Rome: The Olympic torch is set to embark on a spectacular 12,000-kilometre journey across Italy, marking the countdown to the Winter Olympics, scheduled to run from February 6 to 22 in Milan and the Alpine resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Games organisers announced on Monday that the torch relay will traverse some of Italy’s most iconic landmarks, including Rome’s Colosseum, Venice’s Grand Canal, and major southern cities like Palermo and Naples—regions not traditionally associated with winter sports but seen as vital to spreading nationwide excitement.
Giovanni Malagò, president of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation, said the relay route was crafted to showcase Italy’s cultural and geographical diversity while carrying a universal message.
“Every step of the relay through our cities will remind the world of the power of sport to build bridges and break down barriers,” Malagò said, adding that the journey would highlight “the essence of Italy.”
The tradition will begin on November 26 in Olympia, Greece, where the flame will be lit at the ancient birthplace of the Games. After being handed over to Italian officials in Athens on December 4, the torch will arrive in Rome on December 6 to kick off its Italian leg.
The relay will feature a festive calendar, with the flame set to be in Naples for Christmas, welcome the New Year in Bari, and reach Cortina on January 26—a symbolic date marking 70 years since the opening of the 1956 Winter Olympics held there.
Each day’s journey will begin at 7:30 a.m. and continue for about 12 hours, culminating in the lighting of a ceremonial cauldron at the final stop of the day.
The torch’s odyssey will ultimately end in Milan, entering the historic San Siro Stadium on the evening of February 6, officially ushering in the Winter Games with a celebration of unity, tradition, and Italian pride.
