Lagazuoi: cable car and Great War tunnels

What it is

The Piccolo Lagazuoi, at 2,778 metres, was one of the hardest fronts of the First World War in the Dolomites. Between 1915 and 1917, Italian and Austro-Hungarian soldiers dug tunnels into the mountain to blow up or bury the enemy's positions with mines. Today its restored trenches, tunnels and barracks form a free open-air museum, and a cable car climbs in a few minutes from the Passo Falzarego, at 2,105 metres, to the Rifugio Lagazuoi, at 2,752.

It is a visit that mixes history and high mountains: you go up by cable car, see the summit positions and, if you are equipped, come down inside the mountain through the tunnel the Alpini dug.

The cable car

It runs in summer from 6 June to 18 October 2026, from 9:00 to 16:40, with a cabin every 15 minutes; the last descent is at 17:00. In winter it opens from 23 December to 4 April. Dogs are admitted, with their own rules published on the cable car's website. The price is not on the website in the low season: check it at the ticket office or in the Lagazuoi online shop. The Lagazuoi is not included in the Alta Badia Summer Card, although its holders get a discount.

What to see at the top

• The summit and the hut. Next to the upper station is the Rifugio Lagazuoi, with a terrace open to the surrounding peaks.
• The Austrian positions. On the ridge, restored trenches, observation posts and tunnels.
• The Piccolo Lagazuoi tunnel. A helical tunnel dug by the Italian Alpini from the Cengia Martini towards the summit to surprise the Austrians. It is dark, damp and very steep, with a metal handrail cable along the whole route.
• The Cengia Martini. The ledge at the exit of the tunnel, the scene of fighting between Alpini and Kaiserjäger, with remains of posts, barracks and rubble from the mines.

Going down through the tunnel

The classic route goes up by cable car and walks down through the tunnel to the Cengia Martini, and from there along path 402 back to the Passo Falzarego. It is about 3.5 km and 350 metres of descent, in about three hours. Dolomiti.it rates it easy, but it is catalogued as a ferrata: you need a head torch, helmet and mountain footwear with a good sole, and ferrata equipment is recommended. At the Lagazuoi infopoint, at the pass, they rent helmets and head torches for €8 each or €13 for both.

If you don't want to go into the tunnel, you can see the summit positions and come down by cable car.

Guided visit and app

The cable car company organises guided visits to the museum with a historical guide and has a free app, La Grande Guerra sul Piccolo Lagazuoi, for doing the visit on your own. Check the dates and price of the guided tour on its website.

When to go and what the weather is like

At 2,700 metres it is cold even in August, and the weather changes quickly. Go up early: summer storms usually arrive in the afternoon and you don't want to be in the tunnel in the rain. In fog, the view disappears; check the webcam before paying.

Getting there

The cable car leaves from the Passo Falzarego, on the road between Cortina d'Ampezzo and the Val Badia. In summer the pass car park fills on good days: arrive early. Without a car, check in Cortina for the buses that go up to the pass in season.

With children

The summit and the trenches work well with children. The tunnel is something else: it is steep, dark and slippery; do it only with older children, used to the mountains and well equipped.