With less than six months until Milano Cortina 2026, these are the places you'll want to visit

The countdown has begun to the next Olympics, and with in some new travel inspiration as well.

The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games will mark the fourth time Italy has hosted the mammoth sports event.

The venues are spread across the city of Milan and the slopes of Cortina, with the action running from February 6 until 22, 2026.

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Aussies are keen to travel to watch sport - 28 per cent of travellers planned to travel either domestically or internationally to see a sporting event this year according to Skyscanner.

However, even if you can't make it to the actual events, the locations are still set to provide some holiday inspiration.

From the historical streets of Verona to cosmopolitan Milan as well as the jaw-dropping mountains, here are some of the places you'll see on screen which you can visit.

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Val di Fiemme

Olympic events: Cross country skiing, Nordic combined

Nestled beneath the dramatic peaks of the Dolomites, Val di Fiemme is known as the valley of harmony.

It's home to expansive forests of red firs, including the prized resonance spruce once favoured by violin maker Stradivari.

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But it's not all outdoor adventures which are on offer.

Head to Alessandro Gilmozzi's Michelin-starred restaurant where ingredients come directly from the woods, or try local Gilbach gin infused with hand-picked juniper, elder, and wild sloe berries.

Verona

Olympic events: Closing Ceremony

The city of Verona, most famous for being the home of Romeo & Juliet, is preparing to take centre stage for the grand finale of Milano Cortina 2026.

On 22 February next year the city will host the Closing Ceremony in the iconic ancient Roman amphitheatre, Arena di Verona.

It will also mark a symbolic handover to the Paralympic Games which will open on March 6.

Other things to do in the city include visiting Juliet's house with its balcony, hanging out in the city's oldest square Piazza delle Erbe and trying traditional dish, potato gnocchi.

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Livigno

Olympic events: Freestyle skiing and snowboard

Livigno is known as 'little Tibet' because its high altitude, remote location, and unique climate.

Located on the border between Italy and Switzerland, Livigno was cut off from the world until the 1950s when a road was built to connect it to Italy – and later to Switzerland – and winter sports enthusiasts discovered the pull of its powder.

However, remains one of winter sport's most discreet hideaways.

At 3000m, the season lingers longer, the pace slows, and the outside world feels far away.

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Cortina d'Ampezzo

Olympic events: Alpine Skiing, Bobsleigh, Curling, Luge, Skeleton

Host of Cortina d'Ampezzo 1956, this glamorous town is home to legacy venues and world-class slopes including the Olimpia delle Tofane which allows skiers to schuss right to the centre of town.

Nicknamed 'the Queen of The Dolomites', it's situated amid the majestic scenery of the surrounding Cinque Torri, imposing rock formations that shift from hues of blue to pink throughout the day.

Cortina has been the setting for films including Pink Panther and 007 For Your Eyes Only, where Roger Moore fled down the slopes pursued by John Whyman as a KGB villain.

Cortina continues to draw celebrities and jet-set Milanese who often have a second home in the town to enjoy their Settimana Bianca, an Italian holiday tradition centred around a week-long retreat to the country's mountainous regions for skiing.

Beyond the 1,200km of ski runs, main street Corso Italia houses upmarket fashion shops and restaurants.

Milan

Olympic events: Opening ceremony at San Siro Stadium, ice hockey, short track and figure skating

The bustling city of Milan is an international business, manufacturing and financial epicentre, bolstered by a culture of food, fashion, music and art.

For a long time, Milan had a reputation for being a little uptight compared to its southern siblings, but the 2015 World Expo, which attracted more than 20 million visitors, helped propel the city as a creative centre.

Milan is also considered one of the fashion capitals of the world, often said to be Paris' sexier sister, as well as a major design hub.

See the famous Duomo cathedral as well as Santa Maria delle Grazie a church home to Leonardo da Vinci's mural, The Last Supper.

Anterselva Valley

Olympic event: Biathlon

Near the Austrian border in a region most commonly known as South Tyrol, you'll find the Anterselva Valley.

While still in Italy, 98 per cent of the population speaks German as their first language, and the architecture is distinctly Tyrolean – you'll also find more hearty Austrian staples like spaetzle and strudel on the menu than pasta.

The scenery makes the region a hiker's paradise, with many charming hotels, spas and restaurants.

Beyond hiking and eating the biathlon is also closely associated with the Antholz Valley, which is globally recognised as a centre of excellence for the sport.

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Bormio

Olympic event: Ski mountaineering

The centuries-old Roman Bagni Vecchi baths nestled atop the mountains with views over the valley below were written about by Leonardo da Vinci in the Codex Atlanticus after his visit in 1493.

Also visit hidden chapels adorned with frescoes, cobbled alleys, and sign up for a ski tour to Italy's highest-altitude Michelin-starred restaurant, Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler.

You can also drive along the Stelvio Pass, one of the highest and most iconic mountain roads in Europe.

Watch Milano Cortina 2026 live and free on 9Network and 9Now.

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