In 100 days, northern Italy is preparing to host the Milan-Cortina Olympics, which will be the most geographically dispersed Winter Games ever. The main hubs of the event are Milan, a prominent industrial city, and Cortina d’Ampezzo, a luxury ski resort in the Dolomites. Travel between these locations will take a full day due to the more than 400-kilometer distance.
Apart from these clusters, athletes will also compete in three other mountain regions, with the closing ceremony scheduled to be held in Verona, the largest city in the northeastern Veneto region. Most of the venues for the Games are existing infrastructure, but there are renovations and new constructions underway.
Milan will host the opening ceremony at the iconic San Siro Stadium, set to be replaced after the Olympics. The main hockey venue, Santagiulia Arena, is under construction and expected to be ready just before the Games. Ice events will also be held at the Fiera Milano exhibition venue.
Cortina will feature the Tofane alpine skiing center, the Curling Olympic Stadium, and the renovated Cortina Sliding Centre. The latter faced challenges but has surpassed expectations according to the International Olympic Committee. Bormio, Livigno, Predazzo, Tesero, and Anterselva will also host various events during the Olympics.
The closing ceremony will be held at the historic Verona Arena, a Roman amphitheater with a rich cultural heritage. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and will accommodate around 15,000 spectators for the event on February 22.
