Take a ‘Fan Voyage’ to Northern Italy this winter

Sports-loving ‘Fan Voyage’ was one of the key travel trends for 2026 in Expedia’s annual Unpack™ report, with 57% of travelers saying that they’re likely to attend a local sporting event while traveling, from sumo wrestling in Japan to hurling in Ireland. This season, all eyes are on Northern Italy for winter sports lovers, as world-class figure skaters, bobsledders and snowboarders descend on the glamorous Italian cities of Milan and Verona—as well as charming mountain towns across the Italian Alps—in pursuit of medals.

But whether you’re a spectator who has managed to snap up tickets or simply looking for adventure in the city on the way to the ski slopes, Milan and Verona have plenty to offer sports fans and active travelers alike. From chic chalets to can’t-skip après ski destinations, here’s how to plan a ‘Fan Voyage’ to Northern Italy this winter.

The international sporting world might not mark its opening ceremony at Milan’s massive San Siro Stadium until February, but the city’s winter season kicks off on December 7 with the feast day of Sant’Ambrogio, the patron saint of Milan. There are many traditions, including the Oh Bej! Oh Bej! Christmas markets and the start of panettone season, but one of the most celebrated is the opening night of the Teatro alla Scala. If you can’t score a seat at the ornate opera house, the Prima Diffusa project screens the performance at locations around the city, as well as organizing other concerts and exhibitions.

Guests at the Palazzo Cordusio Gran Meliá can lift La Scala’s famous red curtain to discover its secrets on a behind-the-scenes tour organized by the hotel. The special route takes the culturally curious through areas that are normally closed to the public, before finishing at another Milanese icon: historic pastry shop Cova.

Another historic store that will appeal to sports lovers is bicycle-maker Rossignoli in the artsy nearby Brera district, where the workshop has been turning out classic cycles for over 100 years. One of their vintage models might be a little big to bring back in your suitcase, but you can still get out and about on two wheels around Milan with the BikeMi bike-sharing network.

While international figure skaters and hockey players will take to the rink at arenas a short Metro ride from Milan’s city center, everyone has the chance to glide across the ice with festive skate sessions around the city. Lace up your boots at the Winter Wonderland Village at the Indro Montanelli Gardens (open November 15, 2025 until January 6, 2026) before thawing out chilly toes at the nearby Milano Verticale | UNA Esperienze hotel, where penthouse suites promise views of the snow-capped Alps and there’s a sauna a luxury spa offers steaming saunas and deep tissue massages after a day on the slopes.

Relaxation is also on the agenda for guests at the brilliantly located apartments of Milan Retreats Duomo Suites, as the group’s owner has recently opened a wellness and beauty destination, Retreat Milan, just a short stroll from the Gothic glamor of the Duomo. In this minimalist sanctuary, there’s reformer Pilates and Vinyasa yoga classes, ice plunges and Turkish baths, massages and energy rituals. Reset and recharged, there’s another way to keep your head in the clouds; get an alternative view of Milan’s best-known landmark with a tour of the Duomo’s roof and marvel at the sheer scale and intricacy of its 135 iconic spires.

The boutique-filled streets of Milan’s trendy Porta Romana district will soon be full of more sportspeople than fashion lovers. A former railyard next to the Fondazione Prada art complex has been radically transformed into athlete accommodations as part of an ambitious regeneration project, which also includes a sprawling new park. Over on Porta Romana’s northern fringes, Galaxia Hotel’s sleek Palazzo Viridis is equally green-minded, with vertical gardens and bioclimatic greenhouses.

Beyond the major Winter sporting event, soccer is the sport that really gets Milanese pulses racing. Both AC Milan and Inter Milan play through the winter, and travelers can tap into the intense cross-town rivalry at the Derby della Madonnina where the two teams go head to head at the San Siro Stadium (November 23, 2025 and March 8, 2026). As Unpack’26 says: “Fans want more than stadium lights—they want authentic local experiences, cultural rituals, and genuine connections.” Whichever stadium you choose to cheer the athletes on this winter, Best Western has hotels for every type of fan—and every budget—across Milan, from smart stays steps from the Duomo to well-placed accommodations near stations and sporting arenas.

Over in fair Verona, where Shakespeare laid his scene for Romeo and Juliet, there’s also an enduring love affair with soccer and their home team Hellas Verona, who like AC Milan and Inter Milan play in Italy’s top flight Series A. Catching a game isn’t the only heart-pumping action in this historic city, however. Rafting down the grand Adige River might be a little chillier in winter, but it’s no less impressive, passing by the ancient Castelvecchio and ruins of the Venetian Customs House, and beneath the Ponte Pietra.

The closing ceremony will take place at Verona’s 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheatre on February 22, but come at Christmas for the annual exhibition of hundreds of nativity scenes around the world to really get into the festive spirit. Winter only makes Verona’s cobblestone streets more romantic, with Christmas markets (on Piazza dei Signori) and much smaller crowds of star-crossed lovers jostling to see Juliet’s balcony. Nearby the legendary Due Torri Hotel has hosted everyone from Mozart to Goethe among its antiques and frescoes, while the new Homy Livia Verona offers 23 refined extended-stay apartments, some enhanced by private rooftop terraces, just steps from the Arena