Milan Cortina are the most spread-out Olympics ever. What this means for fans and athletes

The Milan Cortina Winter Games are making Olympic history as the most geographically dispersed Games ever staged. Spanning over 22,000 square kilometers across northern Italy, the February 2026 event presents both unique opportunities and logistical challenges for athletes, spectators, and organizers alike.

The decision to spread venues across such a vast area was driven by a commitment to sustainability, utilizing existing infrastructure rather than building new facilities. While this approach has reduced environmental impact, it creates a logistical puzzle for visitors hoping to experience multiple Olympic events.

For perspective, traveling the full 850-kilometer circuit between all main venues would require nearly 13 hours of continuous driving. This makes it virtually impossible for spectators to comprehensively experience the Games without careful planning and strategic choices about which events to prioritize.

“Our priority is to see Olympic events,” explains Mona Patel, a Los Angeles-based lawyer attending with her partner. The couple spent months planning their itinerary, booking accommodations in two different regions to maximize their ability to attend events across three Olympic clusters.

Patel’s group made their trip financially viable through a home exchange program, using points accumulated by listing their California property to secure lodging in Italy. “We are not daunted by the distances,” she notes, highlighting their intention to also enjoy recreational skiing between Olympic events.

The geographical spread has necessitated unique housing solutions for athletes as well. While Milan will feature the only permanent Olympic Village (later becoming student housing for 1,700 residents), Cortina has a temporary village. Athletes competing in Anterselva, Bormio, Livigno, and Val di Fiemme will stay in adapted hotels and existing facilities.

For families with young children, the dispersed venues have influenced event choices. Lars Thorn, attending his sixth Olympics but first with his wife and children, opted to focus entirely on indoor events in Milan. “With two little kids, being outside in the elements doesn’t lend itself to a family experience,” Thorn explains, noting they’ll use public transportation to reach speed skating and hockey events while exploring Milan between competitions.

The opening ceremony on February 6 reflects the Games’ unique geographic footprint. While stars like Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli will perform at Milan’s San Siro Stadium, elements of the ceremony will be broadcast from Livigno, Predazzo, and Cortina to ensure athletes from all venues can participate in the traditional Parade of Nations.

One traditional Olympic experience that will be lost due to the distances is the centralized medals plaza. Unlike Turin 2006, where evening medal ceremonies became a vibrant focal point in the city center, Milan Cortina will present medals immediately following competitions at each venue.

“If you have tickets to an event, it’s nice to see the crowning of the champion,” notes Thorn. However, he acknowledges that the atmosphere created by central Olympic plazas in previous host cities like Salt Lake City and Turin created something special. “That, I think, is one of the highlights, for the city to feel like they are part of it.”

Despite construction delays with the Cortina sliding venue and Milan’s Santagiulia ice hockey arena, organizers maintain that spreading events across northern Italy allows more communities to benefit from Olympic investments and tourism opportunities.

When the Games conclude with the closing ceremony in Verona on February 22, they will have demonstrated a new, more distributed model for hosting major sporting events—one that prioritizes sustainability and regional inclusion while challenging traditional notions of the Olympic experience.