by InTrieste
On Jan. 23, the Olympic torch will arrive in Trieste, marking one of the final stages of its journey across Italy ahead of the opening ceremony of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, to be held at San Siro stadium in Milan.
The flame was lit in Olympia, Greece, on Nov. 26 and entered Italy on Dec. 4. Over the course of 63 days, it will travel approximately 12,000 kilometers, crossing all 20 Italian regions and passing through more than 3,000 municipalities. The relay is intended to trace a broad geographical arc across the country, linking large cities with smaller towns and historically significant sites.
In Friuli Venezia Giulia, the torch will pass from Jan. 23 to Jan. 25, stopping in 13 municipalities and at three UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Aquileia. After its arrival in Trieste, the relay will continue to Udine on Jan. 24 and to Pordenone on Jan. 25.
In Trieste, the torch will be carried by four athletes with strong ties to the city. They include Margherita Granbassi, a fencer who won two bronze medals at the Beijing 2008 Olympics and a world championship title in 2006; Alberto Tonut, a former basketball player and member of Italy’s European championship team in 1983; Giovanna Micol, an Olympic sailor who competed in Beijing and London; and Veronica Toniolo, a judoka who represented Italy at the Paris 2024 Games.
As it moves toward its final destination, the relay serves both as a symbolic countdown to the Games and as a nationwide showcase of Italy’s sporting heritage, landscapes and local communities.
