Livigno, the ‘Little Tibet’ of the Italian Alps, is in the global spotlight. For the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics, this resort at 1,816 metres was chosen to host all the freestyle skiing and snowboard events, confirming its place as one of Europe’s capitals of extreme snow sports.
Why Livigno for freestyle
Choosing Livigno was no accident. High altitude, plenty of natural snow, the orientation of the slopes and consistently low temperatures make ideal conditions for building and maintaining freestyle features.
The Livigno ski area already has 115 km of slopes between 1,816 and 2,798 metres, but for the Olympics a completely new facility has been built: the Livigno Snow Park.
The Olympic Livigno Snow Park
The new snow park is a world-class facility designed specifically for Olympic competition.
Halfpipe
The Olympic halfpipe is 220 metres long, with 6.7-metre walls. It is one of the largest ever built for an Olympics, and a computer-controlled shaping system keeps the surface perfectly even.
Slopestyle
The slopestyle course is more than 600 metres long and includes:
- 3 jump sections (small, medium, large) with kickers up to 22 metres
- A jib section with rails, boxes and creative features
- A final big jump with a 37-degree landing
Big air
The big air ramp is an imposing 49-metre structure, with an in-run that lets athletes reach up to 70 km/h before take-off.
Ski and snowboard cross
The cross course winds down the mountainside with banked turns, jumps and rollers. Up to six athletes race at the same time, which makes these some of the most unpredictable and spectacular events of the Games.
The events
Livigno hosts medal events in 10 disciplines:
| Discipline | Men/women | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Moguls | M/W | Qualification + final |
| Aerials | M/W | Qualification + final |
| Ski halfpipe | M/W | Qualification + final |
| Ski slopestyle | M/W | Qualification + final |
| Ski cross | M/W | Heats + final |
| Snowboard halfpipe | M/W | Qualification + final |
| Snowboard slopestyle | M/W | Qualification + final |
| Snowboard cross | M/W | Heats + final |
| Snowboard big air | M/W | Qualification + final |
| Parallel giant slalom | M/W | Knockout |
Livigno beyond the Olympics
But Livigno is not just about the snow park. The resort has much more to offer.
Traditional alpine skiing
With 115 km of slopes split between the Mottolino and Carosello 3000 areas, Livigno has something for every level. The runs are generally wide and well groomed, with a good share of intermediate slopes.
Duty-free shopping
Livigno has special status as a duty-free zone: petrol, spirits, perfume and tobacco cost much less than elsewhere. That is a real advantage if you are planning a longer stay.
Nightlife and après-ski
Livigno’s main street is famous for its après-ski bars, restaurants and clubs. Kuhstall and Tea dal Vidal are long-standing favourites for a night out after the slopes.
Getting there
Getting to Livigno takes a little planning:
- From Milan: about 3.5 hours via the Bernina Pass (in Switzerland) or the Munt la Schera tunnel
- From Bormio: about 40 minutes over the Foscagno Pass
- Olympic shuttles: dedicated services from Tirano and Bormio during the Games
Important: the Munt la Schera tunnel (from Switzerland) is single-lane with alternating traffic. Always check its opening times before you set off.
For live snow conditions and the Livigno webcams, see the resort page. For the complete guide to all the Olympic venues, read our article on the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics.