In just 100 days, northern Italy is preparing to host the Milan-Cortina Olympics, which will be the most geographically dispersed Winter Games ever held. The event will be centered around two main locations: Milan, the vibrant industrial hub of northern Italy, and Cortina d’Ampezzo, a high-end winter resort nestled in the Dolomites mountain range. The distance between these two main clusters is over 400 kilometers, necessitating a full day of travel.
Apart from Milan and Cortina, athletes will compete in three other mountain clusters, with the closing ceremony set to take place in Verona, the largest city in the northeastern Veneto region. While the majority of the Games will utilize existing infrastructure, some venues are undergoing renovation or construction.
Milan will host the opening ceremony at the renowned San Siro Stadium, home to AC Milan and Inter Milan soccer teams. The Santagiulia arena, a new 16,000-seat facility, will serve as the primary hockey venue, with completion expected before the Games. Additionally, the Ice Park at the Fiera Milano exhibition venue will accommodate ice hockey and speed skating events.
In Cortina, the Tofane alpine skiing center, the Curling Olympic Stadium, and the Cortina Sliding Centre, which underwent a significant reconstruction, will host various events. The revamped sliding center received positive feedback from the International Olympic Committee, surpassing expectations during preliminary testing.
Other Olympic venues include Bormio, where the Stelvio course will host men’s alpine skiing and ski mountaineering; Livigno, which will showcase snowboarding and freestyle skiing; Predazzo, the picturesque setting for ski jumping events; Tesero, the location for cross-country skiing; Anterselva, where biathlon competitions will be held; and Verona, where the closing ceremony will take place at the historic Verona Arena.
The Milan-Cortina Olympics promise a diverse and captivating array of venues across northern Italy, showcasing the region’s natural beauty and cultural heritage.
