The works are described by the airport as “radical and scheduled runway renovation” that will ensure “compliance with rigorous industry regulations” in line with safety commitments by airport manager Gestione Servizi Aeroporti Campani (GESAC).

The airport’s sole runway, adjoining taxiways, and aircraft guidance lighting are all being modernised, as part of works that will take place night and day, every day of the week, during the quieter autumnal period, to keep the closure as short as possible. These efforts are separate from GESAC’s planned €250 million masterplan for a second non-Schengen terminal.

During the shutdown, Salerno Costa d’Amalfi e del Cilento Airport, around 75 km away, will take some displaced services but travellers should check the status of their flight with the airline and airport since Salerno cannot accommodate Naples’ entire traffic volume.

GESAC lists six of the flights switching to Salerno as domestic, (including Bergamo, Milan, Trieste, and Turin) and nine as international destinations, (including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Dubai, Paris, and Sharm-el-Sheik. Eurowings’ Düsseldorf and Stuttgart flights are also among those relocating, while Lufthansa Group is redirecting its operations for the month towards Rome Fiumicino, 200 km off. 

Passengers should expect different arrival points and longer transfers than usual. Extra buses between Naples Piazza Garibaldi and Salerno airport, more frequent links to Salerno railway station, and trial fixed-fare shared taxis are being laid on in a bid to ease those journeys. Existing connections to the Amalfi Coast and surrounding towns remain available. As well as confirming their arrival and departure airport with their airline, passengers should reassess onward arrangements rather than rely on their original itinerary.

The closure temporarily weakens access to a substantial Italian tourism gateway that handled over 13.2 million passengers in 2025. It could also affect Naples’ events calendar, such as the agrifood festival, Gustus 2026, planned mid-month. Reduced flight choice and extra travelling time could discourage some autumn leisure visitors, leaving local accommodation providers and tourism businesses exposed, even though it’s a quieter season. 

Salerno on the other hand, potentially gains some time in the spotlight. Its airport presents far fewer onward choices than Naples’ 16 domestic connections and 112 international destinations. But, compared to Naples’ infamously chaotic and gritty reputation, smaller Salerno offers a laid-back, often more affordable seaside vibe, and boasts a palm-spangled promenade and medieval charms—as well as shorter transfers to the popular Amalfi coast.

L’article Naples airport shutdown puts autumn travel plans to the test est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The companies plan to assess services in major Italian cities using Archer’s Midnight aircraft. Designed for repeated short flights with no operating emissions, Midnight aims to replace road journeys of 60–90 minutes with flights lasting 10–20 minutes. Archer estimates that a journey between Rome Fiumicino Airport and the city centre could take less than 10 minutes.

ITA’s contribution will focus on integrating the proposed service with its existing network and passenger journeys, working with specialist partners responsible for operations. The airline serves more than 70 destinations and belongs to the Lufthansa Group and Star Alliance.

“ITA Airways aims to play a pioneering role in advanced air mobility, exploring innovative solutions and collaborations that can strengthen connectivity and deliver tangible benefits for passengers,” Joerg Eberhart, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of ITA Airways said. “By fostering an integrated, seamless and more sustainable travel experience, we want to help shape the future of mobility in Italy and offer our customers an increasingly efficient journey from origin to destination,” he added. 

“Italy is one of the most visited countries on Earth: Rome Fiumicino crossed 50 million passengers last year for the first time in its history. Every one of those travelers deserves the option to skip an hour in traffic with a 10-minute, all-electric flight,” said Archer founder and chief executive Adam Goldstein.

The agreement extends Archer’s commercial development into Europe, alongside its activities in the United States and United Arab Emirates.

However, the project remains at the development stage. The companies had not announced a launch date, identified an operator or disclosed an aircraft purchase. Midnight has yet to receive certification to carry passengers, leaving regulatory approval as a requirement before commercial services can begin.

Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram

Публикация от Adam Goldstein (@adamgoldstein.archer)

The battery-powered aircraft takes off and lands vertically and accommodates a pilot and up to four passengers. During a recent three-day California demonstration campaign, it covered more than 200 miles across seven cities and reached a maximum speed of 131 mph. Flights from Oakland International Airport reached San Francisco’s Marina District in approximately 10 minutes.

Rome has already hosted trials of electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. In 2022, a piloted Volocopter demonstration took place at Fiumicino’s experimental vertiport, which was developed to test flights, aircraft turnaround procedures and battery charging.

According to Business Traveller, Italy’s aviation regulator, ENAC, offered Grottaglie Airport as a testing site during talks with ITA, Archer and UrbanV in October 2025. These trials would help secure approval for the aircraft and their operations, coordinated with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), whose certification is needed before commercial air taxi services can launch in the EU.

L’article ITA Airways and Archer partner to develop electric air taxis in Italy est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Revealed on 29 October 2026, the 71,500-seat Generali Stadium will be the fruit of a transatlantic partnership between British architecture studio Foster + Partners and US-based studio MANICA. The stadium takes its name from Italian insurance giant Generali, which has secured the naming rights.

The new arena will rise alongside San Siro, officially known as the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, which celebrates its centenary this year. Home to AC Milan since 1926 and shared with Inter since 1947, the stadium has been the theatre of epic victories, crushing defeats and legendary performances.

A new symbol for Milano. A new home for future generations of fans. Generali Stadium @GENERALI https://t.co/c7D0827E7T

— AC Milan (@acmilan) October 29, 2026

Construction is expected to begin in 2028, with the new stadium scheduled to be ready ahead of the 2032 UEFA European Championship. San Siro will then be largely demolished to make way for a wider redevelopment of the district.

Brutalist with a twist, the new structure’s most striking feature is its monumental façade, with giant concrete supports resembling X-shaped chromosomes rising approximately 60 metres above the ground. Their intersecting forms draw on the city’s architectural heritage, referencing the intricate stonework of Milan’s Duomo, but could also symbolise the two rival teams coming together under one roof.

Norman Foster, founder of Foster + Partners, told Dezeen that, above all, the studio wanted to “create a new home for two-storied football clubs, which captures the unique energy of the city and its distinctive architectural and structural traditions”.

Foster further explained that the stadium celebrates the enduring connection between the football clubs and Milan, carrying their shared heritage into the future.

The structural façade, composed of interlocking low-carbon precast concrete segments, will support the stadium bowl and double-curved roof. Diamond-shaped entrances will lead visitors into naturally ventilated colonnades and panoramic concourses overlooking the city.

Inside, the architects have adopted something of an if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it approach. Inspired by San Siro’s famous seating configuration, the new stadium will feature a continuous, two-tier, 360-degree bowl, bringing spectators even closer to the pitch.

At either end, the steeply inclined stands, known as the curvas, will accommodate approximately 11,700 supporters each, with opposing fans facing each other across the field. With inclinations of up to 37 degrees, the stands are designed to bring the spectators even closer to the action.

Acoustics were another major consideration. The geometry of the bowl and roof is designed to capture and amplify the roar of the crowds inside the arena, while limiting noise spilling into the surrounding neighbourhood.

For MANICA founder David Manica, preserving San Siro’s unique atmosphere was essential. “The result is a stadium where the chanting and singing build on themselves, taking the atmosphere Milanese supporters love and making it even more powerful”, he told Dezeen.

But not at the expense of sustainability, which was another important consideration in the design. Approximately 27,500 square metres of photovoltaic panels will cover the roof, while the all-electric development will incorporate natural ventilation, rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling. The architects are targeting LEED Gold certification and carbon-neutral operations.

For Foster, the project is also a “celebration of Milanese and Italian engineering tradition, where architecture and structure become one”.

Beyond football, the stadium forms part of a wider 281,000-square-metre redevelopment bringing together green spaces, public areas, and leisure and retail facilities. It is also designed to host concerts and other major events.

