When I first came to Milan, I was clueless that the 2026 Winter Olympics would be held in the city. Milan was expected to be crowded and busy—and it was, but in the best way possible! The city was alive from morning till late at night. I always came across people waving their country's flags, taking photos and cheering for their favorite athletes. It didn't matter if you were in a stadium or a train station, as the spirit of the Olympics was everywhere. Street performers played music in busy plazas while giant screens replayed highlights from competitions. Every café and restaurant seemed packed with fans wearing jerseys and merchandise from their countries. Sometimes, entire groups would start chanting for their teams, and other people nearby would join in, even if they were from different countries.
The decorations made the whole city feel magical, too. There were Olympic rings in public squares, colorful banners hanging across streets and confetti scattered around after celebrations! Even the train stations and stores were covered with Olympic designs. It felt impossible to forget that something huge was happening. Also, the pop-up events made everything even more fun. Some streets had interactive games and music performances.
