Tempo is important for Italians. Adagio – the rumble of paving stones under a Roman taxi. Andante – A quiet parade of fur coats on Corso Italia in Cortina. In Italy, all good things come to those who wait.
And now, a comfortable nine-hour overnight ride on the new Espresso Cadore sleeper train makes the marriage of Rome and Cortina even sweeter. Until this winter, connecting the two required an eight-hour trip with traffic jams. Skiers now leave the Eternal City at 9.40pm on Friday evenings and arrive at Calalzo di Cadore (45 minutes by bus from Cortina) just before 8am. The retro-equipped train features single and double sleeping cabins and couchettes for four or six people divided into groups. Dinner and breakfast are served in the ship’s restaurant car, and there is a bar open all night.
The trip begins in Rome Termini, and after an unannounced route change that added 20 sweaty minutes to the workout, a bevy of red-aproned attendants and waiters were ready for us to board, eager for us to try the newest way to connect a city. Take a break from skiing.
Our bunkhouse contained two beds with crisp white sheets, a duvet, bottled water, a set of toiletries and, most importantly, an opening window. In the restaurant car, retro Cortina ski photos hang above linen tables and red-upholstered chairs, illuminated by tiny lamps. The three-course menu and bar snacks were served on matching china plates and happily a half bottle of wine was just €9 (£7.70) and was poured into a real glass. Bellissimo!
Calm down in the city
The last two days in Rome had an equally relaxed pace. In a city full of ruined pleasures, museums, galleries and more than 200 fountains, two days provided a tidy arrangement.
This was also a boon from a budget perspective. Compared to the high season from May to October, Rome’s winter hotel prices are lower and there are fewer visitors. Even the police seemed to have caught up with the relaxed mood: The Spanish Steps law, which came into effect in 2016, bans seating, and no lawsuits have been filed against ice cream lovers.
A landmark building since the 1720s, Hotel Hassler enjoys a privileged location on a flight of stairs. Family-run for six generations, this warmth and elegance is a welcome addition to III. It attracted many celebrities, from Charles II (then Prince of Wales) to Eisenhower, who set up his private study here, and Audrey Hepburn, who preferred the silk-filled suite 610. for his accommodations.
The early morning chimes of the adjacent Trinità dei Monti bell tower are a call to action: Hundreds of glittering boutiques and designer shops burst from the Piazza di Spagna below. Another bonus for visitors coming in cold weather: January sales are in full swing.
When in Rome, it’s wise to book in advance, even in winter. Magnificent monuments such as the Colosseum, the Pantheon and the Sistine Chapel never go out of season. We bought last minute tickets at gate 17This Dating from the 19th century, Villa Borghese is an ornate banquet of Baroque paintings and Roman sculptures by Rubens, Raphael and Caravaggio. Then, very little energy was required for the hop-on, hop-off bus tour, a cheap and fun way to tour thousands of years of history in an hour and a half.
towards the slopes
With the city behind us, we sped through the night towards Italy’s most elegant Alpine destination, the perfect companion to the elegance of the Eternal City. Cortina, where people wear fur and dogs wear clothes, is Italy’s most Italian resort and a place that has been the epitome of Alpine grandeur since Sophia Loren opened the 1956 Winter Olympics here with a smile that spread around the world.
With a ski boot firmly rooted in its ancient past, Cortina now looks to its future as co-host of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games. Modernization efforts are underway to update aging cable cars, improve poor road access and rehabilitate dilapidated hotels – but no one has much to say about what, how and when.
The bright light at the front of the hotel is Hotel de Len, a luxury retreat opening in 2022. An intimate spa on the sixth floor has the best view in the house, where the peaks glisten from panoramic windows surrounding the sauna, icefall and the outdoors. air hot tub. In the evenings, there are occasional chef changes, such as dinner with a Sardinian chef in January Luigi Pomata – presenting main menus with Hotel de Len’s own chef Andrea Ribaldone.
The smog of the city was now forgotten, bathed in sunlight and perfectly manicured, there was no shortage of fresh air at the top of the Tofane mountains. Under the charming guidance of experienced local crew Filippo Turrin from the Dolomite Mountains, we navigated Cortina’s famous south-facing steep slopes, including the classic Stratofana Olimpica Ladies Descent.
Descending the heart-pounding 56 per cent drop, pre-iced for the upcoming World Cup race and sandwiched between two sentinel rock walls, guaranteed a celebration.
Rifugio Pomedes has been welcoming sunbathers to its terrace since 1956, when Austrian racer Toni Sailer won three Olympic golds on the resort’s tracks in the first televised Winter Games. I slurped a Bombarino; shouts made from a mixture of whipped cream, eggs and rum. Long live Italy! – while Filippo was watching on the horizon the highlights of one of the most magnificent panoramas of the Alpine world.
The sparkling Marmolada Glacier, Nuvolau (home of the region’s first hut, built in 1883), Cinque Torri (climbers’ paradise), Antelao (King of the Dolomites) and the Faloria and Cristallo ski areas on the far side of the valley.
All eyes are on Cortina in 2026. Rebirth is now at hand as the Queen of the Dolomites is only one sleep away from the Eternal City. Considering what Italy knows about renaissance work, this could be a masterpiece.
Fundamentals
The Rome-Cortina Sleeper train costs £134 per passenger in a six-bed compartment; Departs Roma Termini on Friday at 21.40 and arrives in Cortina at 7.57am between Saturday, December 2024 and February 2025 (dates to be confirmed).
In Rome, a double stay at Hotel Hassler Rome costs £856 per night. A double stay at Hotel de Len in Cortina costs £384 per night B&B.
Leslie was a guest of the Hotel Hassler, the Hotel de Len and the Dolomite Mountains.