Winter Olympics 2026: how Milan is gearing up for its greatest sporting event to date

Milan alone is gearing up to welcome an estimated 1.6 million spectators over the course of two weeks, leaving locals wondering what the impact on their city will be. Around town, a tentative optimism seems to prevail. Ask a barista, restaurant server or dry cleaner if they’re excited for the Olympics, and you’ll often get a noncommittal, “sì” delivered with shrugged shoulders and a quick, tilted double head nod.

Lucrezia Bosone, who runs a branding agency and grew up in Milan, is…