4 Olympic Stadiums You Can Visit

While the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina used existing venues across northern Italy, summer Olympic Games usually occur in specially built stadiums and Olympic parks. Typically designed by pre-eminent architects and in cutting-edge designs, these stadiums often become permanent attractions, and family travelers can walk the grounds of many.

Olympic Park in Munich, Germany, home to the 1972 Summer Games, is a huge facility still hosting major concerts and events. Several family activities have been added since the Olympics, including a stadium roof climb, zip lining, and behind-the-scenes tours showcasing the facility’s splendid architecture and design. The Olympic Tower has viewing platforms in the Aussichtskorb, offering breathtaking views over the city.

Built for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, Centennial Olympic Park in central Atlanta, Georgia, is the venue for weekly free concerts and seasonal events that include Christkindl Christmas Market and Chinese Lantern Show. Kids will love the “dancing fountain” with its choreographed program of water spouts and colored lights set to music. The Fountain of Rings’ design is based on the Olympic rings symbol. Between performances the fountain becomes a popular splash pad for children.

Super-star Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava designed Montjuïc Communications Tower, which became the visual beacon for the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics. The mammoth stadium is open to visitors free of charge except when it is preparing for major concerts held there in the summer. For a bird’s-eye view of the stadium, take the Telefèric de Montjuïc cable car on its scenic route from the city to Montjuïc Castle.

View the city of Montréal from atop the highest inclined tower in the world, a daring architectural feat designed for the 1976 Summer Olympics. The tower overlooks the stadium, now a center for sports events, and the focal point of a cluster of premier attractions that include the Botanic Gardens, Insectarium and Biodome. This summer, Montréal celebrates the 50^th anniversary of the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games with a schedule of activities and special events.