L’article Milan unveils striking new Generali Stadium to replace iconic San Siro est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The Italian army has reported historic finds made in September 2026, after another summer of record high temperatures across Europe, stating: “As the ice retreats, history resurfaces – and with it, dangers from the past. More than a century later, the mountains continue to yield unexploded ordnance from the Great War.”

El deshielo de los glaciares en los Dolomitas, al norte de Italia, dejó al descubierto más de 250 artefactos explosivos de la Primera Guerra Mundial. Los hallazgos se registraron cerca de Canal San Bovo, en el valle de Primiero, donde el Ejército italiano realizó labores de recuperación y neutralización. Las municiones datan de la llamada ‘Guerra Blanca’, los enfrentamientos entre tropas italianas y austrohúngaras en las montañas alpinas entre 1915 y 1918. Las autoridades recomiendan a excursionistas y montañistas no tocar estos artefactos y reportar cualquier descubrimiento a las fuerzas de seguridad. : Cortesía.

— Noticiero El Salvador (@NoticieroSLV) October 27, 2026

Dubbed the “White War,” fighting between Italian and Austro-Hungarian troops took place from 1915 to 1918. In addition to the terrors of military violence, the soldiers faced extreme hardship, including freezing temperatures, snow and ice, and the danger of attempting to operate heavy machinery on treacherous high ground. Many fell to their deaths, and equipment was lost, as well as hastily abandoned as soldiers fled at the end of hostilities.

That cache, including ammunition such as artillery shells and mortars, is now being rediscovered. In fact, such finds have been ongoing since the 1990s, and weapons have not been the only things to resurface. Clothes, coins, diaries, lanterns, letters, newspapers, postcards, preserved food, and straw beds were found after ice melt in a cave barracks on Mount Scorluzzo in 2015.

But as the planet warms, and years with low snowfall and high ice melt multiply, the discoveries are now more frequently being made by the hikers who are drawn to the stunning Dolomite landscape in the summer. Reports of unexploded munitions in places such as the Canal San Bovo in the Primiero Valley in eastern Trentino led the Italian army there for clearance sweeps earlier this year.

The Julia Alpine brigade has now reported the recovery and neutralisation of 250 devices, among them “18 Italian 75mm artillery shells and 37 Thevetot mortar shells.” They have described the work as “eliminating hidden dangers and making the trails-frequented every year by mountaineers, hikers, and tourists-safer.”

In addition to those efforts, officials are waging a new type of campaign in the region: a public safety information drive to alert visitors and residents to the dangers suspicious objects can present. The public are asked not to touch or attempt to remove items themselves, but to take photographs, if it is safe to do so, and report any finds to appropriate authorities.

L’article First World War explosives revealed by melting glaciers and climate change in Italy est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Australian flag carrier Qantas was obliged to ground an international flight between Perth and Rome on Friday 9 October 2026, after bedbugs were found on board. The critters were discovered among seats at the front of the plane’s economy section, resulting in the aircraft being removed from service for deep cleaning on arrival in Italy, and causing the cancellation of the next day’s return.

Human passengers expecting to make the long-haul intercontinental trip were accommodated in the Italian capital and rebooked onto alternative flights within 48 hours of their planned trip. Meanwhile, a Qantas spokesperson said the aircraft in question was inspected by engineers and deep cleaned by maintenance staff. The airline issued an apology to affected flyers and insisted its fleet is cleaned thoroughly and disinfected every 50 days in line with standard practice.

Passengers traveling with Qantas from #Italy to #Australia failed to arrive in #Perth as planned over the weekend, after their flight was canceled due to a reported case of bedbugs. #avgeeks #aviationnews #airlines https://t.co/KLvEGlRY3d

— alsaeed (@alimsaeed604) October 13, 2026

An adult bedbug is a tiny parasitic insect resembling an apple seed in size and colour. Bedbugs are nocturnal and feed on human blood, capable of consuming many times their weight in one sitting and causing small blood stains on sheets and itchy welts on the victim. They do not spread disease and cannot fly (unless on an aircraft!) but move very quickly and, as they hide in dark crevices, can be hard to find—and even harder to eliminate, requiring washing at temperatures above 55°C and, often, fumigation. While they may be negatively associated with poverty and multi-occupancy buildings, they infest a range of environments and are frequently transported by unwitting international travellers.

