A tongue-in-cheek, but still very useful insight into navigating the delightful chaos we can expect in Milan as the Winter Olympics makes our city its temporary home. The key to ‘surviving’ the crowds and potential disruptions isn't about avoiding it altogether (unless you love the idea of tip #7), but learning how to move through it with grace & humour.

Written by: Ché Maria Milani

Master the art of the scenic route.

Your usual 10-minute walk to your office or preferred co-working space is now 30 minutes - and not because you've suddenly developed an interest in urban planning.

But because there are an unexpected number of people photographing the beautiful architecture that we take for granted every day.

The trick is to claim this as your own small luxury…that extra time hitting the pavements becomes a moment to notice the details you usually rush past.

The art deco ironwork. The colours and textures of buildings that tower over you. The window displays you've been meaning to photograph. And that little courtyard entrance you've walked past a hundred times - but never actually entered.

The Olympics might force you to slow down, but there's something rather lovely about being made to actually see Milan.

Be Smarter Than Google Maps

Your trusted navigation app will, at some point, confidently want to take you and your car straight through one of the provisional ZTL zones that have materialised around CityLife and other Olympic hubs.

You'll find yourself at a barrier, camera overhead, explaining to a well-meaning volunteer that yes, you do actually live 20 metres ahead.

The city will redraw its ZTL borders for the duration of the Games, and even those of us who know Milan intimately will need to relearn it temporarily.

Keep two backup navigation apps on your phone, keep your eyes peeled for the ZTL signage (which can be easy to miss until it's too late), and embrace the adventure of discovering new routes through your own neighborhood.

Or better yet, invest in a good pair of walking shoes, and let your car hibernate for a couple of weeks. 

photo by Chè Milani

Make 2026 The Year of This Skill…

Now will be the perfect time to get a grip on your meal planning. An underrated superpower, I’d say. And it’s something you’ve been meaning to do anyway, right?

Stock your kitchen before the Games begin (hopefully it’s not too late by the time you read this) before the city fills.

Grocery shopping during the Olympics will feel less like an errand - and more like elbowing your way through Rinascente during saldi season. Your local Carrefour will be busier than you've ever seen it, and might even run low on one or two of your essentials.

Best be prepared. 

Book Aperitivo Spots In Advance - Or Be Left Thirsty

And then, just 5 days after the Olympics kicked off in Milan, your favourite ‘watering hole’ in the city centre now requires the kind of planning-in-advance reserved for snagging ballet tickets at La Scala.

No more sauntering in on a random Tuesday after work, and taking a seat in the corner that’s best for people-watching.

Well, the people-watching will surely be great, but…at a price.

Because somehow your aperitivo spot has been discovered, starred, and added to 17 different "hidden gems of Milan" lists that are no longer so hidden.

The bartender who recognises your friendly face will give you a sympathetic look.

It won’t be this way forever, so hang in there. But without ‘cheating’ on your favourite bar, this might be an opportune time to discover your own ‘hidden gem’ closer to home.

Photo by Chè Milani, MWN Archive. The Bar at Ralph Lauren, December 2025

Spontaneity Can Wait - Book Your Table Ahead of Time

As for the restaurants? Mamma mia.

Here’s another chance to find the silver lining, though - through another exercise in forward-planning. (Life skills, ladies, life skills).

You could become impressively organised with your social calendar and finally start booking, and ticking off, those ‘places to go to’ that you’ve been eyeing ever since you moved to Milan.

Naturally, you could postpone all the socialising till after the Olympics, but why should life come to a stop? It’s about - as the title suggests - surviving this chaotic period, but also thriving in it.

A bonus - you might notice that snagging your table in advance and committing to it, makes you enjoy it even more thanks to the effort you put in.

Give Yourself Permission To Not Be An Expert

- on every winter sport, or even remotely interested in most of them. We need to conserve our energy. 

There's a peculiar social pressure during Olympic season to feign enthusiasm for sports you've never watched - and likely never will again.

For example, if you're from Australia, the complexities of skimo (ski mountaineering) probably weren't part of your upbringing. And so, it looks exciting, but don’t force yourself to watch it. 

It's perfectly acceptable to admit when asked that you're "curious to see what all the hype is about" - rather than pretending you've been following this sport’s official debut as a medal sport in this year’s Winter Olympics.

(But now at least you have a fun fact to throw around)

The truth is, most of us will watch figure skating because it's beautiful, possibly some of the skiing because it's exciting…and then return to our normal lives.

You don't need to develop expert opinions about luge technique to be a good resident of an Olympic host city.

What matters more is the energy of it all, and the fact that Milan is, for this brief moment, at the center of something global. 

Or, you could just escape Milan!

At some point, you may just feel the need to get out the city. There's no shame in this.

Sometimes the easiest, sanity-protecting response to chaos is simply to remove yourself from it.

If you have the flexibility to work remotely and the desire for some February tranquility - go!

Everyone and everything will still be here when you return, and you can hear all about the Winter Olympics from your friends and colleagues instead.

Milan will be a whirlwind of activity in February, but there’s something quite special about here for all of it.

So, plan ahead, but balance it out by going with the flow, and seizing every moment to relish the experiences that aren’t necessarily always part of everyday-life in Milan.

We’ll see you on the other end of it - in the meantime, we wish you luck! 

And if after reading this you’re still smiling… that’s our sign.

Come watch the Opening Ceremony with us on February 6th and turn Olympic chaos into a shared memory. Book your spot here

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