Do you want a tip for a beautiful motoring-tourism trip? You've got it. The duo of Erik Cais and Julia Thulin set out to explore the beautiful Alpine roads, that can be enjoyed not only by enthusiastic drivers, but even by the whole family. Their first expedition takes them from the Dolomite massif of Piz Boè to the famous mountain resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo. The route is full of wonderful corners, views and tourist attractions. Do you want to take a ride?
"I have to admit that I would like to enjoy all the corners ahead of us in my Fabia RS Rally2 special," says the Czech driver and World and European Rally Championship participant Erik Cais before the trip. This time, however, he is not hitting the track in a racing special. Instead, the pair is seated in a Škoda Kodiaq RS SUV, with Julia, a Swedish navigator and European Rally Championship competitor, behind the wheel. Their journey begins in the town of Canazei on the south-eastern edge of the Piz Boè massif. And the duo don't take the shortest route to Cortina from there, opting first for the scenic route around the entire massif, heading north first towards Plan de Gralba. There, Julia turns onto the SS243 road, which runs above the northern side of the massif and offers spectacular views.
The winding roads around here require the driver's full attention, even at a "cruising" pace, which is pleasant during such rides. It's not about sporting performance this time, that doesn't belong in normal traffic. Nevertheless, driving can be really enjoyable. The constant succession of corners and sharp hairpins keep the driver constantly occupied. And even at a leisurely pace, it allows you to enjoy the car's handling. "Remember to brake nicely until the corner so that the weight of the car is always in front and the front wheels don't lose grip," advises Erik. When traffic allows it, it's definitely better to be wider on the approach to a corner than to be carried out into oncoming traffic on the exit. For a car in the SUV category, the Kodiaq RS corners very well without any hint of under steer. The all-wheel drive is also well tuned, making the car beautifully neutral on exits.
Route 243 gives several opportunities for stops with truly breathtaking views of the massif. Piz Boè is the highest mountain of the Sella group in the Dolomites, with its 3,152 metres it is also the only 3,000m peak of this group. Incidentally, it is considered by hikers to be the easiest three-thousander to reach from the top station of the cable car leading to the neighbouring Sass Pordoi. From there it takes about an hour and a half.
When they've had enough to enjoy, the pair continues on and after a while turn right off the 243 road onto the SS244 road, which runs along the eastern side of the massif to the town of Arabba. Here, the driver and the Kodiaq RS, with its 180kW two-litre four-cylinder TSI engine and seven-speed DSG gearbox, can breathe a little easier, because the road is not so twisty. In Arabba, however, there's a left turn onto SR48, where you have to start paying attention behind the wheel again. The road here is very narrow in places and the curves are often very tight. The advantage is that the local asphalt is beautifully smooth. If you want to take a break from driving, you can stop here about halfway at the more than 1,000-year-old Castello di Andraz.
From here it's another beautiful 20 kilometres to Cortina, the views are interspersed with beautiful passages through the forest and Julia praises the car's balance and the work of the all-wheel drive. The finish in Cortina is such a pleasant end to this 50+ kilometre trip, which could easily take all day. Cortina is not just a famous ski resort, tourists can enjoy excellent gastronomy or a bit of adrenaline on the mountain bike trails, but also other attractions and activities.