The incident is not the first time bedbugs have made headlines in travel sector news. At the time of the Paris Olympics in 2024, hysteria abounded around bedbugs found and photographed on Paris transport systems. The United Kingdom is currently experiencing one of the worst bedbug outbreaks in years, various outlets have reported, with The Times citing a bedbug monitor which has found bedbug cases “rising by between 20 and 25 per cent a year in London and other big European cities.”

Southeastern train services, operating in the UK’s southern regions of East Sussex, Kent, and Greater London, were cancelled two weeks ago for cleaning, and a library in Eastbourne on the country’s “sunshine coast” was closed for cleaning after the creatures were found there too.

Anyone who thinks they have found bedbugs in their home should confirm the infestation, then attempt to contain the spread, clean and treat affected items, and contact a professional pest control service.

L’article Bedbug infestation grounds Qantas flight in Italy est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

All arrivals and departures at Catania-Fontanarossa Airport have been suspended until 11:59 pm local time on Monday, 28 September, according to airport operator SAC. The decision follows continued volcanic ash emissions from Mount Etna and weather conditions carrying ash into airspace used by aircraft.

Passengers have been advised to check the status of their flight directly with their airline before travelling to the airport, with further updates expected depending on volcanic activity and weather conditions.

The disruption began on Saturday, 26 September, when volcanic activity and weather conditions forced authorities to suspend both incoming and outgoing flights. Restrictions continued throughout Sunday before being extended again on Monday.

Catania is Sicily’s busiest airport and Italy’s fifth busiest by passenger traffic, making prolonged closures particularly disruptive for tourism and connectivity on the island.

A summer of disruption

The latest shutdown is far from an isolated incident. Mount Etna, Europe’s highest and most active volcano, has caused repeated disruption at Catania throughout the summer of 2026.

On 14 September, flights were again suspended because of volcanic ash, just weeks after a much longer period of disruption in August.

As Travel Tomorrow reported in August, another eruptive phase forced Catania Airport to suspend incoming flights on 10 August after ash drifted into surrounding airspace. At the time, the Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation was at red, the highest aviation colour code.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 𝗣𝗮𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗴𝗲 | 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 (@papayage)

The situation subsequently deteriorated. During the August disruption, the airport remained affected for five consecutive days, with hundreds of flights cancelled or rerouted during the peak Italian summer travel season. Reuters reported that 36% of nearly 2,000 flights scheduled to arrive in Catania between 6 and 12 August were cancelled, while more than 600 were diverted to airports including Palermo, Trapani, Comiso and Lamezia Terme.

That episode followed another major disruption on 7 July where around 130 flights were cancelled and approximately 50 diverted after an eruption sent large clouds of ash into the sky and forced the suspension of all arrivals and departures at Catania.

The problem predates this summer. In July 2024, another Etna eruption forced Catania Airport to suspend flights, affecting an estimated 15,000 passengers and resulting in around 90 initial cancellations. A similar situation ocurred in August 2023, when an eruption of Mount Etna once again forced the closure of Sicily’s main airport.

Why volcanic ash is dangerous for aircraft

Although Mount Etna erupts frequently, volcanic ash presents a specific risk to aviation. Fine ash particles can reduce visibility and enter aircraft engines, where the high temperatures can cause them to melt and potentially damage critical components.

“Volcanic ash can be a great risk for aircraft,” Boris Behncke, a researcher at Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology’s Etna Observatory, previously explained. “It can be sucked into the motors, and force them to stall.”

