32nd Chapter – Venice/Verona/Dolomites 2026
This post is in chronological order.
Read from the top down.
Cannes/ Friday, July 10, 2026
Today we left for a two-week trip to the Dolomites, in the Italian Alps. We are traveling with two friends from Chicago.
Our travels today took us by train from Cannes to Venice via Milano.
The trip began with a bit of concern. We received notices that our 8:42 AM Cannes-to-Ventimiglia segment might be significantly disrupted due to mechanical issues along the route. If we missed our first connection, the other two segments would be way off, delaying our arrival in Venice..
The original plan was:
Cannes – Ventimiglia 1H/30M) (SNCF) 8:42 – 10:17
Ventimiglia – Milano 4H/1M (Intercity 745) 10:59- 15:00
Milano – Venice 2H/15M ( Fre 9737) 15:15 – 17:30
We debated taking an Uber to Ventimiligia, but decided to take a chance and stick to the original plan. The long delay that was predicted never materialized, and we had time in Ventimiligia to pick up some provisions for the trip at the local market.
Halfway to Milano, our train was running late, too late to make the 15-minute connection. Fortunately, it made up for the time, and we arrived with five minutes to spare before the connection.
The Milano-to-Venice leg was uneventful, and we arrived around 17:30. From the train station, we took a water bus to our stop. Our friends had already arrived and had checked in.
We had booked very nice accommodation in Venice.
https://www.booking.com/hotel/it/the-venetian-penthouse.en-us.html
Weather
Venice (and all of Europe) experienced high temperatures.
- July 10, 2026: High around 31°C–32°C (88°F–90°F) / Low around 21°C (70°F).
- July 11, 2026: High around 32°C (90°F) / Low around 21°C (70°F).
- July 12, 2026: High around 32°C–33°C (90°F–91°F) / Low around 22°C (72°F)
In the sun, it felt much hotter.
We dropped the bags at the apartment and took a water shuttle around the island.
That evening we had an average dinner at Al Assassini bistrot.
Venice/ Saturday, July 11, 2026
Today was a walk around Venice day. Rebecca and I have a good feeling for Venice as we spent a month there four years ago.
Venice & Burano/ Sunday, July 12, 2026
Our friends opted to explore Venice proper today. Rebecca and I took the boat to one of my favorite places in the area, the colorful island of Burano.
Burano is an island in the Lagoon of Venice. It is located to the north of Venice, very near Torcello, and is famous for its lacemaking.
The island with about 4,000 inhabitants has a curious leaning bell tower that is visible from a distance.
Burano has become one of the most visited islands for its colourful houses. Every so often, it’s compulsory for the neighbours to paint the façades of their homes and they are not allowed to choose the colour but are notified of the specific shade according to where their residence is located. A legend is told that the houses were painted with bright and cheerful colours so that the sailors could see them on gloomy or foggy days.
When Rebecca and I returned to Venice, we walked toward our old neighborhood and tracked down our favorite pizza place for lunch.
After a very satisfying lunch, we did more exploring. 
We hit a great steak house – Al Grille, for our last dinner there. The food was great.
Later, enjoying our last evening in Venice, the four of us headed over to St Marks square, passing a gondola parking lot and listening to the musicians in the evening square.
Venice & Verona/ Monday, July 13, 2026
We checked out of our apartment around 10 AM and took a boat to the Venice airport to pick up a car for the remainder of our trip and headed to Verona. 1H /30M
On the way there, we became hungry for lunch and found it difficult to locate a good restaurant along the way. We discovered that our first choice was closed due to fire, so we continued along a rural route to Pianiga to discover a place favored by locals – Osteria Ciccio. The food was good and priced for locals.
After lunch, we proceeded to our next apartment in Verona (Casa Turandot Verona)19 via Dietro Lisone 1 Piano, for a brief two-night stay.
We parked in a nearby municipal lot.
City of Verona
The historic city of Verona was founded in the 1st century B.C. It particularly flourished under the rule of the Scaliger family in the 13th and 14th centuries and as part of the Republic of Venice from the 15th to 18th centuries. Verona has preserved a remarkable number of monuments from antiquity, the medieval and Renaissance periods, and represents an outstanding example of a military stronghold. It is home to the Summer Verona Opera fesstival, in the well maintained Roman Ampitheater.
We set out to do a bit of exploring.
I scored an embroidered Verona T-shirt for my travel collection at the local market.
The weather continued to be quite warm.
