Passo Giau (2,236 m / 7,336 ft) and Passo di Falzarego (2,105 m / 6,906 ft) are the two passes that make Cortina d'Ampezzo worth basing a trip around. Giau is the steeper and more dramatic of the pair, with 29 hairpins and three avalanche tunnels on the climb from Selva di Cadore. Falzarego is the longer, more open crossing on the SS48, 15 km / 9.3 miles of it, running west from Cortina toward Agordo with a spur over Passo di Valparola into Val Badia. Ridden together with the valley road between them, they make a loop of roughly 60 km / 37 miles.
Two passes, one very good loop
Cortina sits in a bowl with pass roads leaving in most directions, and the two that riders come for are these. They are close enough to link in an afternoon, different enough in character that doing both is not repetitive, and both end up back in the same valley.
Giau is the one that photographs well: a road that climbs out of the trees onto open high pasture surrounded by rock towers, with the summit sitting at the foot of Nuvolau (2,574 m / 8,445 ft) and Averau (2,647 m / 8,684 ft). From the top the view runs west toward Colle Santa Lucia with the Marmolada and Piz Boè beyond, north to Ra Gusela, and east into the Cortina valley with the Tofane, Croda Rossa, Pomagagnon and Cristallo.
Falzarego is the workhorse — a proper trans-Dolomite route on the SS48 that connects the Agordo area with Cortina, and the gateway to Val Badia and the Sella Ronda passes via Valparola. It also carries more history than any other road in the group.
Route at a glance
| Pass | Elevation | Road | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passo Giau (Jof de Giau) | 2,236 m / 7,336 ft | SP638 | 29 hairpins and 3 avalanche tunnels on the Selva di Cadore side; Cortina side easier |
| Passo di Falzarego (Jou de Fauzare) | 2,105 m / 6,906 ft | SS48 | 15 km / 9.3 miles; Lagazuoi cable car from the summit |
| Passo di Valparola (Ju de Valparola) | 2,168 m / 7,113 ft | SP24 | spur north from Falzarego to Val Badia; Forte Tre Sassi museum |
| Giau connects | Cortina d'Ampezzo with Colle Santa Lucia and Selva di Cadore | ||
| Falzarego connects | Cortina d'Ampezzo with the Agordo area, and via Valparola with Val Badia | ||
| Vehicle access | the Giau road is passable by trucks and coaches; the Falzarego road is not | ||
| Loop from Cortina | roughly 60 km / 37 miles taking in both passes | ||
Send the loop to your navigation app with the Cortina–Giau–Falzarego–Cortina directions.
Passo Giau, the steep side and the easy side
The two ramps of Giau are not equivalent, and knowing which is which shapes how you plan the day.
From Selva di Cadore, the southern approach, the road climbs through 29 tornanti and passes through three tunnels built to protect it from avalanches. It is the harder, tighter, more relentless side — the reason the Maratona dles Dolomites has used Giau as the sixth and steepest of its seven passes since 1988. On a motorcycle it is thoroughly enjoyable, but it is first-and-second-gear work for long stretches and it does not let up until the pasture opens out at the top.
From Cortina, the northern approach, the road is noticeably more manageable — wider, with a gentler gradient. Because the Giau road, unlike the Falzarego road, is passable by trucks and coaches, it is used as an alternative route into Cortina from the Agordino area, so expect larger vehicles on it.
At the summit there is Rifugio Passo Giau, with Rifugio Da Aurelio at 2,175 m / 7,136 ft just below and Rifugio Fedare at 2,000 m / 6,562 ft on the western descent. The high pasture makes it one of the few Dolomite summits where you can park, walk fifty metres and get a clear view in every direction.
Passo di Falzarego and the war above it
Falzarego runs 15 km / 9.3 miles and crosses at 2,105 m / 6,906 ft. The name most likely comes from the Ladin word fóuze, scythe — although a local folk etymology insists it means "false king", after the king of the Fanes who was supposedly turned to stone for betraying his people.
The riding is faster and more open than Giau, which makes it the better of the two to cross on a loaded bike or in poor light. The eastern ramp toward Cortina flows particularly well.
