The village strung along the Santa Caterina lake, below the Marmarole, where the road to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo starts from the south side.
A short history
Auronzo di Cadore sits at 864 metres in the Val d'Ansiei, strung out for kilometres along the shores of the Santa Caterina lake. The lake is not natural: it was created in the 1930s by damming the Ansiei stream, and today it is what gives the village its shape, with the houses following it on both sides and the Marmarole closing the far end.
Before tourism, Auronzo lived on timber and mining. In the Val Ansiei, in the Argentiera area, zinc and lead were extracted, and the work went on into the twentieth century: it is an industrial history rarely told in the Dolomites, because it does not fit the postcard.
The village's name today is tied to a hut thirty kilometres further up and sixteen hundred metres higher. The Auronzo hut, at the foot of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, belongs to the municipality, and the toll road that reaches it starts on municipal land, through Misurina. That is the way most people go to the Tre Cime.
For a stay of a few days, Auronzo is the low, quiet base of this area: you sleep by the lake, eat at Cadore prices and go up high in the morning. Misurina, a hamlet of the same municipality, sits eight hundred metres higher and is another thing entirely.
How to fit Auronzo di Cadore into a three, five or seven day trip: The Dolomites in 3, 5 or 7 Days: How to Plan Your Trip.
What to see
- The Santa Caterina lake, the water along the village, with the walk around both shores.
- The Misurina lake and the Cadini di Misurina, in the high hamlet where the road to the Tre Cime begins.
- Monte Piana with its open-air museum of the Great War, above Misurina, where the front ran across the summit.
How to get to Auronzo di Cadore
By train you arrive at Calalzo di Cadore, the end of the line from Belluno and Padua, and continue on the scheduled bus up the Val d'Ansiei: about thirty minutes. By car you climb from Pieve di Cadore on the SS51 bis, or come down from Cortina over the Tre Croci Pass and Misurina. For the Tre Cime the toll road starts at Misurina and in high season it closes once the car park at the hut is full.
When to go
Summer is the full season, with the Val d'Ansiei trails and the climb to the Tre Cime, but it is also when the toll road jams: leave early or use the shuttle. In autumn the lake with the larches turned is the best moment to be in the village. In winter the low altitude tells, and for snow you go up to Misurina.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Auronzo di Cadore?
At 864 metres in the Val d'Ansiei, province of Belluno, strung along the Santa Caterina lake below the Marmarole. By train you arrive at Calalzo di Cadore and continue by scheduled bus, about thirty minutes.
Is the Santa Caterina lake natural?
No. It was created in the 1930s by damming the Ansiei stream, and it gave the village the shape it has today, with the houses spread along both shores. Swimming is not allowed: the municipal tourist office confirmed it to us.
How do you reach the Tre Cime di Lavaredo from Auronzo?
You go up to Misurina, a hamlet of the same municipality, and from there the toll road climbs to the Auronzo hut at the foot of the Tre Cime. In high season the road closes once the car park at the top is full, so leave early or use the shuttle.
Why is the Auronzo hut called that if it stands at the Tre Cime?
Because it belongs to the municipality of Auronzo di Cadore, which also owns that stretch of high ground. The hut is thirty kilometres further up than the village and sixteen hundred metres higher.
Better to stay in Auronzo or Misurina?
It depends. Auronzo is at 864 metres, quieter, you eat at Cadore prices and go up high in the morning. Misurina is at 1,754 metres, so it is cooler in summer and closer to the road for the Tre Cime, but it is a much smaller place.