The recurrent closures underline the challenge faced by Catania Airport, located around 30 kilometres south of the volcano, as Etna’s activity repeatedly intersects with one of southern Italy’s most important aviation and tourism gateways.

The latest disruption has also put additional pressure on other Sicilian airports. During the weekend, aircraft were diverted to Palermo, Comiso and Trapani, contributing to congestion elsewhere in the island’s transport network.

With the situation remaining dependent on volcanic activity, ash dispersion and wind direction, passengers travelling to or from Catania are advised to continue monitoring their airline’s information before heading to the airport.

L’article Mount Etna ash shuts Catania Airport for third consecutive day est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

During the 12^th edition of the World Spa Awards, the world’s most outstanding spas, wellness retreats, brands, and experiences were put in the spotlights. Italy proved to be the World’s Best Spa Destination of 2026 amidst a long list of competitors, inviting tourists to discover the country in what is perhaps a more unusual way. 

Visualizza questo post su Instagram

Un post condiviso da World Spa Awards (@worldspaawards)

“For twelve years, World Spa Awards has celebrated the exceptional organisations and individuals shaping the future of global spa and wellness. This year’s winners represent the very highest standards of excellence, innovation and guest experience, demonstrating the continued vitality and evolution of our industry. Their achievements inspire travellers around the world and reaffirm the important role that spa and wellness play in enhancing wellbeing and quality of life,” said Rebecca Cohen, Managing Director of World Spa Awards.

Not only did Italy as a whole come out a the top of the list, some of the country’s most prestigious wellness locations were awarded individually as well.

The Lefay Spa World at Lefay Resort and Spa Dolomiti in Pinzolo was named the ‘World’s Best Resort Spa’. Spanning over 5,000 square metres, the spa combines natural wellbeing with innovation. While enjoying the mountainous views, visitors can enjoy nine saunas through five different circuits, a selection of indoor and outdoor pools, as well as a personalised treatment offer. Lefay Spa World has won multiple awards in the past and its celebration during the World Spa Awards can be considered an affirmation of its impeccable reputation.

Visualizza questo post su Instagram

Un post condiviso da Lefay Resorts & Residences (@lefayresorts)

The Palazzo Fiuggi retained its title as ‘World’s Best Wellness Retreat’. Its 6,000 square metres of wellness and medical spa facilities were designed to “encourage relaxation and promote a lifelong approach to wellness”. Here, spa-goers can choose for a medical package including treatments such as cryotherapy, IV drips, and blood analysis, or for a wellness package blending saunas, sound healing, and light therapy. Their reproduction of ancient Roman baths deserves a special mention and allows visitors to enjoy the premises as people did thousands of years ago.

Visualizza questo post su Instagram

Un post condiviso da Palazzo Fiuggi (@palazzofiuggi)

Finally, the Grotta Giusti Thermal Spa Resort in Monsummano Terme was able to take home the unique title of ‘World’s Best Thermal Grotto Spa 2026’. The spa combines the healing powers of thermal water with a great sense of history – not only is the spa partially located in the largest natural thermal grotto in Europe, it also features the old family villa of the poet Giuseppe Giusti. The premises are divided into Paradise, Purgatory, and Hell, with temperatures ranging from 28°C to 34°C. Among the stalactites and stalagmites, the large rock vaults create rooms where visitors can stop for a natural steam bath. At the bottom of the cave lies Limbo, a lake of warm thermal waters, with a constant temperature of 36ºC.

Visualizza questo post su Instagram

Un post condiviso da Grotta Giusti Thermal Spa Resort, Tuscany | Autograph Collection (@grottagiusti)

However, the World Spa Awards did not just concentrate on Italy. The complete list of winners also features the Guerlain Wellness Spa at Waldorf Astoria New York, Six Senses, and the Asaya Spa at Rosewood Mandarina in Mexico, among others.

