Enjoy a relaxing and scenic gentle hike in Cortina, ideal for nature lovers looking for a leisurely walk.
The “Giro di Pian de ra Spines” offers a perfect gentle hike in Cortina, set in the valley floor of Cortina d’Ampezzo. This loop trail features a moderate elevation gain and a well-marked path, ideal for those looking to immerse themselves in nature without facing technical difficulties. It’s perfect for families, beginner hikers, or anyone seeking a relaxing walk in the scenic surroundings of Cortina.
Why choose the Giro di Pian de ra Spines?
This trail perfectly balances natural beauty and accessibility, making it an excellent choice for anyone looking to experience an easy walk in Cortina. It’s an ideal way to explore the valley floor of Cortina without taking on a strenuous hike.
The shaded trees along the path and the peaceful atmosphere of the forest make it a great option, even on the warmest days. However, the Giro di Pian de ra Spines is also a fantastic choice when it rains. Armed with an umbrella, you can still enjoy this pleasant and gentle hike in Cortina, savoring the tranquility and fresh forest scents—a true tonic for the mind and body.
Route details for the circular trail
The Giro di Pian de ra Spines is a well-marked circular route. Here are the key details of this trail:
- Starting point: Fiames (46.5766, 12.1157)
- Altitude at start and finish: 1293 meters
- Total distance: 4.5 miles
- Estimated time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Total elevation gain: 380 feet
- Download GPX track
The trail
Starting point
The Giro di Pian de ra Spines unfolds as a circular route, allowing you to begin your adventure from various points. In addition to starting at the Fiames Hotel, you can begin at the Camping Olympia, at the large parking area at the Dolomiti d’Ampezzo Park, or even further north at the park’s entrance.
In this description, I recommend starting from the Fiames Hotel, which is conveniently accessible just 3 miles from the center of Cortina. The local bus line number 1 connects Fiames to Cortina, making it very handy if you don’t have a car.
Your hike begins behind the Hotel Fiames (the bus terminus), where a marked path, closed to traffic by a barrier, leads you into the enchanting Bosco dell’Impero (The Empire Forest).
Crossing the valley floor
After crossing the Bosco dell’Impero, the path continues for about twenty minutes until you reach Baita Spiaggia Verde. The trail runs alongside the former Fiames airport and later the Boite River. It is mostly flat, making it suitable for all types of walkers.
Near the Spiaggia Verde chalet, the path merges with a paved road you’ll need to follow for a short distance. This brings you to the entrance of the Dolomiti d’Ampezzo Park.
After passing the small tourist information office, continue along the road beyond the barrier restricting vehicle access.
On your right, you’ll admire the stunning Forra del Felizon, a gorge formed by the Felizon River’s flow. This gorge is imposing, and the legend is that a girl was trapped here for seven years.
Carlo Felice Wolff recounts this in his beautiful book “The Pale Mountains: Folk Tales from the Dolomites.” The story is titled “The Genius of the Torrent.”
After about a hundred meters, you’ll arrive at a fork in the path. Take the left trail (Trail 417) that descends toward the river. You’ll soon come to a small bridge, where a sharp turn brings the path back to the right bank of the Boite.
The Giro di Pian de ra Spines continues flat and relaxing, initially alongside the stream and then winding into the forest, making it a delightful option for a gentle hike in Cortina.
The plane crash of 1976
If you pay attention along the way, you will notice a small clearing near the banks of the Boite. This clearing contains a propeller and a commemorative plaque honoring a somber event. This spot serves as a reminder of the past, adding depth to your easy walk in Cortina. On May 31, 1976, a Cessna U206 Stationair from Alialpi attempted to take off from Fiames Airport under strong wind.
The pilot, lacking experience in mountain flying, struggled to lift off and only managed to do so at the end of the runway.
The aircraft stalled during the turn, crashing to the ground and catching fire, resulting in the deaths of all six people on board, four of whom were councilors for the municipality of Cortina d’Ampezzo.
