With all the buzz around the ongoing Winter Olympics in Beijing and Olympic players, there’s no wonder that the Olympic villages, where all the players stay and recuperate in-between games, are the hub of activity during these games. By Anushka Goel
As intriguing as these Games villages are, not all of them are accessible to the public, especially now, with the pandemic still not having receded. However, there are some Olympic villages which you can travel to and understand how the Games were conducted and get the feeling of being in the events yourself. Check them out below!
7 Olympic villages you can visit even today
Barcelona, Spain
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Nowadays, Barcelona is a place visited by many for leisure, but this wasn’t always the case. The 1992 Summer Olympics transformed the small city in terms of its reach, architecture, and more, the stepping stones for which was also the Olympic Village built to accommodate athletes. Built on the seafront in Port Olympic Marina, the Olympic village in Spain’s Barcelona is a must-visit, just like the city itself.
The beachfront developed during the Games is one of the massive tourist attractions at the moment. Apart from that, the telecommunications towers built during the time still feature in the city’s skyline and make for a great spot to connect with the city’s history. The Barcelona Twin Towers, also built during the games, are major attractions even today, though one houses offices and the other, Hotel Arts, the first five-star hotel in the city.
Beijing, China
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The Olympic village in Beijing features 10 Olympic venues and seven non-competitive venues. The village was host to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the Paralympics.
Among the major attractions here is the Birds Nest Stadium, which was completely transformed for the Games with a steel, cage-like structure. This makes for a great tourist spot in the city. You can also visit after the sun sets, as the lighting makes for a spectacular view here.
New York, the USA
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The Olympic Center in Lake Placid, New York, has hosted two Winter Games — in 1936 and 1980. Among the Olympic villages in the USA alone, the one in NYC makes for a great place to visit for its history — the Games were played in the bitter cold during the Great Depression.
The Center also marks the first time the victory podium was used and is also one among the only three places to have hosted the Winter Olympics twice. Today, the Center houses memorabilia and photographs from the games, which you can take a tour. Also, be sure to visit the arena known for the “Miracle on Ice” that happened there during the games. What’s more, you can also strap on ice-skating shoes and play a puck!
Berlin, Germany
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The 1936 Olympic Games happened in Germany’s Berlin, and about 4,00 athletes were hosted at what was called the ‘Hitler’s Olympic Village’. The village had a hospital, about 140 residential buildings, separate kitchens, a sports hall, and a swimming pool. After the Games, it is said to have been used by the Military.
Now, tourists can visit the eerie village by booking a tour in advance and get a feel of how the Games must have been conducted back in the day and how the athletes may have lived in the village.
Athens, Greece
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Athens was the home to the first modern Olympics far back in 1896, and thus, home to the among the first-ever Olympic villages as well. It is said that Greece‘s tryst with the Games goes back millennia when athletes would compete in its Panathenaia celebrations in Athens.
Today, the Olympic torch is lit every fourth year in the Panathenaic Stadium to keep up with its historical past before being taken to the new host city. And the Olympic village is open for visitors. Tourists can walk through the Olympic Velodrome in the Olympic Sports Complex and marvel at the 50,000-seater stadium, which is also the only arena made entirely of marble.
Vancouver, Canada
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Vancouver hosted the 2010 Olympic Games, and since then, the city (and Canada as a nation) have become a popular tourist destination that tourists love to visit. Tourists can visit the Olympic Park there and get a glimpse of how the Games may have been conducted. Today, the accommodation in the Olympic Village is a mixed-use commodity, with eco-friendly apartments, retail stores, and restaurants and cafes.
What’s more, you can stroll around the entire Olympic Park or take a kayak ride and soak in the beautiful sights, interesting architecture, and indigenous artwork that is featured there.
Seoul, South Korea
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South Korea doesn’t fail to impress, whether it be the country’s music, dramas, skincare, or food. And the Olympic Park situated in the country’s capital, Seoul, is equally brilliant. The park featured a Peace Gate, which has the Olympics logo. Inside, there are several recreational parks, an eco-friendly forest, impressive modern stadiums, grassy fields, and over 200 art sculptures for visitors to see. The park takes about three hours to roam and is well worth the time and effort.
Related: Interesting Facts About The History Of Olympics And Its Traditions
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