The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics put one of Italy’s most famous ski resorts on a global stage, but Cortina d’Ampezzo has been a destination for a long time — a compact, elegantly appointed mountain town in the heart of the Dolomites, the kind of place where the scenery looks deliberately composed. We came for the Games and left with a full picture of why people keep coming back.

Getting There: Park a Town Over

Parking in Cortina during the Games was not an option — the town was at capacity. The solution was to park in a neighboring town and take the shuttle bus in, which worked fine once we figured out the logistics. Reservations made in advance were essential; everything was sold out and organized on tight schedules. The bus dropped us in Cortina and from there we were on foot, bussing again up to the Tofane venue for the alpine events.

The bus and parking area outside Cortina — you can see the Dolomite peaks from the moment you arrive.
The bus and parking area outside Cortina — you can see the Dolomite peaks from the moment you arrive.

Alpine Skiing at Tofane

The alpine skiing venue at Tofane is a proper race mountain — steep, groomed, and ringed by the kind of sheer Dolomite rock faces that make everywhere else look flat. The Paralympic ski events were sit-skiing and visually impaired categories, and watching athletes power through a giant slalom course on a sit-ski — essentially a single bucket seat on a ski — is the kind of thing that recalibrates what you thought athleticism looked like.

Arriving at the Tofane alpine venue — scaffold spectator stands and Milano Cortina 2026 branding along the course.
Arriving at the Tofane alpine venue — scaffold spectator stands and Milano Cortina 2026 branding along the course.
The crowd at the alpine skiing finish area, Dolomite peaks rising directly behind the course.
The crowd at the alpine skiing finish area, Dolomite peaks rising directly behind the course.
A Paralympic sit-skier crossing the finish line at the Tofane course — one of the most technically demanding events of the Games.
A Paralympic sit-skier crossing the finish line at the Tofane course — one of the most technically demanding events of the Games.

The Gondola and Snowboarding

The skiing ticket doubled as resort access, which meant we could ride the gondola up the mountain and catch Paralympic snowboarding on the upper slopes. The gondola ride offers a clean view down over Cortina town — the valley, the campanile poking up through the buildings, the bowl of mountains surrounding everything. Up top, the snowboarding course ran between gates on a well-maintained slope with the full Dolomite panorama as backdrop.

Looking down from the gondola toward Cortina town below, the valley spreading out between the peaks.
Looking down from the gondola toward Cortina town below, the valley spreading out between the peaks.
At the venue with the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic symbol — three teardrops forming a torch — in the background.
At the venue with the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic symbol — three teardrops forming a torch — in the background.
International fans on the snow near the snowboarding venue — national flags, gondola overhead, Dolomites behind.
International fans on the snow near the snowboarding venue — national flags, gondola overhead, Dolomites behind.
A Paralympic snowboarder making a run on the mountain course.
A Paralympic snowboarder making a run on the mountain course.
The Cortina gondola beside the alpine finish area — the venue sits right at the base of the lift system.
The Cortina gondola beside the alpine finish area — the venue sits right at the base of the lift system.

Back to Town: Pizza Before It’s Too Late

Italian restaurants close in the afternoon and don’t reopen until evening — if you’re used to continuous-service dining, this will catch you off guard. We bussed back from Tofane to Cortina with just enough time to grab lunch before the kitchens shut down. A quick slice became a full sit-down pizza with a beer, and it was exactly right.

The Cortina town center with its iconic campanile — the town itself is small but well-stocked with restaurants and shops.
The Cortina town center with its iconic campanile — the town itself is small but well-stocked with restaurants and shops.
Pizza before the afternoon kitchen shutdown — a well-executed salami pizza, which is the right call after a morning on a snowy mountain.
Pizza before the afternoon kitchen shutdown — a well-executed salami pizza, which is the right call after a morning on a snowy mountain.

Paralympic Curling

Paralympic curling is wheelchair curling — no brooms, since athletes can’t sweep from a chair. The delivery is done with a specialized cue that pushes the stone. We had some concern this would feel like a diminished version of the regular sport. It did not. The strategy is identical, the precision is identical, and the tension in the arena is exactly what you’d expect from a Games-level competition. The curling hall held multiple sheets simultaneously, all in play at once, which creates a distinctive hum of activity across the whole ice surface.

The entrance to the curling venue — a modern arena set against the Dolomite rock face behind it.
The entrance to the curling venue — a modern arena set against the Dolomite rock face behind it.
Inside the curling hall during Paralympic competition — multiple sheets running simultaneously, packed stands.
Inside the curling hall during Paralympic competition — multiple sheets running simultaneously, packed stands.

The Torch and the Medals

On the way out through Cortina’s main street, the Paralympic cauldron was lit in the town square — the torch burning next to the campanile, surrounded by shops and Games signage. It’s a strange and affecting sight, an Olympic flame in what is otherwise an Alpine village high street. The Milano Cortina 2026 medals were also on display in the venue — slim, circular, and understated in design.

The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic medals on display — gold, silver, and bronze in a spare, modern design.
The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic medals on display — gold, silver, and bronze in a spare, modern design.
Cortina’s main street, Corso Italia, during the Games — the campanile visible at the end of the pedestrian avenue.
Cortina’s main street, Corso Italia, during the Games — the campanile visible at the end of the pedestrian avenue.
The Paralympic cauldron lit in the Cortina town square, burning beside the church campanile for the duration of the Games.
The Paralympic cauldron lit in the Cortina town square, burning beside the church campanile for the duration of the Games.

Absolutely Worth It

Going to the Paralympics in Cortina required planning — reservations well in advance, flexibility around parking and transport, and a realistic schedule that accounts for Italian restaurant hours. All of it was worth it. The Dolomites backdrop makes every event more spectacular than it would be anywhere else, and the Paralympic athletes are extraordinary in ways that can’t be transmitted through a television screen. Go to a Games if you ever get the chance. This one was very good.

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