Travellers Gain New Ways to Explore Milano Cortina 2026 Before the Games
As preparations progress for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games, northern Italy is introducing a series of activities that allow visitors to experience the Olympic setting well before the event begins. Opening for booking in mid November, the programme, developed through Airbnb’s partnership with the event organisers, spans Milan, Bormio and Cortina during February and March 2026. Travellers will gain structured access to locations closely linked to the upcoming Games, offering an early look at how host regions are transforming ahead of next winter.
The initiative features 26 curated experiences shaped around Olympic and Paralympic disciplines and the landscapes where they unfold. These activities blend sports environments, mountain settings and urban venues, giving guests a chance to observe how preparations influence everyday spaces. By engaging with these locations before peak-season restrictions and crowding, visitors can explore areas that normally remain closed to the general public and gain a clearer understanding of the scale of the Games’ organisation.
The programme unlocks opportunities to explore winter destinations with additional depth. Participants can enter training areas, move through arenas preparing for competition or follow cultural routes that highlight the evolving identity of each host city. These activities give regular winter travel a fresh angle, letting visitors explore northern Italy while the region is still calm and affordable, well before the busy Olympic weeks begin. They create new ways to combine leisure travel with insight into a major international event.
Anyone interested can join by selecting an experience they like and booking it in advance to guarantee a spot. Formats vary in intensity and duration, ranging from active engagement to structured observation. Early booking ensures flexibility in planning trips, particularly as demand for accommodation and regional transport is expected to rise during the late-winter travel period. Having set times for each session makes it easier for travellers to fit these activities into their broader travel plans.
These new experiences give travellers a chance to explore the Olympic environment months before the world arrives. They turn a regular winter holiday into something more memorable by offering a close look at how the Games are taking shape. For many visitors, this creates a rare opportunity to enjoy northern Italy while watching the early stages of a global celebration unfold.