Sunrise for the quietest light and fewest visitors
In brief
Cinque Torri — five freestanding rock towers rising from a grassy hillock near Cortina d'Ampezzo — pairs dramatic, sculptural rock formations with genuinely quieter crowds than better-known Cortina viewpoints, plus an open-air First World War museum woven through the same trails.
A chairlift from Baita Bai de Dones, about 25 minutes from Cortina, lifts couples to just below the towers in a few minutes; an easy circular trail then winds between all five formations and past the remnants of WWI fortifications built directly into the rock.
Because Cinque Torri sits slightly off the main Cortina sightseeing circuit, it draws noticeably fewer visitors than Tre Cime or the town's central viewpoints, particularly at sunrise, when the towers catch the first light with almost nobody else around.
The formation itself offers natural framing devices that few other locations in our portfolio have — couples can be positioned between, beside or looking up through the towers, giving a genuinely different compositional language from an open ridge or lake. This is one of our elopement package locations and one of the easiest half-day additions to a Cortina d'Ampezzo-based wedding.
Planning notes
- The chairlift typically operates only in summer and early autumn; outside that window the towers are reached on foot instead, adding meaningfully to the approach time.
- The WWI-era trenches and fortifications underfoot are uneven in places — trail shoes for the approach are worth it even though the walk itself is genuinely easy.
- Because this is a shorter session than a full-day elopement, it works particularly well as a second-location add-on the same day as a Cortina ceremony or reception.
- Chairlift hours and the open-air museum's opening dates are listed on the Belluno Dolomites tourism board's Cinque Torri page.
What couples say
“We had exactly ninety minutes of good light and a boat to ourselves. Our photographer had a shot list for the weather we actually got, not the one we'd hoped for. The photos still make our families cry.”
“We eloped with two witnesses and a drone permit we didn't know we needed until the team sorted it. Everything about the day felt handled.”
Frequently asked questions
How does Cinque Torri compare to Tre Cime di Lavaredo?
Cinque Torri is shorter, easier and less crowded — a chairlift plus an easy trail versus Tre Cime's toll road and longer hike — but trades some of Tre Cime's monumental scale for a more intimate, sculptural set of rock towers.
Is Cinque Torri suitable as a half-day add-on to a Cortina wedding?
Yes — at roughly 25 minutes from Cortina with a short chairlift and easy trail, it's one of the simplest additional locations to fit into an existing Cortina-based itinerary.
Do we need hiking experience?
No — the chairlift removes most of the elevation gain, and the circular trail among the towers is an easy, well-marked walk.
In-depth guides for Cinque Torri
Commercial photography authorization required; chairlift tickets handled as part of booking
Chairlift from Baita Bai de Dones (1,889m) to near the towers (2,255m), or an easy hike; roughly 25 minutes from Cortina d'Ampezzo
Quietly dramatic rock towers with WWI history and panoramic 360-degree views
Lower than most Cortina-area locations, especially at sunrise
Sunrise Elopement or a half-day add-on to a Cortina-based wedding
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Now booking 2026–2027 · limited dates