2028 Youth Games: planning your stay in Cortina

The January 2028 event

Cortina’s tourist office confirms the dates of January 15 to 29, 2028, for the Dolomiti Valtellina Winter Youth Olympic Games. This event is for young athletes and has its own identity, program and organization. The name Milano-Cortina remains a useful reference for understanding the facilities inherited from 2026; it should not be taken to mean that another two-week senior Games will be held in the same cities.

The next announced edition in Cortina includes bobsleigh, skeleton, luge and curling. This breakdown is already useful for travelers: it helps you choose the Ampezzo Valley as your base if these sports are the reason for your trip. However, the overall Games dates do not yet tell you the days or times of individual events. If your stay is centered on a particular final, wait for that additional information.

For now, planning means considering the journey, the number of nights and how flexible your reservations are. No ticket prices, shuttle arrangements or free access to events are established here. The 2026 rules applied to that edition. When you book, check the program and ticketing information specific to 2028 for the necessary confirmations.

Sports and venues

Cortina’s Olympic heritage offers a sense of what you might visit, even before the event schedule is published. The Stadio Olimpico del Ghiaccio hosted curling in 2026, followed by wheelchair curling during the Paralympic Games. The resort therefore has a venue where the history of ice sports continues from one generation to the next. For a family’s first sports trip, curling can also provide a thread to follow: watch the stones’ placement, how the end takes shape and the teams’ decisions.

The Sliding Centre is named after Eugenio Monti. Bobsleigh, skeleton and luge had their Olympic setting here in 2026; all three sports are also included in the announced youth event in Cortina. A sliding event calls for different preparation from an indoor ice event. Access to the area, the sections actually open to spectators and the conditions for waiting outdoors should inform what you bring and when you set off.

The Tofane are part of another chapter of the 2026 story: the Olympia delle Tofane hosted the women’s alpine skiing events and the Paralympic alpine skiing program. Para snowboard took place at Socrepes, in the San Zan area. These reference points help you understand the landscapes around Cortina. They do not announce skiing competitions at the same venues in 2028: the confirmed local list for the Youth Games comprises bobsleigh, skeleton, luge and curling.

When planning your day, always start with the venue listed for the event you have chosen. A photograph of a slope, a mountain range name or an old Olympic map is not enough to identify the entrance authorized for the public.

Accommodation around Cortina

For a few days devoted to competitions, we prefer accommodation in Cortina, with easy access to the center and the transport you will actually use. Being near a stop matters more than a great view if you’ll be walking back after an event. Before confirming a room, ask for the exact location of the entrance and how you can get to early-morning events or return in the evening.

The center is particularly convenient for travelers without a car and families who want to be able to return between activities. This setup also makes meals and changes of plan easier. A tired child, wet clothes or a rescheduled event take up less of the day when the hotel is easy to reach. Still, check the route to the sports venue: a central address does not guarantee direct access to every facility.

Towns in Cadore are also worth comparing. Cortina Express serves San Vito di Cadore, Borca and several other stops in the valley. Accommodation in this area is worth considering if the service for your event day works for you. Compare the room price with transport costs, time spent outdoors and return options. Check the January 2028 service when it becomes available.

Venice or Mestre are better suited to a stop before or after your time in the mountains. If you plan to attend several events in Cortina, staying on the coast each night means long road journeys and less flexibility in the evenings. An overnight stay near your coach departure point, however, can make arrival easier, especially after a late flight or train.

Arriving via Venice and by rail

For a car-free trip, the Venice area is the first gateway to consider. The Cortina Express website lets you search for routes that include Venezia Mestre, Venice Airport and Cortina d’Ampezzo. You can compare departing from the airport with arriving in Mestre by train first. The best option will depend on the actual schedules available for your date, how your luggage is handled and exactly where you’ll be staying.

For an itinerary via Milan, treat the journey as two separate legs: the rail trip to the Venice area, then the road connection to Cortina. Trenitalia’s search engine and Frecciarossa information can help you look up the first leg. Check the coach with its operator. This guide does not guarantee any connections for January 2028.

Arriving with an overnight stop may be better than relying on a series of tightly timed tickets. If the first service is delayed, you’ll have a buffer before heading up into the mountains. This precaution is especially useful when tickets are booked separately and a particular coach determines when you arrive at your hotel. Before choosing the cheapest route, compare the change policies and the consequences of missing a connection.

If you have bulky luggage, check the operator’s rules rather than assuming a suitcase counts as sports equipment. Cortina Express publishes sections on baggage and accessibility. If you need assistance, describe the entire journey: boarding, storing your equipment, getting off the vehicle and reaching your accommodation. Every step matters as much as the availability of an accessible service for part of the route.

