Where to practice trail running in Italy The easiest answer is Cortina
The choice of Cortina as the main host city for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, alongside Milan, was no coincidence, nor merely a tribute to the sites visited by the Olympic flame in 1956. We're talking about the Queen of the Dolomites, a mountain range inscribed in 2009 on the UNESCO World Heritage List and the perfect stage for a global sporting spectacle — a snapshot of Italian natural beauty presented to the world. Here, an immersion in nature is not exclusive to skiers or snowboarders but is accessible to anyone willing to open their lungs to the crisp, pure Alpine air and set off along the countless trails winding through firs, larches, rocks, and shimmering lakes. Cortina may host winter sports for a season, but since 2007, it has been a haven for running and walking in nature, particularly trail running.
What is trail running?
Wherever there is an off-road trail that allows you to run or briskly walk over long distances, often with steep climbs and descents, that is trail running. It does not take place on streets or tracks, and definitely not indoors — the primary requirement is full immersion in a wild environment, whether weaving through fir trees, slogging through mud by a stream, or ascending a snow-covered slope. Trail running, much like the athlete’s feet sinking into the earth, has its roots firmly planted in the mountains.
Although trail running is officially a young sport, recognized only in 2015 by World Athletics (formerly IAAF), numerous associations in the United States and the UK have been competing since the 1990s. Its inherently diverse nature, due to the varied terrains of competitions, makes trail running perhaps the freest form of running: there are no strict rules regarding equipment — trekking poles may or may not be used depending on the elevation — or course length, which ranges from 5 to over 150 kilometers.
The world’s most prestigious trail race, founded in 2003, is the UTMB, Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, a roughly 170-kilometer journey across Italy, Switzerland, and France, with completion times ranging from 20 to over 40 hours, finishing in Chamonix. The course ascends a staggering 10,000 meters around the breathtaking Mont Blanc massif.
Where to run ultra trails in Italy
This race marks the grand finale of the UTMB World Series, a circuit organizing over 60 trail running events worldwide each year, providing runners the points required to qualify for the Finals. The highest points come from the four Majors, though top-three finishes in various World Series events also earn qualification, for both men and women.
In Italy, there are three main stages: one across Basilicata and Puglia, a 140-kilometer route connecting the Sassi di Matera to Castellaneta Marina; one across the Chianti hills, a famous 120-kilometer loop around Radda in Chianti, passing through historic castles of the Old Chianti League; and the Lavaredo Ultra Trail, with courses starting and ending in Cortina d’Ampezzo since 2007.
Ultra trail in Cortina
The stage around the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, iconic peaks in the Dolomites, presents the ultimate challenge for runners due to the unparalleled elevation only the Eastern Alps can offer. The main race, Lavaredo 120K, covers 120 kilometers with over 5,800 meters of positive elevation gain, touching spectacular nearby sites such as Cristallo, the Tofane, and Cinque Torri. A signature feature of this race is its nighttime start at 11 PM, a symbolic journey toward the dawn breaking over the Tre Cime, illuminating the path to the finish line.
Cortina’s Ultra Trail offers unparalleled variety: even shorter routes challenge runners with steep ascents and descents. For instance, the 20K course, theoretically the easiest after the non-competitive open course, features continuous climbs and drops totaling over 1,000 meters of elevation gain. The joints may pay the price, but the reward is witnessing the Dolomites’ twilight transformation at sunset.
The 100K course is linear, unlike the concentric loop design of the other categories converging at Corso Italia. Its 80 kilometers stretch from Val Marzon to Auronzo di Cadore and back to Cortina, ascending 4,600 meters, with completion times up to 22 hours. Thanks to its scenic uniqueness, the Lavaredo Ultra Trail is celebrated globally as a pinnacle of trail running, attracting premium collaborations. La Sportiva, an international outdoor footwear and apparel brand from nearby Valle di Fiemme, replaced The North Face as the title sponsor in 2018 and will continue until 2027, alongside numerous other interested brands.
Salomon: from trail running to the new shapers run
Notably, Salomon, Premium Partner of the Organizing Committee, has been omnipresent at the event since 2023. Both through their athletes — including star Courtney Dauwalter, who in 2025 completed the 120K course in 14 hours and 42 minutes — and via partnership with Fondazione Cortina, promoting initiatives such as the InYourShoes ONLUS project, donating nearly a thousand used running shoes to the town of Iten, Kenya, in 2024.
Other activities include the Delicious Trail Dolomiti, a 42-kilometer route with 3,100 meters of elevation gain, celebrating Cortina’s cultural and culinary heritage, merging sport with nature. Building on these initiatives, the Salomon New Shapers Run brought 10,000 runners to Milan for a 10-kilometer urban course during the Games’ closing, a first-of-its-kind public running experience during the Winter Olympics.
Cortina is not just about ultra trail
The beauty of trail running lies in its adaptability — it can be enjoyed anywhere a suitable natural ecosystem exists, not necessarily competitively. While the Tre Cime di Lavaredo routes are the most famous, the Dolomites offer endless new landscapes to explore. Iconic routes include Val Marzon to Auronzo di Cadore and the cultural-culinary paths of the Delicious Trail, marking must-see trails around Cortina.
Panoramic trail lovers should not miss the Tofane circuit, in western Cortina, home to the famous Olympia delle Tofane piste where Federica Brignone won the gold medal in the women’s Super-G. Trail 409, leading toward Cianderou-Passo Posporcora, offers 360-degree valley views while remaining immersed in the forest. Similarly, trails around Monte Nuvolau lead to Rifugio Averau, offering breathtaking views of Cinque Torri on one side and the Marmolada on the other.
For water lovers, the southern routes near the Croda da Lago massif lead to Lago Federa, a hidden paradise. From Mortisa, the 120K Ultra Trail starting point, trails pass Lago Ajal, nestled in the forest, and reach the majestic Lago Pianozes at 1,181 meters, following a loop with bridges over streams and alternating clearings and wild zones.
On the opposite side, trails along the Boite River, like Pian de Ra Spines, feature concentric paths adorned with wooden art installations, including a book-holding tree called "Librascion". All are part of the Parco Naturale delle Dolomiti Ampezzane, a safe haven for runners across its 11,200 hectares, including the famous Croda de r’Ancona loop in Lerosa clearing.
These trails are not just natural gems but steeped in history. Trail running fosters an active dialogue with the surrounding landscape, promoting immersion and reflection. It is not merely a sporting experience, but an emotional and cultural one, as seen in the Delicious Trail. It leaves a lasting impression, leading runners through historic sites like the former railway connecting Calalzo to Dobbiaco via Cortina until 1964, and even the Sacrario Militare in Pocol, erected in 1935 in memory of World War I fallen soldiers. Trail running revives the past while celebrating the present, connecting body, mind, and landscape.
