Visiting Italy for the Winter Olympics? How Le VPN Keeps You Connected
The Winter Olympics Return to Italy’s Alpine Heart
The 2026 Winter Olympics, officially known as Milano Cortina 2026, will take place from February 6 to 22, 2026, across Lombardy and Northeast Italy. This marks a historic moment as Italy hosts the Olympics for the fourth time, bringing together the cosmopolitan energy of Milan with the breathtaking alpine beauty of Cortina d’Ampezzo. More than 3,500 athletes from 93 countries will be competing for 195 medals in 16 Olympic disciplines, making this one of the most anticipated winter sporting events in recent memory.
For the thousands of international visitors planning to attend these Games, staying connected while traveling through Italy’s diverse regions will be essential. Whether you’re navigating between venues, sharing moments from the slopes, or keeping in touch with loved ones back home, reliable internet access becomes more than a convenience—it’s a necessity for modern travelers.
Understanding Italy’s Digital Landscape
Before packing your bags for the Italian Alps, it’s important to understand the connectivity challenges you might encounter. In major cities like Rome, Florence, and Milan, staying connected is relatively easy with plenty of Wi-Fi hotspots in cafes, restaurants, and hotels, and mobile data coverage is generally reliable. However, the Winter Olympics will take you beyond these urban centers.
The 2026 Winter Games will take place in eight locations spread across northern Italy, with the majority of events in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, while the rest of the competitions will be held in several small towns, including Anterselva/Antholz, Bormio, Livigno, Predazzo, and Tesero. This distributed geography presents unique connectivity challenges.
The Urban-Rural Digital Divide
Italy’s urban centers enjoy relatively robust internet connectivity with access to fiber-optic and high-speed broadband services, benefiting from extensive digital infrastructure including advanced mobile networks and 4G/5G coverage. However, rural areas face significant challenges in accessing high-speed internet, with many remote communities still relying on older, slower DSL connections or satellite internet.
Italy’s unique geography, characterized by its mountainous terrain and varied landscapes, poses significant challenges for infrastructure development, as laying fiber-optic cables in these rugged areas can be costly and logistically challenging. This is particularly relevant for Olympic visitors who will be traveling to alpine venues where connectivity may be less reliable than in Milan’s city center.
The Hidden Dangers of Public Wi-Fi at Olympic Venues
As you move between Olympic venues, hotels, cafes, and transportation hubs, you’ll likely encounter numerous public Wi-Fi networks. While these connections offer convenient internet access, they come with significant security risks that every traveler should understand.
Why Public Wi-Fi Is a Hacker’s Playground
Public Wi-Fi networks come with significant risks like data interception, malware, and identity theft, and if their Wi-Fi lacks robust security measures, they could be endangering their customers. The convenience of free Wi-Fi at Olympic venues, hotels, and cafes can mask serious vulnerabilities.
Most routers nowadays have encryption capabilities, but it needs to be enabled through router settings as encryption is turned off by default, and not everyone knows about this, so public Wi-Fi networks are often left unencrypted. This creates an environment where hackers can steal any data passing across an unsecured Wi-Fi network connection, including email contents and metadata, search queries, file transfers, and login credentials.
Common Threats at Public Hotspots
Man-in-the-Middle Attacks: Man-in-the-middle attacks are common with free WiFi hotspots and open networks, where hackers can access information as data travels from your wireless device to a website via the network’s router, ranging from simple snooping to theft of credit card information, banking details, and personal files.
Fake Wi-Fi Networks: Cybercriminals set up bogus public WiFi hotspots to break into WiFi networks, called evil twin attacks, where malicious hotspots appear like legitimate sources of free WiFi and often have unassuming names like free WiFi or Guest WiFi. At busy Olympic venues, distinguishing between legitimate and malicious networks becomes particularly challenging.
Data Interception: In one study, researchers monitored 11 unsecured Wi-Fi hotspots around Nara, Japan, and over 150 hours, they gathered unencrypted photos, documents, emails, and credentials, with all of the harvested data in plain text.
Streaming the Games: Geo-Restrictions and Broadcasting Rights
One of the most frustrating aspects of international travel during major sporting events is encountering geo-restrictions when trying to watch live coverage. In Italy, domestic pay-TV rights are owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, with free-to-air coverage and digital rights owned by RAI under a sublicense agreement with the European Broadcasting Union.
