Issue link: https://www.balharbourdigital.com/i/1541556
From Milan's fashion runways to Cortina's storied slopes, Italy is turning the Winter Olympics into the ultimate style statement. Here, la dolce vita means watching world-class competition by day and indulging in haute cuisine, five-star hotels, and après-ski glamour by night. BY LARRY OLMSTED see & ski italia! olympic glory I L LU S T R AT I O N BY J O E V E L L A /A L A M Y The Olympic Winter Games are back in a big way. For more than four decades, organizers have experimented with untested first-time venues and far-flung hosts like Russia, South Korea, and China. But for 2026, sports-loving travelers are rejoicing as the games return to Italy, a proven— and beloved—classic, for the third time. There's always a lot to love about Italy, from food to fashion to fine hotels. This time, however, it is extra special, because these games are not just for spectators. The crowds and logistics of the Olympics usually force leisure skiers out of the region, but the 2026 Games, from Milan to Cortina d'Ampezzo—Italy's chicest ski town—will offer watching the Olympics while enjoying a ski vacation. The games are officially known as Milano Cortina 2026, and the two title venues are more than 200 miles apart. Which one you choose depends on what sports you prefer to watch, but both include great opportunities to actually get out on the snow. The Dolomites, surrounding Cortina, are better suited to those seeking a skiing-intensive visit, while Milan excels at convenience and urban charms that can be combined with an out-of-town excursion to the slopes. Milan will host the major stadium events, such as figure skating, speed skating, and hockey, plus the high-profile opening ceremony at the city's most famous sports venue, San Siro, the "Temple of Football," home to both AC Milan and Inter Milan, as it celebrates its 100th birthday in 2026. A few weeks later, the closing ceremony will be held in Verona, near Cortina, at Italy's third-largest Roman amphitheater, built two thousand years ago. Cortina itself will host America's winningest skier, Mikaela Shiffrin, and all of the Women's Alpine ski races, along with curling and sliding sports (luge, skeleton, bobsled). Nordic skiing events will also be in the Dolomites, in nearby Tesero. Men's alpine skiing and snowboarding are scattered among venues in far northern Italy, near the Swiss border, a long way from either Milan or Cortina, and with less infrastructure, and therefore not as conducive to a luxurious Olympics vacation. tutto bene! BALHAR B O U RSH O P S .CO M insider's guide