In Italy’s Dolomite Mountains, the experience of skiing is elevated to something truly magical – thanks in part to the rare natural phenomenon known as enrosadira. At dawn and dusk, the ancient coral peaks blush in shades of fiery pink, lavender, and deep red as the sunlight reflects off the magnesium-rich dolomite rock, painting the craggy spires in surreal, dreamlike colors. It’s a sight that lingers in your memory long after the snow has melted from your boots.
Skiing here isn’t just about carving through powdery slopes beneath prehistoric giants – it’s about the full sensory experience. One moment you’re savoring homemade tagliatelle in a cozy alpine hut, the next you’re sipping Austrian apple strudel tea or a frothy bombardino on a rooftop terrace as the mountains slowly catch fire in the evening light.
This rare natural phenomenon washes over the Dolomites at dawn and dusk when the sun's rays reflect off the craggy peaks in steamy shades of hot pink and wildfire red. The revered towers and cliffs illuminate, transporting visitors back to when the ancient Unesco World Heritage-listed mountains were a coral reef ascending from the sea. And soon, these spectacular sunsets will light up for the entire world when the Dolomites co-host the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics and Paralympics. But for now, you can still catch this wild, blushing beauty without all the crowds.
The name enrosadira comes from the ancient Ladin language – the last spoken Latin-based dialect – and literally means “turning pink.” According to legend, the vibrant hues are the last remnants of a rose garden created by an elf king whose daughter was taken away by a mortal. In his grief, he cast a spell so the garden could never again be seen in daylight – forgetting that sunrise and twilight still held its magic.
While science explains the glow through the dolomite mineral’s reflective properties, locals see it as something deeper – a living connection to the land, to heritage, to stories whispered by firelight in generations past. “It creates a magical, emotional atmosphere,” says Nicole Dorigo of Alta Badia. “It’s not just a color – it’s a feeling.”
And nowhere is that feeling more alive than at places like Delights On Ice – a candlelit experience on frozen Lake Sompunt, where tuxedoed waiters glide across the ice with champagne, and the rose-tinted peaks shimmer in the reflection. Or at Chalet Tofane near Cortina, where you can sip warm cocktails while watching the sunset behind the Olympic slopes.
As the world looks to the Dolomites for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, there’s still time to experience this serene, glowing wonder before the crowds arrive. The enrosadira isn’t just a spectacle – it’s the soul of the mountains, painted in pink.
Madina Mammadova\\EDnews
