp friend Andie - we miss you and wish you were here as you would love this. Venison stew served with red currant jam- I just gained 6 lbs. Melted Zigar cheese and polenta ( Oh Myyyy..) The can't just have 3 slices of Apfelstrudel- I gained another 10 lbs. This food is special and unique because the local fresh dairies, mountain herbs and mushrooms are paramount in this merging of comforting, high altitude fuel with the one n only Italian culinary finesse. The limestone mountains turn shades of orange, pink and purple at dusk and dawn. The nature is unspoiled. All luxury stores are here. Come and fall in love as I did with this chic Alpine charm in the " Queen of the Dolomites" where you get that cozy village feel with high end glamor at your fingertips, best of both worlds.

This place is fantastico! What do you need? A map, some kiwi fruit, traditional lace table cloth,…read morecarabiners? Whatever it is, they likely have it. You can shop for hours and get help when you need it but not have people hovering around you all the time.

It seems a little out of place to have a large department store either in Italy or indeed in one of…read morethe chicest ski resorts in Europe but the Cooperativa is exactly that. It is a store of four floors as has everything from stationery and books through clothes and knitting implements to sports equipment and dvd's and music. The supermarket in the back of the store is a real gem and has something every person who has been in the area for a while from the UK will be looking for, Heinz baked beans. Beans and digestive biscuits are the two greatest things about this store although there book section is excellent and there are good guide books for skiing and climbing in the area. The sports section is worth a look too although you'll generally find the same stuff cheaper elsewhere.