Not love at first sight

I did not fall in love with Milan at first sight, certainly, unlike Rome, where I had always wanted to set foot. I still remember clearly the first time I was in the second largest city of Italy many years ago. Before that, Milan was just an impression of the Duomo square seen in photos, or the matches between the two biggest and most traditional football teams in Italy, bringing joy and sadness to the fans at the San Siro stadium every week. Milan is noisy, bustling and has a fast pace of life like any city in Northern Europe. Milan is the city of fashion, commerce, of everything that is completely opposite to ancient and peaceful Rome.

Bustling Duomo Square

It was a short business trip to the capital of Lombardy. I had not seen the Scala, I had not felt anything romantic in the crowded streets near my workplace. The meeting ended, the first thought that came to me when I stepped out into the street was to call a taxi to the small hotel on the edge of the city center. But no, there was no taxi on the sidewalk and I had to take a tram, not caring where it was going that afternoon.

That was the journey that changed my perspective and feelings about the city. Milan appeared slowly, swaying gently as the train moved on the rails. The streets, the brightly lit shops, the cafes, the ancient churches, the bare tree branches in the night, the pedestrians with their collars pulled up gradually passed by. I was admiring the streets and suddenly a large space opened up, the Duomo church stood there. The symbol of the city had actually always been in me for many years through movies, photos, and postcards. But my first direct look at the Duomo at that time suddenly felt so familiar and lovely, as if the Milan Cathedral, a massive structure that took centuries to complete, had become a familiar destination in my mind. Stepping down to the square and admiring the church from afar, then moving closer, admiring it in the darkness dotted with street lights, I realized how close this structure was.

Exploring the city by train is a favorite among tourists.

The next day, the sun rose and Milan felt very different, more familiar, more sparkling, as I walked along the small streets back to the center. The Duomo and its white stone facade became more familiar. La Scala, the “temple” of Italian classical music , was busy preparing a new opera. The famous fashion street Via Montenapoleone was bustling with shoppers. The Navigli area with its small canal was full of life, bustling with joggers. The cafes were full of laughter. The small park in the Brera area was filled with chirping birds. I sipped a cappuccino in Galleria Umberto, an elegant and ancient covered shopping area overlooking the Duomo, cherishing every minute of the morning. Milan now means to me not only San Siro, the cathedral of Italian football, not only the Santa Maria delle Grazie monastery, home to the immortal "Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci, who spent part of his life in Milan in the late 15th century.

The bustling banks of the Naviglio Canal

After that trip, I returned to Milan many more times. Rome is still the place I stayed the longest in my journey to Italy, but Milan has become my “home”, close and lovely in every corner. The hustle and bustle, even the traffic jams on the busy beltway on the way into the city, did not make me uncomfortable.

So, the first impression of a city is not always the final measure of it. Don’t be too quick to close the door of your heart or refuse the opportunity to return to a certain place. Because sometimes, seemingly small experiences can change our perspective.

Source: https://heritagevietnamairlines.com/chua-yeu-tu-cai-nhin-dau-tien/