- High Temperature: ~30°C (86°F) Low Temperature: ~19°C to 20°C (66°F to 68°F)
- High Temperature: ~30°C (86°F) Low Temperature: ~19°C to 20°C (66°F to 68°F)
Verona/ Tuesday, July 14, 2026
The Roman amphitheater is a visual icon for Verona.
The Arena is the Roman amphitheater in Verona. It was built in the first century AD to watch the fights of gladiators. It is the third Roman amphitheater for size among those still existing and is used in summer for opera, concerts and events. It is the monument that most represents the city.
The Verona Arena hosts an opera season from 12 June to 12 September 2026. Unfortunately, there were no performances on the days we visited. We did, however, get to see the large stage props stored outside the Arena.
Rebecca and I walked to the lift to ascend to a hill overlooking Verona. We were there a bit early, so we caught some excellent sandwiches at a nearby BnB.
The view of Verona from the top was very nice.
After returning down, we visited the Basilica of Saint Anastasia.
It has kept the name of a pre-existing church from the Lombard period, dedicated to the Virgin Anastasia, a fourth century martyr. The building was situated at the end of the decumanus maximus: the main Roman road in Verona that connected Porta Borsari to the former Postumio Bridge. Around 1290, the order of the Dominicans settled here and began the construction of the Gothic basilica, dedicated to the martyr St Peter, a Dominican who originated from Verona and patron of the city alongside St Zeno.
The heat was taking its toll on visitors.
Later, Rebecca and I conducted some retail Footwear Therapy. Italians make great shoes.
We had dinner that evening at Locanda Casa Mia
Verona & Ortesei/ Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Today is my daughter Sarah’s birthday.
Today’s road trip took us from Verona to Ortesei. 2H/oM
The drive there was beautiful.
We took an intermediate stop in Bolzano to catch lunch and visit Otzi the Iceman at the Bozen Museum
The Iceman mummy, nicknamed Ötzi, was discovered in 1991 amidst sheets of melting ice on the Tisenjoch pass of the Similaun glacier in the Tyrolean Alps. He was found on the border between Italy and Austria, at an altitude of 3,200 m above sea level. He is a well-preserved male human corpse, dark in color, and dates to the early Copper Age, indicating he is more than 5,000 years old (ca. 3,250 yrs. cal BCE). His belongings, scattered around the body, included a bow and quiver with arrows, a complete copper-bladed axe, a flint dagger with a wicker sheath, two birch wood vessels clad with maple leaves, remnants of a backpack, a leather pouch with small objects, fur and leather garments, shoes, and other minor artifacts.
Arriving in Ortisei, we parked the car at the apartment (https://www.booking.com/hotel/it/residence-villa-aquila-adler.html Via Rezia 21, 39046 ) and set out for lunch. It was a challenge finding the place as it is located in a pedestrian zone. Inside, however, it was very nice and located next to the Adler, a popular luxury resort.
Ortisei weather, more pleasant
- July 15, 2026: High of ~28°C (82°F) / Low of ~15°C (59°F)
- July 16, 2026: High of ~29°C (84°F) / Low of ~16°C (61°F)
- July 17, 2026: High of ~27°C (81°F) / Low of ~14°C (57°F)
- July 18, 2026: High of ~24°C (75°F) / Low of ~12°C (54°F)
We explored the town on foot as it is modest in size but charming.
We ended the day with drinks at the Adler.
Ortesei/ Thursday, July 16, 2026
Rebecca enjoyed a quiet day exploring the village as we rented e-bikes and took the lift to the Alpedi Siusi
A full 300 days of sunshine and a panoramic view of majestic mountain peaks make the Alpe di Siusi (German: Seiser Alm) one of the most beautiful destinations in the Dolomites. The largest high alpine pasture in Europe covers an area of 56 square kilometres. As a natural paradise, the Alpe di Siusi offers a tremendous variety of brightly coloured flowers in early summer. Hikers, cyclists and winter sports enthusiasts enjoy the versatility of this fascinating landscape. The highest point of the alp is at an altitude of around 2,350 metres. Enjoy the view of the Sassolungo, Sasso Piatto, Sciliar and many other peaks that are characteristic of the Dolomites.
The Alpe di Siusi is almost car-free and offers plenty of space for relaxation even in the busy season. Thanks to its excellent accessibility from Val Gardena, the high plateau is ideal for a day trip.
Words cannot adequately describe the stunning beauty of this area, nor can photos capture its magnificent scale. Rebecca and I had visited this area before and were anxious to return.
We rode the bikes for hours up and down the mountain trails. Interestingly, the rides downhill were more difficult than the rides up, as one had to ride the brakes tightly to control speed.
