If you missed out on the show-stopping Paris Olympics in 2024, you’re in luck: Your next chance to attend the Olympic Games in Europe is around the corner. Planning for the Milan-Cortina Winter 2026 Olympics is already in full swing—but it’s not too late to secure tickets and start plotting your trip. The upcoming games, the fourth in Italy (following the 1956 Winter Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo, the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, and the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin) and the first in Milan, is anticipated to be nothing short of glamorous.
Set against the backdrop of dramatic Italian landscapes, including the snow-draped Dolomites and historic cities such as Milan and Verona, fans can expect the 17-day event to come packed not only with incredible athletic talent but also experiences tailored to both the sports- and travel-obsessed crowds, including exciting side-trip options, upscale dining, box seats, lounges, and five-star hotels.
Ready to hit the slopes (or soak in the luxe après-ski atmosphere) alongside the world’s most passionate fans, athletes, and travelers? Here’s how to plan a trip to the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
The 2026 Winter Olympics will mark the first time that Italy’s fashion capital, Milan, will host the international sporting event.
Courtesy of Ouael Ben Salah/Unsplash
When are the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games?
Officially, the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are scheduled to take place from February 6 to 22, 2026. However, curling events will start on February 4, and some ice hockey and snowboarding events will start on February 5. The 2026 Winter Paralympics will be held from March 6 to 15, 2026.
Where will the Games take place?
The 2026 Winter Olympics will be the first games with two host cities: Milan and Cortina.
The opening ceremony will take place on February 6, 2026, in Milan at San Siro, the largest stadium in Italy. Events will be spread across two regions (Lombardi and Veneto) and several cities in northern Italy, including Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo (aka Cortina) in the Dolomites, and Valtellina in the Alps. The sporting events will be dispersed among the sites as follows:
- Milan: Figure skating, ice hockey, speed skating and short-track speed skating, para ice hockey
- Cortina d’Ampezzo: Women’s alpine skiing, bobsled, luge, skeleton, curling, Paralympic alpine skiing, Paralympic snowboarding, and wheelchair curling
- Bormio: Men’s alpine skiing and ski mountaineering
- Anterselva: Biathlon
- Livigno: Freestyle skiing and snowboarding
- Predazzo: Ski jumping and Nordic combined (jumping events)
- Tesero: Cross-country skiing, Nordic combined (cross-country skiing), Paralympic biathlon, and Paralympic cross-country skiing
For the first time since 1984, the closing ceremony will be set in a separate venue: the Arena di Verona, a centuries-old Roman amphitheater, in the 2,000-year-old city of Verona, best known as the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
Together, these venues stretch over roughly 8,500 square miles, making it one of the most geographically widespread Winter Olympics. One reason the events are so spread out is because the hosts opted to reuse existing venues (as opposed to building new sites solely for the games).
The Winter Paralympics, on the other hand, will kick off in the Arena di Verona, while the closing ceremony will be held at the Cortina Curling Stadium.
What events will take place?
More than 3,500 athletes from 93 countries will compete across 22 events during the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games (with 16 and 6 disciplines, respectively). All told, there will be 195 medal events, with 245 gold, silver, and bronze medals awarded at the Olympics and 137 medals awarded at the Paralympics. Crowd favorites include figure skating, snowboarding, ski jumping, bobsledding, cross-country skiing, luge, and ice hockey. (This will be the first time in 12 years that NHL players will be able to compete—their return promises top-tier hockey drama.) Additionally, ski mountaineering is also set to make its Olympic debut (with men’s sprint, women’s sprint, and a mixed relay). There will also be newly expanded events like men’s and women’s dual moguls, women’s double luge, and women’s large hill ski jumping.
How to book tickets
Eager to secure your spot? You can purchase official 2026 Winter Olympics tickets (they’ve been on sale since January 2025) on the Olympics website. For the Olympics, tickets start at around 30 euros, with most under 100 euros (though some premium seats for the most popular spots can cost as much as 1,400 euros), with pricing varying by event, session, and category. For the Paralympic Games, prices are between 15 and 80 euros. For the Olympics opening ceremony, prices range from 260 to 2,026 euros, while the closing ceremony ranges from 950 to 2,900 euros. (At the Paralympic Games, it’s 100 to 650 euros, and 150 to 350 euros, respectively.)
All tickets are digital, delivered via an official mobile app launching in December 2025.
If the event you had your heart set on is sold out (as is the case for many ice hockey and figure skating events), keep an eye on the official resale platform, which is slated to go live in December.
Want to attend Olympic events for free? Volunteer applications for the 2026 Winter Olympics opened in September 2024. Here’s how to apply.
While in Italy for the Winter Olympics, why not round out your stay with some skiing and sightseeing in the Dolomites?
Photo by pixelshop/Shutterstock
How to book travel packages
On Location—the same group tasked with providing hospitality services for the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup—will helm hospitality for the 2026 Winter Games as well. Its Olympics packages can be tailored to guests’ ideal length of stay and ideal sporting events on a first-come, first-served basis. Visitors can also tack on additional travel experiences; for instance, you can add excursions to explore Milan’s fashion history, ride along the Venetian canals, or ski at world-class resorts in the Dolomites.
2026 Winter Olympic package tiers include:
- Livigno: Contains single-day tickets for two sporting events in Livigno, with an overnight stay
- Milan: Features a three-night stay in Milan and tickets to three sporting events
- Cortina: Offers a three-night stay in Cortina and tickets to three sporting events
On Location will also offer a package for those interested in combining the Olympics with tourist excursions. For instance, guests can book three-night mountain stays with access to sporting events, followed by two-night city breaks focused on nonsporting events like dinners and tours in Venice and Milan.
Added experiences and hotels
On Location packages can be customized to include event tickets, hospitality lounges, special events, private viewing boxes, gourmet dining, and transportation between the games’ widespread destinations across northern Italy. Visitors can book stays at some of northern Italy’s most exciting hotels and resorts, from fashion district staples like the Ferragamo-owned Portrait Milano to La Fiorida, a farm stay high in the Alps, and the Dolomites’ Rifugio Scoiattoli mountain lodge, home to scenic views of Cinque Torri and one of the highest hot tubs in the world.
This story was originally published in August 2024, and was updated on September 12, 2025, to include current information.