L’article Italy officially has the best spas in the world est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Named Prada Galleria, the revamped complex opened to the public on 23 September and brings together the brand’s women’s and men’s boutiques, exhibitions, private shopping areas, a pastry shop and spaces dedicated to contemporary art. The project was developed under the direction of Miuccia Prada, whose grandfather Mario Prada co-founded the company with his brother Martino in 1913.

“It is a way to show our DNA, our roots, our way of thinking and point of view,” Chief Executive Andrea Guerra ‌told Reuters

Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram

Публикация от Prada (@prada)

At the heart of the redevelopment are Prada Donna and Prada Uomo, which were previously separate stores. Prada Donna, located on the site of the original Fratelli Prada shop, has nearly doubled its display space and now features women’s collections alongside expanded travel, home and beauty areas. The two boutiques are connected below the Galleria by a new underground tunnel known as the Passaggio Segreto, or “Secret Passage”.

The passage also serves as an exhibition space exploring episodes and eras of Prada’s history. According to Reuters, displays include silver-plated Prada handbags reworked by British artist Damien Hirst and a “Chandelier” dress worn by Carey Mulligan in the film The Great Gatsby.

Above Prada Uomo is Marchesi 1824, the historic Milanese pastry shop in which Prada acquired an 80% stake in 2014. Visitors can stop for pastries, chocolates, biscotti and espresso while overlooking the Galleria’s walkways and mosaics.

Another major addition is Pradasphere, Prada’s first permanent exhibition dedicated to the fashion house’s history. Building on temporary Pradasphere exhibitions previously staged in London, Hong Kong and Shanghai, the space presents archival objects and material tracing Prada’s development since 1913, including its connections with art, architecture, cinema, sport and culture. Visitors are required to register in advance to access the exhibition.

Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram

Публикация от Prada (@prada)

The complex also includes Studio, a series of rooms designed for personalised shopping appointments and private events, as well as the invitation-only Appartamento. Designed to evoke an 18^th-century residence, the latter combines antique Italian furniture with contemporary photography and currently features works selected by German photographer Andreas Gursky.

On the upper levels, Osservatorio Fondazione Prada provides a space for experimentation focused on the connection between technology, contemporary culture and artistic expression.

The expansion comes as luxury brands increasingly invest in experiences designed to strengthen relationships with high-spending customers while attracting new shoppers. Guerra told Reuters that the company expects the revamped Milan flagship to generate around €100 million in annual revenue. Prada reported €5.7 billion in sales last year, while the cost of the Galleria redevelopment has not been disclosed. 

L’article Prada opens new eight-floor fashion, art and shopping destination in Milan est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Since introducing the measure in 2024, Venice has yet to find an effective way to combat overtourism in the city. Protesters have accused day-trippers of putting pressure on the city, while others point to overnight visitors. (Overnight visitors pay a separate tourist tax of between €1 and €5 per person per night.)

The city introduced a €5 entry fee on 29 peak days in 2024. It was extended to 54 days in 2025, when the charge was doubled for last-minute visitors, and then to a record 60 days this year.

Yet despite these adjustments, the measures have not delivered the results authorities had hoped for, prompting them to consider further changes to tackle overtourism and its impact on the city and its inhabitants.

Michele Zuin, Venice’s budget and taxation councillor, told regional daily Il Gazzettino that the current charges were too democratic to make a noticeable difference.

“The current €5-10 charge is affordable for virtually everyone”, he said, warning that the fee risked losing its intended deterrent effect.

Zuin added that the proposed 2027 pricing still needed to be discussed and agreed with the national government. He said there had even been talks of hiking the price up to €50 per person per day, although authorities could ultimately settle on a €30 cap.

Venice’s new mayor, Simone Venturini, appears to share Zuin’s concerns. He said in July that the current €10 fee had failed to deter enough visitors on peak days.

But instead of imposing a blanket increase, Venturini favours a dynamic pricing system that would allow the fee to rise with demand on the busiest days.

“We spend 100 million euros a year just to maintain Venice physically” said Venturini, pointing out that neither the European Union nor the Italian government contributes to that cost. International critics do not contribute either, he added.