Rather than take the lift back, we rode the bikes downhill to Santa Cristina Valgardna and then followed the road home. It was quite a workout.
We caught up with Rebecca and had dinner at a local pizzeria and enjoyed the evening in town.
It was a remarkable day.
Ortesei/ Friday, July 17, 2026
Today we took a different lift to see the mountains from the other side. This time we were exploring on foot.
Ortesei & Cortina/ Saturday, July 18, 2026
Our road trip today is to navigate from Ortesei to Cortina. 1H/10M. This was another stunning drive through the mountains with many twisting roads. We were amazed by the number of bikers making the trek along the grueling road with no dedicated bike paths.
The drive to Cortina was spectacular.
Cortina 4 nights
Weather
- Saturday, July 18: Highs near 79°F–82°F (26°C–28°C) / Lows near 66°F–73°F (19°C–23°C).
- Sunday, July 19: Highs near 65°F–79°F (18°C–26°C) with occasional thundershowers / Lows near 64°F (18°C).
- Monday, July 20: Highs near 61°F–77°F (16°C–25°C) with scattered thundershowers / Lows near 63°F (17°C).
- Tuesday, July 21: Highs near 64°F–75°F (18°C–24°C), clearer skies / Lows near 66°F (19°C).
- Wednesday, July 22: Highs near 59°F–79°F (15°C–26°C), mostly sunny and pleasant / Lows near 55°F (13°C).
Our Airbnb (Home in Cortina d’Ampezzo/ Largo delle Poste, 63, Cortina d’Ampezzo) was a bit difficult to find, and parking was a real challenge. It was spacious and centrally located. Cortina is a bit larger town than Ortesei with more retail.
Mountain destination with majestic peaks in the heart of the Dolomites, Cortina is an iconic resort that has shaped the history of winter sports, hosting the Winter Olympic Games twice and becoming an international symbol of the Italian mountains.
This charming and exclusive mountain resort offers breathtaking views, year-round outdoor adventures, and authentic Italian alpine culture.
Upon arrival, we loaded in some provisions and briefly explored the town.
We had lunch at the Roof restaurant
Later that afternoon, I chanced across the finish line for an antique car rally.
Cortina/ Sunday, July 19, 2026
We took the Freccia nel cielo lift to the mountain top for the views and a hike. Webcam https://cortina.dolomiti.org/en/winter/info/webcam/
The views from Cima Tofana are some of the very best in the Dolomites. From the summit, you get sweeping 360° panoramas of jagged limestone peaks, dramatic valleys, and distant alpine ridgelines. For those who want to go a little farther, there’s the option to add on the short but thrilling climb to Tofana di Mezzo, one of the highest peaks in the Dolomites.
To get from Cortina d’Ampezzo to Cima Tofana, you will ride a series of three gondolas and cable cars.
Cortina d’Ampezzo (1,244 meters) to Col Druscie (1,778 meters)
From the bottom station, a gondola whisks visitors up to Col Druscie. The gondolas hold six to eight people and are constantly running
Col Druscie (1,778 meters) to Ra Valles (2,470 meters)
A cableway connects Col Druscie to Ra Valles. This car runs every 15 minutes.
Ra Valles (2,470 meters) to Cima Tofana (3,244 meters)
A smaller cable car connects Ra Valles to Cima Tofana.
As one might expect, the views were astounding.
We caught the sandwiches at Bar Sport as it began to rain. They were delicious.
Later we explored the town a bit more, and I caught a parade Fèŝta de ra Bàndes 2026
Cortina/ Monday, July 20, 2026
We ascended via another lift to a new peak. We met up with a guy from Denmark who was in town hiking. He had walked up from town.
Again, the view was smashing.
Speaking of smashing, I took a tumble when walking down on some loose gravel and banged up my head and a few ribs. Fortunately, a young guy at the lift station drove me to the hospital for a quick checkup and a stitch or two. I tipped him 20 eu and, unbeknownst to me, Rebecca tipped him 30 eu. Totally worth it.
I was a bit sore as a result.
Rebecca and I decided to change our return plans home from a train to Milano overnight and then 2 trains home the next day to a flight to Nice from Venice, on Voltea
Cortina & Nice / Tuesday, July 21, 2026
We were dropped off at the Venice airport, and I received VIP treatment there, including an upgrade to first-class seats.
We met an interesting lady who was also going to Nice. She is a big fan of the Venice carnival and has a host of costumes and masks for the annual event.
We took a 17:15 flight from Venice and then an Uber from Nice to home.
Overall, it was a great trip and nice to share it with friends.