This means that if you’re an American visitor trying to access NBC’s coverage, a British fan looking for BBC content, or a Canadian hoping to stream via CBC, you may find yourself blocked due to geographic restrictions. These limitations can be particularly frustrating when you want to watch specific events, catch commentary in your native language, or access coverage of athletes from your home country.
The Winter Olympics 2026 are being shown on free-to-air streaming platforms in the UK, Canada, Australia and the Republic of Ireland, with the BBC and its streaming platform BBC iPlayer covering the top action in the UK. However, accessing these services from Italy requires technical solutions to bypass geographic restrictions.
How VPN Technology Keeps You Connected and Secure
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) has become an essential tool for international travelers, especially during major events like the Winter Olympics. Understanding how VPNs work and why they’re crucial for your Italian adventure can make the difference between a seamless connected experience and constant frustration.
Protection on Public Networks
One of the best ways to minimize public Wi-Fi security risks is to use a VPN, which establishes a private, encrypted VPN tunnel through which your data is sent and received. When you connect to a VPN before accessing public Wi-Fi at your hotel, an Olympic venue, or a cafe in Cortina, your internet traffic is encrypted, making it unreadable to anyone trying to intercept it.
Virtual private networks protect public Wi-Fi use by encrypting data and assigning anonymous IP addresses, where encryption conceals the data you send over free wifi connections, and attackers cannot see what you type or the emails you send. This protection is invaluable when you need to check your bank account, book additional accommodations, or access sensitive information while traveling.
Bypassing Geographic Restrictions
There are no restrictions on the use of VPNs in Italy, except where these are used for criminal activity, making it perfectly legal to use VPN services to access content from your home country. With a VPN service like Le VPN, you can connect to servers in over 100 locations worldwide, allowing you to access streaming services and content as if you were back home.
Le VPN’s extensive server network includes multiple locations across Italy—Milan, Rome, and other cities—as well as servers throughout Europe and North America. This means you can easily switch between different geographic locations depending on which content you want to access, whether it’s American NBC coverage, British BBC streams, or Canadian CBC broadcasts.
The Stealth Protocol Advantage
In environments with heavy network traffic or restrictive network policies—common at large venues and hotels during major events—standard VPN protocols might experience performance issues. Le VPN’s stealth untraceable protocol, based on obfuscated WireGuard technology, is specifically designed to bypass any restrictions while maintaining high-speed connections. This ensures that even in crowded Olympic venues with thousands of connected devices, your VPN connection remains stable and reliable.
Practical Tips for Staying Connected During the Olympics
Before You Leave Home
Set up your VPN service: Don’t wait until you arrive in Italy to configure your VPN. Download and test Le VPN on all your devices before departure. The service supports multiple devices and operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux, ensuring all your gadgets are protected.
Download offline maps: Offline maps not only come in handy if you happen to run out of mobile data and don’t have access to Wi-Fi, but they’ll also help reduce your battery usage. Download maps of Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, and other Olympic venues before your trip.
Enable data breach monitoring: Le VPN’s data breach scanner checks if your email address has been involved in any data leaks. Run this check before traveling to ensure your accounts are secure.
Upon Arrival in Italy
Activate threat protection: Le VPN’s threat protection feature guards against trackers, phishing attempts, and malware—threats that become more prevalent when using public networks in tourist-heavy areas.
Choose your connection wisely: Signals are slower and less reliable in more remote areas, such as some of Italy’s national parks, at isolated beaches on islands such as Sardinia, and in the Italian Alps and Dolomites, so don’t rely on always being able to find a 5G connection in smaller villages. When in alpine venues, be prepared for potential connectivity challenges.
Verify network authenticity: Always verify the authenticity of a WiFi network before connecting to it. Ask hotel staff or venue personnel for the official network name to avoid connecting to malicious hotspots.
Daily Best Practices
Keep your VPN active: Make it a habit to connect to Le VPN before accessing any public Wi-Fi network. The service’s user-friendly apps make this process quick and seamless.
Use HTTPS websites: It’s good practice to browse only websites that have an SSL certificate—especially while on public Wi-Fi. Look for the padlock icon in your browser’s address bar.
Avoid sensitive transactions on public networks: Avoid accessing sensitive information such as your financial data or confidential business information on public networks, as even if the network appears safe, the risk of a man-in-the-middle attack is ever-present, so it’s best to wait until you have a secure connection. However, with Le VPN’s encryption, you add a significant layer of protection even for these activities.
Log out after sessions: Once you’re done using public Wi-Fi, log out of any services you were using, and also make your device forget the Wi-Fi network in question so it wouldn’t automatically connect to it the next time.