This was officially the last flight at Cortina d’Ampezzo Airport, a poignant reminder of the past as you enjoy your gentle hike in Cortina.
Pian de ra Spines
Just ahead, before you cross the trail that leads up to Passo Posporcora and the Col Rosà ferrata, you’ll find Piàn de Ra Špìnes, an open area characterized by the barberry bush (Berberis vulgaris L.), known locally as šcarpìn. Its berries, with their distinctive cylindrical shape, turn a lovely red when they ripen in the fall, making this the ideal time to gather them for delicious grappa, syrups, and jams.
During your easy walk in Cortina, you’ll have the opportunity to discover the fruits of the forest and a series of intriguing art installations hidden among the trees.
Among these, “Il Librašon” stands out: a quirky wooden column that hosts books. It’s a mini library in the woods, inspired by book-crossing, where you can read surrounded by nature. The name combines the words “Libro” (book) and “Brašon” (tree) in the local dialect.
These artworks are part of the Art Trails project, created in collaboration with the talented students of the Cortina Art Institute.
Final Stretch
You’re about to reach Camping Olympia, nearing the end of the Giro di Pian de ra Spines. Just past the campsite, turn left and cross the Ponte de ra Sia, the bridge over the Boite River. Immediately after, turn left again and take the path that leads into the woods. In no time, you’ll arrive at the large parking area of the Dolomiti d’Ampezzo Park, and from there, it’s a short walk back to Hotel Fiames, completing your circular route.
NOTE: if you wish to continue your gentle hike to Cortina, a trail sign indicates the delightful trail 417 before the bridge over the Boite. Here’s a description of the route from Camping Olympia to Cortina.
Il Bosco dell’Impero (The Forest of the Empire)
The Vaia storm caused significant damage to the trees of the Bosco dell’Impero, which were planted 87 years ago in parallel rows in the Fiames plain. The Fascist regime created this forest to commemorate the birth of the Italian colonial empire in East Africa.
Among those trees, behind the Hotel Fiames, stands a stone that bears an inscription dated May 17, XV, corresponding to the year 1937 of the Fascist era (the XV year of the Fascist era spans from October 29, 1936, to October 28, 1937).
The plaque is dedicated to the National Forestry Militia, one of the organizations from the Ventennio, and carries the historic name of the forest.
After World War I, the remains of around eighty soldiers were collected from various war cemeteries scattered throughout the Ampezzo basin and the surrounding mountains in this plain north of Cortina.
These remains were united in a single cemetery known as the Eroi del Cadore (Heros of Cadore).
Pian de ra Spines is located just a bit further north, across the Boite River. Today, it is a peaceful valley area ideal for gentle hikes in Cortina and excursions, but it was once the site of tragic historical events that marked the Fiames area.
In the 1930s, the regime built a military shrine on the rock of Pocol. The imposing monument, designed by engineer Giovanni Raimondi, was erected in 1935 and consists of a sturdy square tower standing 48 meters tall, supported by a two-level base. This base houses the shrine, which contains the remains of 9,707 Italian soldiers, of which 4,455 are unknown, and 37 are Austro-Hungarian, gathered from various war cemeteries in Cadore and the Ampezzo area. The shrine rises in Pocol and is visible from Cortina.
After the soldiers’ remains were transferred to Pocol, the Eroi del Cadore cemetery was left empty, its ground marked by graves, it was then decided to plant fir trees to create the Bosco dell’Impero, a symbol of Italian colonial ambitions in Africa.
Unfortunately, in March 2025, numerous plants were cut down to make way for the much-debated “Olympic Village”, a project linked to the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics, an event not appreciated by everyone.
Not far away, on the other side of the main road, lay a haunting site feared by the soldiers of that time and now occupied by a fuel station. This was the location where death sentences were carried out for those accused of desertion, sometimes even for a simple delay in returning from leave or for attacking enemy lines without the required momentum demanded by the commands.
