Accadde a Cortina

Accadde a Cortina, translates to “It Happened in Cortina”, is an open-air widespread museum inviting visitors to discover the history, literature, and personalities that helped make Cortina d’Ampezzo an iconic destination worldwide. The project features a cultural itinerary of 18 informational totems placed in some of the most meaningful locations across the town center and the valley, freely accessible year-round while strolling through the UNESCO-listed Dolomites.

Along the route, residents and visitors can read stories, quotes, and curiosities connected to writers, poets, journalists, and filmmakers who lived in or wrote about Cortina. The experience is designed to be accessible to everyone — free of charge and self-guided — thanks to an interactive map and online content available in Italian, English, and the local Ampezzo dialect. Visitors can also listen to selected readings during the walk, making the journey even more engaging.

The project was created to highlight the valley’s cultural heritage, offering a unique way to discover Cortina and experience the destination more consciously. A simple walk through the town, forests, or lakes becomes a journey through memory and history in the heart of the Queen of the Dolomites.

Along the Accadde a Cortina route, fascinating stories and curiosities reveal the deep connection between Cortina and the world of culture. Visitors learn, for example, that Eugenio Montale dedicated a poem to Lago di Sorapis, and that Dino Buzzati held a special affection for Croda da Lago. These stories are joined by many other figures from literature and culture — an invitation to walk, read, and be surprised by Cortina’s rich and inspiring past.