What sets Falzarego apart is what happened above it. A cable car rises from the summit to the Lagazuoi at 2,762 m / 9,062 ft, which was the scene of heavy combat and mine warfare during the First World War. The tunnel the Italians dug beneath the Austro-Hungarian positions is open to the public. If you have any interest in the Italian Front, this is the single most accessible place to stand in it.
Passo di Valparola, the short detour that is always worth it
From the Falzarego summit the SP24 branches north, passing below Sass de Stria and over Passo di Valparola at 2,168 m / 7,113 ft on its way to Val Badia. It is a short road and an easy one, and it is the natural link between the Cortina passes and the Sella group.
It also holds Forte Tre Sassi. The Austro-Hungarian army built the fort on the pass between 1897 and 1900; Italian artillery partly destroyed it in 1915, after which the Austrians kept illuminating the ruin at night to suggest it was still manned. It has since been restored and houses a museum. Next to the pass are the remains of the Edelweiss position — trenches, bunkers and casemates built across the open 600 m gap between Sasso di Stria (2,477 m / 8,127 ft) and the Settsass (2,571 m / 8,435 ft). Much of it is still visible from the road.
Practical information
Season. These are lower crossings than Stelvio or Gavia and they serve Cortina and the surrounding valleys year-round rather than closing for the winter. That does not make them all-weather roads. Published accounts note that the winter season on Giau is often compromised by avalanches coming down onto the uncovered sections despite the protective tunnels. As of August 2026, treat June to September as the comfortable riding window and check current road status with the Veneto road service outside it.
Vehicle limits. The Giau road takes trucks and coaches; the Falzarego road does not. In practice that means more large vehicles on Giau and more campervans on Falzarego.
Tolls. None on either pass. Italian towns operate limited traffic zones (ZTL) that may affect your approach through built-up areas. Rules and charges change annually, so check with the municipality concerned.
Fuel. Cortina d'Ampezzo is the reliable stop. There is fuel in the valley villages but nothing at either summit.
Events. Falzarego appears on the Giro d'Italia route from time to time and Giau is a fixture of the Maratona dles Dolomites in early July, both of which bring road closures. Check event calendars before booking a date.
Gear notes
Giau's southern ramp is the specific problem here. Twenty-nine hairpins on a steep gradient means a lot of low-speed, high-lean, engine-braking work, and three tunnels that go from bright pasture to dark in a second. A clear or photochromic visor is genuinely worth carrying.
The tunnels also make the case against relying on a handlebar-clamped phone for navigation: glare, heat and vibration are all working against you, and this is exactly the situation the phone navigation risks guide describes. A purpose-built unit such as the JADO S6 riding system holds the route offline through the valleys where signal disappears.
On tyres, repeated steep descents put real heat into a rear that has been running cool at 2,200 m. Setting sensible cold pressures using the tyre pressure guide and watching them live with a TPMS sensor is a small amount of preparation for a day with this much elevation change in it.
FAQ
Which is better, Giau or Falzarego?
Different jobs. Giau is the more spectacular and the more demanding, especially from Selva di Cadore with its 29 hairpins. Falzarego is longer, more open and easier to enjoy on a loaded bike, and it carries the Lagazuoi war history. Ride both — they are 20 minutes apart.
How high is Passo Giau?
2,236 m / 7,336 ft, which makes it the highest of the three passes covered here, above Valparola at 2,168 m / 7,113 ft and Falzarego at 2,105 m / 6,906 ft.
Are the passes open in winter?
They are not seasonal closures in the way the high alpine crossings are, since they serve Cortina and the surrounding valleys all year. But avalanches regularly affect the Giau road in winter and snow can close either pass at short notice. Check the live road status before travelling outside summer.
Can I link these passes to the Sella Ronda?
Yes, and it is the obvious plan. From Falzarego take the SP24 over Valparola into Val Badia, which drops you at Corvara — the usual starting point for the four Sella Ronda passes. The two loops together make a full and very good day.
Is there anything to see at the summits?
At Falzarego, the cable car to the Lagazuoi and its First World War tunnel system. At Valparola, the restored Forte Tre Sassi museum and the Edelweiss position. At Giau, mountain huts and one of the best all-round panoramas in the Dolomites.
Sources
- Giau Pass, Wikipedia — en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giau_Pass
- Falzarego Pass, Wikipedia — en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falzarego_Pass
- Valparola Pass, Wikipedia — en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valparola_Pass
