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 6 to 22 February, 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.