Former Olympic Sites That Are Worth a Visit

By Paul Boland

Every two years, the international community gets together to celebrate competition and global friendship with the summer and winter Olympic games. Cities around the world have competed to host these coveted games. Once the Olympic flame has been extinguished, however, some host cities have seen their venues and villages go unused.

Other cities have found a way to incorporate former Olympic sites into new public areas. Here are 10 notable Olympic host cities to visit.

Athens, Greece

Athens is the birthplace of the Olympics, so it should be at the top of any visitor’s list of important sites. In 1896, the first modern Olympics were held here, and more recently, the 2004 summer games were staged in the city.

While many of the 2004 venues are sitting vacant and in disrepair, tourists can take advantage of some of the ancient Olympic-themed sites in Greece, like Mount Olympus, the Temple of Zeus, and other ancient Greek sites.

Beijing, China

In the summer of 2008, the world watched as Beijing, China staged one of the most incredible opening ceremonies in history. Today, many of the venues that were used during the games have yet to find new life and now sit empty.

One exception is the Olympic pool complex, which was revitalized and transformed into an indoor water park. The Olympic stadium, the Bird’s Nest, is now a major tourist attraction that can be toured along with the modern part of the city.

Lake Placid, USA

The 1980 winter games were held in the well-known American tourist hamlet of the Adirondacks in New York state. Now, long after the games, the Lake Placid sports complex still brings thousands of visitors to the area each year. Some people simply want to see the site in person, while others want to be part of the action and hit the nearby ski slopes.

Barcelona, Spain

In 1992, the city of Barcelona was reenergized by the summer games. The entire metro area was readied for the games with new infrastructure and a revamped transportation system. The former Olympic site now draws in many visitors with its park like setting during the day and magic light show at night.

Sarajevo, Bosnia

The former Yugoslavia hosted the 1984 winter games in Sarajevo. Years after the games had ended, the city was under siege during the Bosnian War that lasted from 1992 to 1996. Mortars, shells, and bullets damaged much of the city, including the old Olympic sites. Today, with Sarajevo now part of peaceful Bosnia and Herzegovina, you can tour the old venues for an interesting glimpse of this region’s tumultuous history.

London, United Kingdom

London has a history of hosting the Olympic games in 1908, 1948, and 2012. During the most recent events, the city focused on revitalizing the eastern docklands of the city.

This ended up helping London expand their extensive public transport system even more, and now gives tourists a new reason to go further afield in the region.

Innsbruck, Austria

Another spot to visit is former two-time Olympic host Innsbruck in the alpine region of Austria.

Innsbruck hosted the winter games in 1964 and 1976, and tourists can still enjoy many of the winter outdoor pursuits near the venues. Most of the spots are still in use for skiing or other winter sports competitions. Staying in a quaint mountain chalet may be the perfect way to tour this area.

8. Sydney, Australia

Visiting the former Olympic sites in the 2000 games host city, Sydney, is a way to see how the area adds more to the community. Sydney has found a way to utilize the sites for residential and commercial offerings, and even visitors to the area can relive some of the Olympic moments. Afterward, tourists can continue on to see iconic sites like the Sydney Opera House.

Lake Tahoe, USA

Another popular former Olympic site is found in Lake Tahoe, which is in both California and Nevada. This area was the site of the 1960 winter games, and it continues to provide activities and sightseeing to tourists. The Squaw Valley ski resort still welcomes visitors for a variety of winter sports like snowboarding, skiing, and mountaineering. The area is home to a large selection of resorts, like Royal Holiday, which provides a luxurious experience to all.

Seoul, South Korea

The last Olympic destination is found across the globe in Seoul, South Korea. When the summer games were held here in 1988, South Korea was at a crossroads.

Still, technically at war with North Korea and looking to join the international community of world-class nations, South Korea made its debut to the world at the games. Today, a visit to the city reveals high-tech innovation and unique architecture.

The legacy of being an Olympic host continues long after the athletes have gone home and the flame has gone out. Visiting one of these former sporting sites may give tourists some new insight into the legacy of these international games.

Here is the list of all Winter Olympics venues in modern times, plus upcoming cities.

Year – Host
1924 Chamonix, France
1928 St. Moritz, Switzerland
1932 Lake Placid, United States
1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
* 1940 originally awarded to Sapporo, Japan, cancelled
Because of World War 2 .
* 1944 originally awarded to Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy,
Cancelled because of World War 2.
1948 St. Moritz, Switzerland
1952 Oslo, Norway
1956 Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
1960 Squaw Valley, United States
1964 Innsbruck, Austria
1968 Grenoble, France
1972 Sapporo, Japan
1976 Innsbruck, Austria
1980 Lake Placid, United States
1984 Sarajevo, Yugoslavia
1988 Calgary, Canada
1992 Albertville, France
1994 Lillehammer, Norway
1998 Nagano, Japan
2002 Salt Lake City, United States
2006 Turin, Italy
2010  Vancouver, Canada
2014  Sochi, Russia
2018 Pyeongchang, South Korea
2022 Beijing China
2024 Paris France
2026 Milan–Cortina d’Ampezzo Italy

Paul Boland is a freelance writer from Scotland, who has attended many Olympics games in his long career.