“It’s paid by the people of Venice, and in part through tourism taxes.”

Venturini has long advocated raising both the price of the entry fee and the number of days on which it applies.

He was the city’s councillor for tourism and social cohesion in 2024 when the scheme was first introduced and told Reuters at the time that nobody expected day-trippers to “miraculously disappear” but that the measure “will be more effective in the coming years when we increase the number of days and lift the price”.

Three editions later, the 2026 trial generated more than €5.2 million through the sale of nearly 680,000 tickets, according to provisional municipal data. But the figures on its effectiveness as a deterrent paint a more nuanced picture.

An average of 11,326 tickets were sold per charging day in 2026, a 32.3% decline compared with 2024.

The number of exceptionally busy days also fell. In 2024, four days saw at least 20,000 paid entries, compared with three in 2025 and only one in 2026, even as the number of charging days more than doubled, from 29 to 60.

The municipality itself has cautioned that the figures remain provisional and require further analysis. Weather, public holidays and broader tourism demand will need to be taken into account before determining how much of the decline can be attributed to the entry fee.

L’article Venice considers raising day-tripper fee to €30 as overtourism persists est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The 76-room hotel is part of the Pavilions Hotels & Resorts group and is located on Corso Italia, the main shopping street in the heart of the famous Italian ski resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Pavilions Hotels & Resorts (@thepavilionshotels)

Studio Marincola Architects have completely revamped the building, designing it to give the UNESCO-listed Dolomites centre stage. They have used Dolomia stone and fir wood, and large windows that turn the mountain landscape into living wallpaper inside the hotel itself.

Each room and suite has a private balcony from which guests can admire the stupendous views: snow-covered mountains in winter and pink and orange hues at sunset in summer.

International travellers can reach Cortina from Venice Marco Polo and Treviso Canova airports, both of which are around a two-hour drive away.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @thefirstcortina

The town has long been a favourite among skiers and mountaineers. It hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956, and returned to the international spotlight earlier this year as one of the host destinations of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games.

The property offers a variety of room and suite categories, including family suites, a Wellness Suite with a terrace view and a Jacuzzi Suite with a balcony view.

Topping the hotel is the 140 sqm Enrosadira Penthouse, which has three bedrooms, a 50 sqm terrace, a sauna, a Turkish bath, living and dining areas, and a fully equipped kitchen. Guests have the option of hiring a private chef.

Zuma, the contemporary Japanese restaurant that originated in London, will reopen at the hotel for its second winter season. It will serve aperitifs and dinner, and there will be live music and DJ sets at the bar late into the night.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @thefirstcortina

Alongside Zuma, the hotel will feature Velo, its signature restaurant offering Italian cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as afternoon tea, homemade pastries and chocolates.

The wellness facilities will be operated by REVĪVŌ Spa, the group’s luxury wellness brand. Alongside treatment rooms, the two-storey spa will feature a panoramic swimming pool with an outdoor area, a sauna, a hammam, a gym, a hair salon, and beauty services.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @thefirstcortina

The property will also have a dedicated ski room where guests can arrange ski and alpine guides, book instructors, and rent equipment ranging from hiking and trekking gear in summer to skis and snowboards in winter. E-mountain bikes will also be available for guests wishing to explore the area on two wheels.

The Dolomites have attracted a lot of attention this summer, with hundreds of visitors flocking to the Friedrich August mountain refuge in Val di Fassa to sample its freshly made krapfen, an Alpine doughnut-like pastry which has gone viral on social media.

This sudden surge in popularity has led to long queues and renewed concerns about overtourism in the mountains. No such risk at The First Cortina, where even the opening offer starts at €663 per night for two. The ‘Cortina Premiere’ package includes breakfast, afternoon tea at Velo and a complimentary room upgrade, subject to availability.

L’article New five-star hotel opens in the Dolomites ahead of ski season est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.