Mercatino di Natale di Cortina
Every December, the pedestrian Corso Italia transforms into one of the most scenically positioned Christmas markets in Italy, with timber chalets selling local handicrafts, smoked cheeses and mulled Glühwein against a backdrop of snow-dusted Dolomite peaks. It is smaller and more refined than the famous South Tyrolean markets just over the border, which is precisely its charm.
What You'll Find
Stalls specialise in genuinely local products: hand-carved larch wood objects from Cortina's surviving woodcarvers, Ampezzano lace made using a tradition dating to the 17th century, and jarred goods like wild bilberry jam, mountain honey and herb-infused grappas.
The food stands are a highlight — look for vendors selling toc' in braide, a rich polenta dish cooked with butter and local cheese, ladled into paper cones and eaten standing up in the cold, which is exactly the right way to eat it.
The Setting
The market runs along the Corso Italia between the iconic campanile of the Basilica dei Santi Filippo e Giacomo and the Olympic ice rink, so the backdrop for every photograph is either a medieval bell tower or a glacier-capped mountain — sometimes both.
After dark, when the chalets are lit by warm Edison bulbs and the peaks glow under the stars, the atmosphere tips from charming into genuinely magical.
Planning Your Visit
The market typically runs from the first weekend of December through to Epiphany on 6 January, with the busiest and most festive days falling between 23 and 26 December.
Cortina is car-free on the Corso, so park at the Stadio Olimpico del Ghiaccio and walk the short distance into the centre.
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