Tofana - Freccia nel Cielo cable car

The Tofana cable car, affectionately known as the Freccia nel Cielo (the ‘Arrow in the Sky’), is one of the most fascinating chapters in the history of Italian lifts. It opened in 1939 and was among the first great high-altitude cable cars built in Italy, a bold piece of engineering that pushed the technical limits of its time with real courage and vision.

The name conjures up the vertical grace of an arrow shooting into the Dolomite sky. And the feeling on board, as the Cortina d’Ampezzo valley falls away beneath you, is still one of the most thrilling moments the Dolomites can offer.

Three stages to 3,244 metres

The ride is split into three sections, each with a different and ever more breathtaking view.

• Cortina to Col Druscié (1,778 m). The first stage leads to the mid-station, where you already get a fine view over the Ampezzo basin and the rocky spires around it.
• Col Druscié to Ra Valles (over 2,400 m). The second stage climbs to this panoramic platform, the starting point for many ski runs that sweep down with varied gradients and spectacular views.
• Ra Valles to Tofana di Mezzo (3,244 m). The third and most dramatic section finally reaches the summit, where the whole world seems to open up in every direction.

Olympic history

The Tofana cable car is closely tied to the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina, the first Winter Games broadcast on television internationally. The lift was the logistical and symbolic heart of the alpine skiing events.

The Olympia delle Tofane slopes, on the side of the mountain served by the cable car, hosted the downhill races that made legends of some of the great names in skiing. The same run, now called the ‘Pista Olimpia delle Tofane’, still hosts the prestigious women’s alpine skiing World Cup races held in Cortina every winter. It brings the world’s best athletes to a technical, demanding course that has lost none of its appeal or difficulty over the decades.

The 2009 upgrade

In 2009 the lift was thoroughly modernised: the drive systems, safety mechanisms and cabins were completely renewed. It now meets current technical standards while keeping the historic identity that makes the Freccia nel Cielo unique among Italian lifts.

The new cabins are larger and more comfortable, with big windows that let you enjoy the view to the full and turn every ride into a remarkable visual experience.

The view from the summit

The top station at 3,244 metres offers one of the widest and most spectacular panoramas in the Alps. When visibility is at its best, as it often is on clear late-summer days or crisp winter days, you can see the whole Dolomites chain from Cristallo to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, and from the Marmolada to the Civetta group, with the peaks of Austria and Switzerland in the background.

The panoramic restaurant at the summit lets you stop at altitude for a good meal, making a visit to the Tofana a complete outing that combines excitement, culture and food.

Summer and winter

In summer the Tofana cable car opens up new options for hikers. Trails leave from the summit across the massif, with a wide range of difficulty, suitable both for families with children and for experienced mountaineers.

The best time to visit is late summer, from July to September, when the last snow has given way to alpine flowers and the golden afternoon light turns the rock faces into an unforgettable show of colour.

In winter, Ra Valles is the ideal starting point for the slopes of the Cortina ski area, with more than 120 kilometres of runs for every level.

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Renewed in 2009. Open December to April (skiing) and June to September (summer).