Three days around the competitions

For a first visit, three days on site provide a reasonable planning baseline, to be adjusted once the final schedule is available. This duration is an editorial suggestion, not an official package. It helps you avoid spending the entire visit arriving and departing, while leaving room for the resort and its scenery.

The first day can be used to explore Cortina and prepare for the next day’s session. Locate your stop, useful shops, and the way back. The IAT tourist office is at Corso Italia, 81; it is a local point of contact for tourist information. A walk through the centre lets you get your bearings without immediately committing to a lengthy activity. If you arrive in the late afternoon, a simple evening near the hotel makes it easier to set off the next day.

The second day can be devoted to the competition that prompted the trip. Once the schedule is known, give it priority over other bookings. The total time includes transport, arrival at the venue, any checks, and leaving the site. Two sessions close together on the schedule can be difficult to attend back-to-back if they take place in different areas. You will also need to make time for a meal and a chance to warm up indoors.

The third day can be used for another discipline or to explore the surrounding area. For sliding-sport fans, seeing bobsleigh, skeleton, or luge events together offers a chance to observe different disciplines. A curling session offers a different pace. If you prefer a mountain day, choose an activity explicitly offered on your date and suited to your ability; check with the operator whether a facility or route is open.

By adding a day, you can space out sessions instead of packing in more stops. For a family, that extra time is mainly useful for limiting fatigue and keeping the itinerary enjoyable if weather or transport requires a change.

The cost of a sports trip

The budget is made up of four main components: travel to the region, accommodation, local transport, and expenses for your days on site. Competition tickets will be an additional cost, depending on the system chosen by the organizer. No free admission or 2028 price range is stated here. It would be premature to estimate the cost of the trip based on 2026 Games prices.

For accommodation, compare the total cost of the nights and the cancellation terms. A cheaper option that cannot be changed may become restrictive before the session schedule is published. A room farther away may mean more transport costs, a taxi on the way back, or an extra night to attend an early competition. These differences belong in the same comparison as the advertised price.

Spectator days also involve meals, drinks, and winter gear. Take stock of what you already own before buying anything: suitable layers, protection from precipitation, and footwear appropriate for your planned travel. The rules for bringing bags, drinks, or other items into venues will need to be checked for 2028; do not prepare bulky equipment based on an old list.

For a group, separate shared expenses from individual purchases. A group hotel booking does not mean everyone wants to attend the same sessions. This distinction makes it possible to plan a sightseeing day for some and a sports day for others, without making the entire trip depend on a single ticket.

A family trip

With children, first choose a discipline that interests them, then adjust the number of sessions. Waiting is part of a competition day: travelling to the venue, getting settled, breaks, and the return journey. One well-planned session may be enough for a day, especially if you also want to explore Cortina. Dry clothes and a chance to take a warm indoor break are practical parts of the plan.

Access to a venue used during the Paralympic Games must be checked for your own trip and for the edition you have chosen. Ask for information relevant to your situation: drop-off, possible parking, the route to the entrance, seating in the stands, and assistance. Services provided during a past competition do not automatically describe what will be available in the future.

For travellers who also want to ski, make separate bookings for the sports activities and spectator events. Slope difficulty, available lessons, and opening conditions are matters for the operators and local professionals. You will also need to plan where to leave your equipment on competition days. A mixed trip is easier to manage when each day has one main activity and travel plans do not overlap.

A preview trip from Venice

If you are still deciding between a trip focused on the competitions and a more general exploration of the Dolomites, an excursion from Venice can offer a first taste of the region before the Games. The selected tour combines mountain scenery, Misurina, and a stop in Cortina. It suits travellers already staying in Venice who want to discover the area on an organized day trip.

The tour lasts nine hours and includes a vehicle and an English-speaking driver-guide, with a maximum of eight participants. The meeting point and return are at Piazzale Roma. Lunch and drinks are paid for separately. The provider’s itinerary allows about an hour in Cortina: enough to explore the town centre, but not to plan a day visiting sports venues.

Choose this excursion for its scenery and introduction to the resort. It does not include a competition ticket and does not guarantee access to Olympic venues. Check whether it is running on your preferred date; no availability during the January 2028 Games has been established. For several days of spectating, staying in Cortina remains the preferred option.

Bookings and confirmations

Planning the order of decisions helps avoid locking in your trip too early. You can first decide how long you want to stay, look at accommodation with flexible terms, and compare arrival points. The detailed schedule will then let you choose your competition days. Once ticketing details are available, they will provide the relevant access conditions. Finally, transport timetables will confirm connections and evening return options.

Keep your confirmations in a folder you can access offline, along with the hotel address, boarding point, and operators’ contact details. Before departure, recheck the information for each day: session venue, authorized access, weather, and the status of your booked transport. Older Milan-Cortina pages can help explain the history of the venues; only the instructions for the 2028 event should guide your entry to the competitions.