Structured in two macro sections that follow the rhythm of time and the variation of colors of nature, Winter and Summer – to which is dedicated the “double” cover of the book – the volume tells Cortina and its habits, in the alternation of seasons, from huts to stubes (the ancient stoves), from the flower-painted furniture to the home cooked banquets, from the beautifully set Christmas tables to the traditional clothes. Through the images of some of the most exclusive places in the magnificent valley, many photographed for the first time, The queen of the Dolomites. Living in Cortina d’Ampezzo reveals the secrets, customs and traditions of one of the main mountain destinations in Italy, where contemporary sensitivity is mixed with the rustic roots of the place.

Starting from the importance of skiing and the 1956 Olympic Games, which definitively sealed the tourist vocation of Cortina and its international fame, Giol focuses on materials, on the functional elements and decorative details that furnish the most spectacular homes. Ceramic and majolica stoves, stone fireplaces, some majestic, others more intimate, furs that cover sofas and armchairs, unique chandeliers, beautifully carved in wood and decorated with skill – the so-called lusters (literally, “horns”) – Hybrid creatures half human and half animal, with the ends ending in horns, populate the pages dedicated to materials and winter style. Cortina has also been set for many famous films, from The Pink Panther to 007. Only for your eyes, as well as a refuge of international celebrities and famous figures, such as Ernest Hemingway, who stayed at the Hotel de la Poste, where “his” room is still miraculously intact. Giol then focuses on the typical dishes of Ampezzo cuisine, which, as often happens to border towns, blend the flavors of Tyrol with those of Italy.

The summer section shows the magnificent valley of Cortina, surrounded by the imposing Dolomite walls of the Tofane, Monte Cristallo and the Sorapiss group, the stone giants UNESCO heritage. Always a paradise for those who love nature, walks and climbing, the culture of mountaineering is the basis of summer ampezzano tourism. Giol’s story continues on the steps of medieval history of Cortina – witnessed by the stones that remain from the three castles of Botestagno, de Zanna and Sant’Uberto – to linger then on the materials of Cortina d’Ampezzo copper and pewter, whose processing is part of a craft tradition that has been handed down for centuries.
There is also a reference to intellectuals like Indro Montanelli, who lived in Cortina mainly in the summer, with photos of his desk and the splendid living room overlooking the valley, with the wooden table engraved with the date of his marriage with his wife, Colette Rosselli. The story of the two “queens” of Cortina: Ira von Furstenberg, the so-called “Lady Europe”, title won by her at the European beauty contest held in the town of Venice in 1965; and Marta Marzotto, queen of worldliness, who stayed in Cortina for months and organized dinners, events and exclusive parties, of which memory is still preserved. Splendid pages dedicated to the traditional costumes of Cortina and their Ladin influences, the art of filigree and fabrics Ampezzo, summer flavors that are simple, familiar, rustic, linked to popular customs and seasons.