Navigating Between Olympic Venues
The 2026 Winter Games are the first to officially be hosted by two destinations: Milan and Cortina, Italy, though events will play out in other locations across northern Italy, with the 2026 Winter Games venues divided into five zones. This geographic spread means you’ll likely be traveling frequently between locations, each with its own connectivity characteristics.
Milan: The Urban Hub
The cosmopolitan city of Milan will be the main hub for the Winter Games excitement, offering all the conveniences of a world capital and known for fashion, design, arts, and culture. In Milan, you’ll find the most reliable internet infrastructure, with widespread 4G/5G coverage and numerous Wi-Fi hotspots. However, the concentration of Olympic visitors means networks will be congested, making a VPN’s efficient data routing particularly valuable.
Cortina d’Ampezzo and Alpine Venues
Cortina d’Ampezzo is surrounded by the stunning Dolomite mountain range, which is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the breathtaking scenery in this upscale resort destination will make a perfect backdrop for the 2026 Winter Games. While Cortina is a well-established resort town with decent connectivity, the surrounding alpine venues may have more limited coverage.
Because of the distributed geography of Milano Cortina you will be losing essentially a working day moving from one location to another, and there are limitations in terms of accommodation availability, as the venues outside of Milan are small places not massive, industrialized skiing areas. This makes planning your connectivity strategy even more important.
Additional Security Features for Peace of Mind
Beyond basic VPN protection, Le VPN offers several features that enhance your security and privacy during international travel:
Multi-protocol support: Le VPN supports multiple protocols including WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, IPSec, PPTP, and L2TP. This flexibility allows you to choose the best protocol for your specific situation—whether you need maximum speed for streaming events or maximum security for sensitive communications.
No-logs policy: Le VPN maintains a strict no-logs policy, ensuring that your online activities remain private and aren’t recorded or stored.
Kill switch functionality: If your VPN connection drops unexpectedly, the kill switch immediately stops your internet traffic, preventing any data from being transmitted over an unsecured connection.
Multiple device support: With a single Le VPN subscription, you can protect multiple devices simultaneously—your smartphone, tablet, laptop, and even your travel companion’s devices.
Making the Most of Your Olympic Experience
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy promise to be an unforgettable experience, combining world-class athletic competition with Italian culture, cuisine, and alpine beauty. The Olympic torch relay started on 26 November 2025 with the flame lighting in Olympia, Greece, and concludes on 6 February 2026 in Milan, Italy, coinciding with the opening ceremony at Stadio San Siro.
By ensuring you have reliable, secure internet connectivity throughout your journey, you can fully immerse yourself in the Olympic experience without worrying about security threats or access limitations. Share your experiences in real-time, stay in touch with friends and family, access your preferred streaming services, and navigate confidently between venues—all while knowing your data and privacy are protected.
Beyond the Olympics
The connectivity solutions you implement for the Winter Olympics will serve you well for all your future travels. Whether you’re exploring Italy’s other treasures after the Games, planning future international trips, or simply want better security on your home network, a reliable VPN service like Le VPN provides ongoing value and protection.
With Le VPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee, you can try the service risk-free for your Olympic adventure. The intuitive apps and responsive customer support ensure that even if you’re not tech-savvy, you’ll have no trouble staying connected and protected throughout your Italian journey.
Your Connected Olympic Adventure Awaits
As you prepare for your Winter Olympics adventure in Italy, remember that staying connected safely is just as important as booking the right tickets or finding the perfect accommodation. The combination of Italy’s varying connectivity infrastructure, the security risks of public Wi-Fi, and the desire to access your preferred content creates a perfect scenario for VPN use.
Le VPN’s comprehensive feature set—including strong encryption, threat protection, data breach monitoring, stealth protocols, and an extensive server network—makes it an ideal companion for Olympic travelers. Whether you’re watching alpine skiing in Cortina, figure skating in Milan, or exploring Italian cities between events, you’ll have the connectivity and security you need to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The 2026 Winter Olympics will bring together the world’s best athletes in one of Europe’s most beautiful regions. Make sure you’re fully prepared to capture, share, and enjoy every moment of this historic event—safely and without limitations.
EXCLUSIVE DEAL
First 3 years for $2.22/mo
NO LOGS
100+ LOCATIONS
P2P ALLOWED
Easy To Use
30-Day Money Back
Friendly Support
Bitcoin Accepted
Ultra High Speeds