Best Apres Ski in Cortina
Cortina d’Ampezzo’s status as a chic Italian resort translates into its apres ski as well. It’s less raucous euro-pop dance parties and more sophisticated wine bars lining cobbled streets. Aperitivo hour (straight after skiing) is prime time for some people watching with a glass of wine or slice of cake on the go; well-heeled hoards come out to window shop/parade down the promenade in all their finery. Don’t worry there’s still the late night clubs if you do fancy a post-ski boogie.
If you are a wine lover then you’ll find a dreamy repertoire of wineries to choose from, some serving vintage wines by the glass due to specially designed vacuum fridges. Maybe you could try some wines you could never afford a bottle of? Cortina’s apres ski scene will have you never drinking rubbish wine again!
Looking for the best apres ski in the Alps? Take a look at our favourite apres resorts in Europe.
Baita Fraina
This was our favourite post-dinner wine bar in town. Just off the main street, it’s buzzing with locals so you know it’s going to be good. They have a wine list of over 550 Italian and international wines to choose from with some great snacks to go with them. This is Cortina’s apres ski at its best.
Try 20-25 wines by the glass (special wine fridges keep the bottles fresh and stable), high-quality wines are accompanied by spectacular snacks – perfect if you’re still a little peckish. Baita Fraina has a real sophisticated buzz, though we did meet the devils of the Krampus in there which added to the atmosphere.
La Suite
Now, this is prime people-watching territory, right on the main square on the Corso Italia outside the church. They had some cute barrel style tables outside last time we went. You may have to fight for one but it’s worth it to watch the world go by with a great glass of wine in hand or the macaroons are also a delight.
It may not be the biggest or fanciest place but La Suite is well worth testing out for a post-ski drink.
Villa Sandi – Bottega del Vino
With a fur-clad patio out front, this wine come cocktail bar is always lively. Come along for happy hour before dinner and you’ll find a great Cortina apres ski atmosphere here. The Aperol Spritz is sublime as are the wines, of course, ours all came with snacks from simple crisps to cheese twists (we can’t promise these mind).
It almost has a Scandinavian feel with the decor, but it only adds to the mountain vibe. Just off the main street, Villa Sandi is behind the hotel Cortina it’s super easy to get to but has an off the main street hidden gem feel.
LP26
This place gets lively in the early evening before everyone sits down for dinner. Great from some simple prosciutto cuts and wine. It gets some mixed reviews for the service but if you’re just here for a snack and some drinks you can’t go wrong.
It’s next to Villa Sandi (more-or-less) so again just of the main Corso Italia so easy to find.
Enoteca
It doesn’t get much more iconic in Cortina than the Enoteca. Stepping back in time, this place is cosy and unpretentious. The snack menu simple and delicious and the wines, oh the wines! It’s a must-try aperitivo stop with a great atmosphere. Just down from the church it’s easy to find and both the owner (usually on hand) and the staff are a joy to talk to.
The wine list is huge with over 700 wines on the list. Heavy reading for the most scrupulous connoisseur but they have a great choice of wines to try every day by the glass as well.
Bar Sport
On the main Corso Italia (on the top end, away from the church) this place is always rammed. They had an old lift outside you could have a drink in when we went. It’s full of old ski memorabilia creating a buzzing atmosphere in a tiny bar. It’s certainly not an American style sports bar as there’s no TV in sight. Just a great place with a genuine mountain bar feel – something that isn’t in huge supply in Cortina.
Janbo
Opening its doors at 5pm, we didn’t head into Janbo but watched from the wine bar opposite. It’s certainly lively with big crowds milling around outside. It turns into a late-night venue from 11pm and serves a good selection of cocktails, live music, DJs, sport and karaoke. It may not be classic Cortina apres ski but it’s still a lot of fun.
VIP, Bilbo and Discoteca Belvedere
These are the late-night spots to head to if you’re still up for a party well into the early hours. It’s fur-clad champagne popping to kick things off in some spectacularly designed rooms. The music kicks on till the wee hours.
Now you know all the best spots for Cortina apres ski, you definitely can’t go wrong for wine bars. It’s time to find your ski accommodation if you haven’t already or simply learn a little more about the resort.