The venues for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics promise to be almost as spectacular as the events themselves. Milan is Europe’s style capital, and Cortina d’Ampezzo, known as "the Queen of the Dolomites," is famously one of the most beautiful ski resorts in the world. But those two are just the start. The Italian organising committee takes great pride in the fact that they’re staging the most geographically dispersed winter games ever—with the competitions taking place in eight separate cities or villages, spread out across an area of 22,000 square kilometres.
"Known as "the Queen of the Dolomites," Cortina d'Ampezzo is famously one of the most beautiful ski resorts in the world"
In part, this is for environmental reasons. As far as possible, they’re trying to use pre-existing facilities (including a Roman amphitheatre that’s “pre-existed” for almost 2,000 years!) This will not only save on construction costs, but also the massive environmental footprint involved in pouring concrete and shaping steel for new stadiums.
But the geographical spread is also being seen as a huge plus—an opportunity to showcase the vast variety of terrain that north-eastern Italy has to offer. Here’s our guide to the ski resorts and cities that will be hosting the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. If you’re streaming the Games from the UK, look out for the landmarks in the background.
Or, if you’re planning a ski holiday in Italy afterwards, get these destinations on your shortlist—following the spruce up for the Olympics, each will be looking its absolute best once the Games are over.
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Events: Women’s Alpine Skiing, Curling, Luge, Skeleton, Bobsleigh
Venues: Olympia delle Tofane piste, Sliding Centre, Curling Stadium
Cortina, host of the 1956 Winter Olympics, is returning to the global stage with a mixture of revamped, historic venues and new construction. The Olympia delle Tofane piste will welcome the world’s top female ski racers for Downhill, Slalom, Super-G, Giant Slalom, and the new Team Combined event. The iconic Schuss section, with its dramatic rock walls and 65 percent gradient, remains one of the most challenging slopes anywhere on the circuit—trust us, we’ve skied it, and as pisted runs go, it is gnarly!
Along with Cortina’s old Olympic ski jump, the resort’s 1950s bobsled track played a starring role in this James Bond chase in 1981’s For Your Eyes Only—arguably the high watermark of the Roger Moore era. Unfortunately, it was mothballed in 2008, with the curves deemed too tight for fast, modern racing.
A brand new track is being built ahead of the 2026 Games, however. Though controversial for its cost and environmental footprint, the design retains parts of the historic course—and having seen it under construction, it looks impressive. Curling will be played in a renovated venue that originally hosted the 1956 Opening Ceremony. The structure now includes a new changing facility and upgraded seating, blending old and new.
Milan
Events: Opening Ceremony, Ice Hockey, Speed Skating, Short Track, Figure Skating
Venues: San Siro Stadium, PalaItalia Santa Giulia Hockey Arena, Forum di Milano Ice Skating Arena, Fiera Milano Ice Park
In Milan, the San Siro—home to both of Milan’s legendary football clubs, AC and Inter—will host the Opening Ceremony in what promises to be a spectacular show. The city is also constructing the PalaItalia Santa Giulia, a brand-new, 16,000-capacity ice arena which will stage the ice hockey finals.
Figure skating and short track events will take place at the Forum di Milano Ice Skating Arena. Speed skating and other hockey matches will be held at temporary rinks set up at Fiera Milano, which normally hosts trade shows.
Livigno
Events: Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding (Slopestyle, Big Air, Halfpipe, Moguls, Aerials, Parallel Slalom, Snowboard Cross, Ski Cross)
Venues: Mottolino Snowpark, Carosello Ski Area
Livigno has long been a freestyle hub, having hosted the legendary Burton European Open snowboard contest for several years in the early 2000s—an era before most skiers knew what freestyle was. For the Games, the Mottolino Snowpark will host slopestyle, big air, and halfpipe events for both skiers and snowboarders.
These are the events where Team GB has some of its strongest medal contenders, so you can expect the BBC to show plenty of the goings on in Livigno. The Carosello side of the mountain will stage the old school freestyle ski disciplines: moguls and aerials—aka the random ones the Belarussians always seem to excel at.
Bormio
Events: Men’s Alpine Skiing, Ski Mountaineering
Venue: Stelvio Ski Centre
Situated at the top of the Valtellina Valley, the resort town of Bormio is famous for two things: its natural hot springs, which have attracted visitors since Roman times, and high speed ski racing. With a vertical drop over 1,000m and gradients hitting 73 percent, the Stelvio slope is arguably the gnarliest on the World Cup circuit. It will be the site of the men’s Downhill, Slalom, Super-G, Giant Slalom, and Team Combined races.
This Olympic will also mark the debut appearance for Ski Mountaineering. Though traditionally a backcountry pursuit, the competitive version is very popular in Italy. It involves athletes climbing and descending on prepared courses using skins and touring skis.
Tesero
Events: Cross-Country Skiing, Nordic Combined
Venue: Cross-Country Stadium
Tesero, just up the road from the town of Cavalese in the Val di Fiemme, has long been a pilgrimage site for Nordic skiers. Since 1971, it’s hosted the 70km Marcialonga, one of the world’s great cross-country races.
Olympic events here include classic and free technique races, team relays, sprints, and the 50km mass start. The stadium also serves as the base for the cross-country segment of the Nordic Combined competition—the crazy one where people have to do both cross country and ski jumping.
Predazzo
Events: Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined
Venue: Ski Jumping Stadium
Located just down the valley from Tesero, Predazzo’s purpose-built ski jumping facility has been upgraded for 2026. The jumps are being completely rebuilt, and the site will host the men’s and women’s Small Hill and Large Hill competitions, plus team events.
It also serves as the venue for the ski jumping portion of the Nordic Combined.
Anterselva / Antholz
Events: Biathlon
Venue: Anterselva Biathlon Arena
This South Tyrolean resort, nestled within the Rieserferner-Ahrn Nature Park, has a strong biathlon pedigree. It’s been a World Cup fixture since the 1970s and boasts one of the sport’s premier arenas.
Athletes will compete in multiple formats, including sprints, pursuits, relays, and individual races, with six sets of medals up for grabs.
Verona
Event: Closing Ceremony
Venue: Arena di Verona
The Games will end on February 22 with a spectacular Closing Ceremony in the Arena di Verona, a Roman amphitheatre dating back to 30AD.
Once the site of gladiatorial battles to the death, the arena has more recently been used to hoste operas and concerts—and now, for the first time, the final moments of an Olympic Games. Here’s hoping they’ll be marginally less bloody than the final moments of most Roman games!
