Ra Gusela peak at Giau Pass, near Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy

Ra Gusela—peak of the Olympic season. 2026 Winter Olympics

The 2026 Winter Olympics begin today, and few settings capture their spirit better than the Dolomites. Rising sharply above the Giau Pass, the 2,595-metre Ra Gusela peak delivers the kind of dramatic alpine scenery that defines the Milano-Cortina 2026 Games—a joint edition hosted by Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, blending metropolitan energy with deep alpine heritage.

From February 6 to 22, athletes from around the world will compete across northern Italy, with ice sports centred in Milan and the fast, adrenaline-filled mountain events unfolding around Cortina's renowned slopes. Cortina last hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956 and will again welcome women's alpine skiing and the Olympic debut of ski mountaineering, a fitting addition in a landscape built for big climbs and breathtaking descents.

As viewers tune in from home, scenes like Ra Gusela rising over snowy pastures offer a glimpse of what makes these games so special: a celebration of athletic skill, resilience and the raw beauty of winter in the Italian Alps.