The Nuvolau Refuge, dating back to 1883, boasts the title of being the oldest refuge in the Dolomites. It was built at the end of the 19th century, when Cortina was part of Hapsburg territory, by the local section of the Austro-German Alpine Club.

Inaugurated on 11 August 1883, it was the first alpine hut built in the Ampezzo area and the first in the Dolomites. The refuge was built thanks to the generosity of Baron Richard vom Meerheimb, a seriously ill German colonel who found healing in Ampezzo and decided to build the refuge as a sign of gratitude, naming it Sachsendankhütte.

After a first extension in 1901, the hut was destroyed during the First World War. After the conflict, Cortina d’Ampezzo became part of the Kingdom of Italy and the hut became the property of the CAI section of Cortina. The hut was then enlarged and reopened in 1930 under the name Rifugio Nuvolau.

The spectacular view from the hut embraces numerous famous peaks, including the Tofane, the Croda da Lago group, Cristallo, Sorapis, Marmolada, Sella, Pelmo, Antelao, Lagazuoi, and Mount Civetta, to name but a few.