A Winter Olympics trip tends to look straightforward on paper. You book flights, circle a few event days, and imagine yourself stepping into a perfectly organised snow globe of sport and scenery.
Then you arrive. It’s colder than expected. The mornings start earlier. The travel days feel longer. And somehow, it’s still worth it.
If you’re heading to the Games for alpine skiing, the towns you choose matter almost as much as the tickets. They shape the gaps between events. They decide whether you’re eating well, sleeping well, and enjoying the trip.
Some places feel intense and rugged. Others feel refined and calm. A few manage both, depending on the day. Here are several alpine towns that work especially well around an Olympics itinerary, each for different reasons.
Chamonix, France: Mountain Scale You Don’t Forget
Chamonix doesn’t try to impress you. It doesn’t need to. Mont Blanc sits above the valley and sets the tone immediately. Even if you’ve travelled in the Alps before, there’s something about this landscape that feels a little more serious. Bigger and more impressive.
It’s also a fantastic town for skiing. The terrain is serious, the access is strong, and the scenery makes every run feel like part of the experience, not just the backdrop. It’s the kind of place that reminds you why ski holidays are the best around.
The town has an active, lively culture. You’ll see skiers in the streets, people hauling gear, cafés filled with tired faces and warm drinks. It’s not a place that pretends winter is gentle.
That’s part of why it works so well during a major sporting event trip. The atmosphere matches the moment. You feel like you’re in the right setting for witnessing elite alpine competition.
Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy: A More Stylish Winter Base
This small Alpine town carries extra relevance, as it is set to host the Winter Olympics 2026. The town will be at the centre of the global spotlight, with its slopes and streets welcoming fans from around the world. There is also plenty of conversation around sustainability, impact, and legacy as the Games approach.
You can ski here, obviously. But you can also just exist and absorb here. Take your time. Walk through town. Sit somewhere warm and watch the light shift on the mountains.
The Dolomites have a distinct look: lighter rock, sharp edges, shapes that change colour as the day moves. Cortina sits comfortably inside that scenery, and it feels designed for people who want winter travel to include comfort as well as activity.
Zermatt, Switzerland: Quiet Streets, Big Views
Zermatt is famous for the Matterhorn, and yes, it really does look like that in real life. Sharp, imposing, almost unreal when the weather is clear.
But what you notice once you’re actually in town is how calm it feels. The car-free centre changes everything. No constant traffic noise. No rushing across busy roads. Just people walking, skis over shoulders, snow underfoot.
It’s the kind of place where you can finish a long day and feel like you’ve arrived somewhere restful, not just somewhere scenic.
Zermatt also works well if not everyone in your group is skiing nonstop. There are viewpoints, winter paths, and rail rides that still give you the mountain experience without demanding full energy every day.
Some towns push you to do more. Zermatt permits you to do less, and still feel like you’re in the middle of something special.
Innsbruck, Austria: Practical and Picturesque
Innsbruck is a different type of alpine stop. It’s a city first, which means you get the conveniences that come with that, including transport that works, plenty of places to eat, and options when the weather alters or plans change. That matters more than people think when you’re travelling in winter.
At the same time, the mountains are right there. You’re never far from altitude, views, and snow. One day can be spent in the old town, taking it slow, then you’re riding up to higher terrain the next. It keeps the trip flexible, which is a nice counterbalance to the fixed schedule of Olympic events.
Innsbruck also carries its own winter sports identity. It doesn’t feel like it’s borrowing the mountain atmosphere. It belongs to it. With the latest sports news and Olympic build-up circulating daily, it’s the kind of place where you naturally feel plugged into the season.
The Buzz Around Major Events
The Winter Olympics create a particular kind of chatter. It’s not just about who won. It’s about who looks sharp in training. Who’s dealing with a minor issue. How the course might ride if the weather shifts overnight.
Once you’re in the mountains, you hear it everywhere. At breakfast. In lift lines. In cafés where strangers compare notes like they’ve known each other for years. Some people follow that build-up through stats and previews. Others keep an eye on Alpine skiing Olympic odds as a quick way to see how expectations are shifting before race day.
It’s easy to get pulled into all of the Olympics buzz, even if you didn’t intend to. That’s part of the atmosphere. The Games turn everyone into a commentator, at least a little.
Still, alpine skiing has a habit of ignoring predictions. Conditions change quickly. One mistake can end a run. One clean section can change everything. And watching it in person makes that unpredictability feel even more real and exciting.
A Winter Olympics Itinerary That Actually Feels Enjoyable
It’s tempting to plan an Olympics trip like you’re trying to win a prize for efficiency. Event, town, transfer, scenic stop, repeat. Everything is tightly scheduled, so nothing is “wasted.” But winter travel doesn’t always reward that approach.
Mountain routes take longer than you expect. Weather can force adjustments. Even simple things like finding a good meal, getting warm, and resting properly matter more than they do on a summer city break.
The best trips usually leave space. Space for delays, yes, but also space for the unplanned moments that end up being the ones you remember. A quiet morning walk after fresh snow. A small restaurant you return to twice because it’s just right. A late afternoon where you skip the itinerary and simply sit somewhere with a view.
Pick a few alpine towns that fit your style, build your Olympics days around them, and give the trip room to breathe. The sport will be the centrepiece, but the mountains will do their own work in the background on your inner peace.
