Ladin villages and Bolzano

Leaving Cortina d’Ampezzo, it’s a precise 38 km along the SS48 over Falzarego (2,109 m) and Valparola to reach Val Badia, with the Tofane, Lagazuoi and Sass de Stria framing the drive. The valley narrows, then opens onto La Villa, San Cassiano and Corvara, where Ladin is still taught in South Tyrolean schools since 1981, and timber-shingled roofs and Viles farm hamlets trace an old alpine life. Time permitting, continue 65 km via the SS244 and A22 to Bolzano to meet Ötzi at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, radiocarbon-dated to around 3300 BCE.

Your day stays flexible: hotel pick-up in Cortina, a Mercedes at your disposal, photo stops when clouds skim the Cima Contiesa, and breaks whenever you wish. Your dedicated driver handles timings, parking and bookings while you taste Schlutzkrapfen in San Cassiano or explore Bolzano’s museum; in La Villa they’ll point out the lane of former workshops, and in Colfosco, the 1420 chapel. With a private chauffeur in Val Badia, Cortina remains your base yet the pace is yours, balancing Ladin culture and pale limestone scenery.