Nature
Lagazuoi Piccolo
Lagazuoi is a mountain in the Dolomites of northern Italy, lying at an elevation of 2,835 metres (9,301 ft), about 18 kilometres (11 mi) southwest by road from Cortina d'Ampezzo in the Veneto Region. The mountain is part of the Ampezzo Dolomites Natural Park.
What it is
Lagazuoi Piccolo is the lower of the two summits of Monte Lagazuoi (2,835m), reached by cable car from Passo Falzarego. The draw here is less the peak itself than what surrounds it: open tunnels and galleries carved into the rock by Italian and Austro-Hungarian troops during the First World War, when the mountain sat directly on the front line. A marked open-air route lets you walk through parts of this tunnel system, alongside trenches and gun positions, with the Ampezzo Dolomites and the Fanes group visible around you.
Getting there
From Cortina d'Ampezzo, it's roughly a 20-25 minute drive southwest along the road to Falzarego Pass, where the Lagazuoi cable car station is located. There's no rail link; a car, taxi, or seasonal bus from Cortina are the practical options.
Time to allow
Plan for at least half a day. The cable car ride up is a few minutes, but walking the war tunnel route and taking in the summit views typically takes 2-3 hours if you go at an unhurried pace and stop to read the interpretive panels along the way.
When to go
This is a high-altitude site, so it's only accessible when the cable car and trails are open for the season — check conditions before heading up, since snow and weather can close the route outside summer months. Midday in peak summer draws the most visitors; an earlier start gives clearer light for photos and a quieter tunnel walk.
Combine it with
- Falzarego Pass (1.3km) — the cable car base station itself, worth a stop before or after.
- Valparola Pass (0.7km) — close by, with its own wartime fort remains.
- Cinque Torri (4.5km) — a short drive away, known for open-air open-air WWI positions and distinctive rock towers.
- Col di Lana (5.1km) — another WWI front-line site for those following the region's wartime history further.
Sources: open data from Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap · Updated August 5, 2026 · Edited by the World by City editors
