The Giau Pass was climbed for the first time at the Giro d’Italia in 1973 and has been covered many times since then. It has been designated as Cima Coppi, i.e. the highest point reached in those editions, in 1973, 2011 and 2021. It is considered one of the legendary passes of the Giro d’Italia, especially on the Colle Santa Lucia side, due to its difficulty and regularity. On the other hand, the Ampezzo side is shorter and slightly easier, but becomes very hard and constant in the middle and final part.

The Giau Pass lies in the centre of a vast alpine pasture, at the foot of the Nuvolau and the Averau. From here, it is easy to reach Monte Pore or the alpine pasture of Mondeval, at the foot of the Lastoi de Formin. The panorama is majestic, with a view to the west embracing Colle Santa Lucia with the Pale di San Martino, Cime D’Auta, Marmolada, Piz Boè and Setsass. Towards the east, the Cortina d’Ampezzo basin can be admired, with the Tofane, Croda Rossa, Pomagagnon, Cristallo, Croda da Lago and Lastoni di Formin.

Even today, on the top of the pass you can see the boundary stone that marked the division between the then Serenissima Republic of Venice and the Empire of Austria. The Giau Pass was also the set of an exciting scene in the famous 1985 film ‘Ladyhawke’, directed by Richard Donner and starring Matthew Broderick, Rutger Hauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Alfred Molina, Leo McKern and Ken Hutchison.