All Day on the Road, Through the Heart of the Mountains ⛰️💨— A Dolomites Drive Full of Scenery, and Even the Setbacks Were Memorable

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📍Today's Route

Hotel breakfast 🍳
→ Passo Gardena
→ Baita Ciampac Hütte (carbonara, spätzle)
→ Ciampinoi paragliding launch site (waited but canceled)
→ Passo Sella
→ Passo Giau
→ Cortina d'Ampezzo
→ Ristorante Ariston (tagliolini, venison, crème brûlée)
→ Check-in at B&B Passo Tre Croci Cortina 🛏️

 

Today was the day we slowly started moving toward the eastern Dolomites.
We had a peaceful breakfast at the hotel and set off at a relaxed pace.
A warm croissant and a hot coffee,
watching the mountain views outside… It really hit me: “Wow, I’m deep in the mountains.” ☕🥐

🏞 Passo Gardena — A Beautifully Dizzying Mountain Pass

Our first stop was Passo Gardena!
The road winds high up, and the drive itself was thrilling.
We stopped a few times to take in the view—and wow. Absolutely jaw-dropping 😮

The Dolomite peaks felt so close you could almost touch them.
I nearly forgot to take pictures because I was just standing there in awe 📸

 

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/UBG8G5jBuigTKfSH6

 

 

 

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🍝 Baita Ciampac Hütte – Mountain Comfort Food with a View 🍷

Mid-drive, we stopped for lunch at Baita Ciampac Hütte.
It’s a cozy mountain hut-style place, and we ordered
carbonara and spätzle 😋

The carbonara had a rich, cheesy sauce,
and the buttery spätzle was tender and flavorful.
Honestly, everything tastes better when you’re surrounded by these epic views!

https://maps.app.goo.gl/NFXwanA7pKnRpSWa9

 

 

 

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🪂 Ciampinoi Paragliding – Waited an Hour, But No Flight...

After lunch, we headed straight to the Ciampinoi paragliding launch site.
This was the thing I’d been looking forward to most today.
But… the weather wasn’t good. Cloudy skies and wind. They told us to wait 😢

We waited about an hour hoping it’d clear up,
but in the end… it was canceled 💔

The paragliding company did refund our round-trip gondola fare though,
so that was a small consolation 😂

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🚘 Passo Sella → Passo Giau — The Best of Dolomites Driving

Back on the road, we drove from Passo Sella to Passo Giau,
and honestly, this stretch was the highlight.

Curving mountain roads, sharp switchbacks,
meadows and rocky cliffs all around…
Even the air felt different through the car window 🌬️🚗

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🏙️ Cortina d’Ampezzo – A Quick Look at an Alpine Town

We passed through Cortina d'Ampezzo,
and the vibe here is definitely "stylish mountain town".
Neat wooden chalets, clean streets, peaceful atmosphere…
Super charming 🎿

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🍽️ Dinner at Ristorante Ariston – Finishing the Day Deliciously

For dinner, we went to Ristorante Ariston in Cortina.
I had tagliolini, venison steak, and crème brûlée—almost like a full course meal ✨

The tagliolini had a great chewy texture,
the venison was tender and juicy,
and the crème brûlée was crispy on top, creamy underneath… bliss.

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/v15PUvd1dTztW5gN7

 

 

 

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🛏️ B&B Passo Tre Croci Cortina – Ending in Quiet Peace

As the sky grew dark and our stomachs full,
we finally arrived at B&B Passo Tre Croci Cortina.

It’s a small, peaceful B&B nestled in the mountains.
After a day full of motion and scenery,
falling asleep somewhere so quiet was the perfect end 😴

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ieR9murwPLDsQ9yc6

 

 

 

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🌙 No Flight Today, But Still a Day to Remember

We couldn’t paraglide today, but
because of that, we actually got to slow down and take in more views.
Even when the weather doesn’t cooperate,
it still becomes part of the story 🍂