A Night to Remember: The 2026 Winter Olympics Milano-Cortina Opening Ceremony

We arrived in Milan a day ahead and had booked an Airbnb near San Siro stadium, where the opening ceremony was taking place.

On the morning of the ceremony, we took a guided English tour of Castello Sforzesco (Sforza Castle). Built in the 14th century and expanded by the Sforza dynasty, this Renaissance fortress is a true Milanese icon. Our hour-long tour led us through grand courtyards and into the city’s impressive collections, including the Museum of Ancient Art and the Pinacoteca. The highlight was seeing Michelangelo’s Rondanini Pietà. It is one of only three major Pietà statues he sculpted—alongside those in Rome and Florence.

After our visit, we walked toward the Arco della Pace, where the 2026 Winter Olympics cauldron was located. The area was filled with displays from various Olympic partners, yet the city felt surprisingly quiet and normal that morning. There was little to suggest that an event of this scale was just hours away. For lunch, we stopped at Maccheroni - La Carbonara N°1 di Milano where we had some of the best Carbonara we’ve ever tasted.

By the afternoon, the city’s quiet morning had vanished. We wandered through the Piazza del Duomo and into the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the world’s oldest and most luxurious shopping arcades. The crowds were starting to swell, and you could finally feel the excitement building in the air as Milan prepared for the evening’s spectacle.

We took an Uber from our Airbnb to the iconic San Siro Stadium. Spectators had traveled from all over the globe, but our section was filled with a lively mix of Americans and Canadians. That shared energy made the atmosphere feel incredibly festive and welcoming as we waited for the ceremony to begin.

The opening sequence was everything we had hoped for and more, a tribute to Italy's past that somehow felt completely of the moment. Huge digital projections lit up the stage with traditional motifs but paired with punchy contemporary music and choreography that had the whole crowd moving. And then came the moment that made everyone gasp and laugh at the same time: these enormous paint tubes rolling across the stage, exploding into wild bursts of color.

Early in the ceremony, Mariah Carey took the stage to perform “Nel blu, dipinto di blu”—better known as Volare—entirely in Italian. Her performance brought a massive burst of pop energy to the stadium, turning the historic anthem into a truly celebratory, modern moment.

The ceremony also paid a beautiful tribute to Giorgio Armani, a true icon of Italian style. His influence was felt throughout the show, from the sleek, clean lines of the stage to the elegant colors that felt both timeless and modern. It was a masterclass in the sophisticated aesthetic that defines Milan.

After the high-energy performances, the ceremony moved into a more reflective, cinematic segment. Massive projections brought Northern Italy’s landscapes to life from soaring Alpine peaks to bustling urban skylines. Performers glided across the stage in perfect sync with sweeping lights.

Later, Andrea Bocelli took the stage to perform the legendary aria “Nessun Dorma” from Puccini’s Turandot. His performance was absolutely breathtaking, moving many in the stadium to tears.

Charlize Theron also made a surprise appearance, delivering a brief but impactful speech. As a UN Messenger of Peace, she spoke about the unifying power of sports and reminded us of our shared responsibility to protect the planet.

The athletes’ entrance is always the longest part of any ceremony, and it feels even longer when you’re watching it live, especially with the temperature hovering in the low 40s. This year featured a unique twist: the parade stretched beyond San Siro, with athletes joining via satellite from other host locations like Cortina d’Ampezzo and Bormio. Even from a distance, you could see the joy on their faces; they were clearly having as much fun as we were in the stadium.

In a unique move, the Olympic flame wasn't lit inside San Siro, but at the Arco della Pace. Immediately after Italian legends Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni ignited the cauldron there, the stadium erupted in a coordinated light and firework display.

As the flames roared to life, the stadium was filled with the sounds of Beethoven’s "Ode to Joy" (the anthem of Europe). This was a powerful, orchestral finish that underscored the unity of the 92 nations participating.

The "paint tubes" returned for one final sequence. This time, they created a massive, 360-degree digital map across the stadium floor and screens, showing the Olympic flame "traveling" from the Arco della Pace through the streets of Milan and up into the Alps.

The formal atmosphere broke as the music shifted to a more upbeat, modern Italian mix. Athletes from the various sections were encouraged to mingle on the stage area. This was the moment of "chaos" you likely felt, the shift from a show to real-world party for the thousands of competitors. The ceremony concluded with a final salute from the Italian President, Sergio Mattarella, and the organizers, followed by a massive release of biodegradable "snow" confetti over the spectators

Leaving the stadium afterward was a bit chaotic: we ended up standing outside for nearly 30 minutes while they cleared the streets for departing athletes. Our pre-booked Uber couldn’t get through, so we had to walk back to our Airbnb.

Altogether, we had an amazing time. Between the spectacular show and exploring the city’s culture, we savored every bit of Milan’s energy and excitement. The ceremony was truly unforgettable, and even the small "adventures," became part of a story we’ll remember for years.