Olympic flame begins Greek relay

The Olympic flame embarked on its traditional relay through Greece as the first leg en route to the Milano‑Cortina 2026 Winter Games, tracing a symbolic route from Ancient Olympia toward Italy. After being lit at the birthplace of the modern Olympics, the torch set off on a multi-day passage across Greek regions that will culminate in a formal handover to Italian organisers in Athens before the relay continues across Italy.

The day’s route left the mountain town of Kalavryta at dawn, moved north to the coastal gateway of Patras and crossed the Rio–Antirrio Bridge linking the mainland and the Peloponnese. Torchbearers carried the flame through the lakes and hills of Agrinio before the leg closed amid the Alpine terrain of Karpenisi. Organisers said the Greek segment — involving more than 450 torchbearers and covering varied terrain from mountain villages to coastal cities — is intended as both a logistical start and a reaffirmation of the Olympic spirit, highlighting cultural heritage and unity.

Weather disruptions earlier in the ceremonies required a relocation of the lighting to a nearby museum and the use of a backup flame kindled during rehearsal, but the relay proceeded with Greek and Italian athletes among the first carriers. Over the coming days the flame will travel roughly 2,200 km across 23 regional units in Greece before the December 4 handover at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, from where the torch will begin its Italian domestic tour.

In Italy the relay expands dramatically: 10,001 torchbearers will carry the flame through 60 cities and some 300 towns over a months‑long journey before reaching Cortina d’Ampezzo on January 26 — a date chosen to coincide exactly with the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Winter Games opening at the same venue — and concluding in Milan with the flame’s entry into San Siro stadium on the evening of February 6 for the Games’ opening ceremony. Organisers plan welcoming events, lighting displays and cultural celebrations along the route, turning the relay into a platform to showcase local heritage and community spirit.

Officials emphasised the relay’s symbolic role in uniting communities and promoting hope ahead of the Games, while logistical teams monitor conditions to ensure safe passage of the flames and giant public gatherings. The combined Greek and Italian relays will cover thousands of kilometres and bring thousands of participants and spectators into contact with the Olympic torch, reinforcing the traditional link between ancient origins and the modern international celebration of sport.