Ski and snow You may not think about the Winter Olympics until the end of the summer. But if you want to go, then you should start planning now. northern Italy Come February, don’t waste time.
With the right planning, it’s still possible to be a part of the action this winter—where you can hear skis slide across the snow, and the sweet scrape of skates on ice, as over 90 nations compete for medals. It’s important to be organized as there are events scheduled in over a half-dozen destinations in the region. Figure Skating will be one of those. MilanFor starters, you can try bobsledding and snowboarding in Cortina. The last two Winter Olympics were held in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Beijing, China, athletes and spectators are thrilled to be heading to a more traditional winter sports venue, and one rooted in Olympic lore (Cortina hosted the 1956 Games)—and, there are some exciting storylines to follow, including American skier Lindsey Vonn’s remarkable comeback and the debut of ski mountaineering (a combination of uphill and downhill skiing).
Following the February events, the 2026 Winter Paralympics will kick off on March 6 in the Roman Arena in Verona. The closing ceremony, which will take place on March 15, will be held at the Cortina Curling Stadium. This is where the new medal competition, wheelchair curling doubles, will take place. Cortina is also hosting para alpine and para snowboarding. Sled hockey and Para Nordic Skiing will take place in Val di Fiemme, and Milan will host sled-hockey.
Some venues are separated from each other by hundreds of miles on winding mountain roads. Expect recommends choosing and focusing on a few sports within a particular geographic area.
Below, you will find more information if you want to witness the action live. This is your cheat sheet for planning a trip to the Winter Olympics in 2026 at the last minute.
How to book hotels for the Olympics
Katia Brita, travel designer and Katia Brida’s colleague at Dream BeyondThe Dolomites are the focus of a specialist agency. The main airports in Milan are Malpensa, and VeniceThere are two Marco Polo airports and smaller hubs located in Verona & Treviso. These tiny mountain towns do have limited room availability. The hotels that reserved rooms for Olympic officials are soon to release their remaining inventory.
Brida says, “Due to its size, Milan has a wide range of accommodation options to suit every budget.” Cortina has a smaller mountain town and a limited number of properties. Prices are therefore higher. Brida points out that hotel rates in Cortina tripled during Olympic dates. “Bormio has the same problem, with its limited availability and higher costs,” Brida adds. “We recommend that clients consider staying in the nearby Dolomites valleys, such as Alta Badia, or Val Gardena. But they will have to compromise with the travel times to the Olympic race sites.”
