The complete route of the Olympic Torch Relay has been unveiled, an itinerary that will cross Italy from 6 December 2025 to 6 February 2026, showing the world its timeless beauty. In addition to the 60 celebration cities along the route, more than 300 municipalities have also been announced that will welcome the Flame along its 12,000 km journey: a unique mosaic of territories, stories and communities that, stage after stage, will give life to a widespread national celebration. 

The Relay will begin on 26 November 2025 with the lighting of the Olympic Flame in Olympia, a symbolic place of the Olympic tradition. On 4 December, in Athens, the Flame will be handed over to Italy, a solemn moment marking the start of the journey towards the Olympic Winter Games of Milano Cortina 2026. Immediately afterwards, the Flame will arrive in Rome, from where, on 6 December, the Olympic Torch Relay will officially set off: a route that will cross every Italian region, illuminating cities of art, villages, places of shared memory, and landscapes recognised around the world. 

"Every step of the Relay through our cities will remind the world of the power of sport to build bridges and break down barriers," says Giovanni Malagò, President of Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026. "It will be a journey that weaves roots and future, hospitality and innovation, celebrating the essence of Italy".

Accompanying the Flame will be the two Presenting Partners of the Olympic Torch Relay: Coca-Cola and Eni, who will enhance each stage with special activations, helping to make the Relay an even more engaging experience. Iconic places, collective memory and a journey into the heart of Italy

An impressive organisational effort, the result of more than two years of planning, will accompany a convoy nearly 200 metres long, moving at around 4 km/h. Each day will begin at 7.30 a.m. with the departure of the convoy and conclude around 7.30 p.m. with the lighting of the cauldron in the final city of the day during the city celebration, a festive and participatory moment for local communities.

From the Colosseo to the Fontana di Trevi, from Duomo di Milano to the Grand Canal in Venezia, the Flame will pass by symbols of Italy’s cultural heritage, alongside places that embody resilience and renewal, such as Amatrice and the Scampia district.

"The route has been designed to highlight the country's most evocative landscapes and the stories of talent, courage and solidarity that bring them to life," emphasises Maria Laura Iascone, Director of Ceremonies at Fondazione. "It is a journey that celebrates creativity and inclusion, the very values the Games bring to the world".

The Flame will be in Naples for Christmas, ring in the New Year in Bari, and return to Cortina D’Ampezzo on 26 January 2026 – exactly 70 years after the Opening Ceremony of the 1956 Games, before concluding its journey in Milan, entering San Siro on the evening of 6 February 2026.

The Relay will also feature extraordinary highlights along the route:
• The ascent to Punta Gnifetti on Monte Rosa (4,554 metres)
• A visit to the Marmore Falls
• The magic of the Amalfi Coast illuminated by the torchbearers
• A passage along the Grand Canal in Venice