A few months ago, I flew to Lithuania, where I had a stopover in Milan. I arrived at Malpensa airport in the morning and was due to fly out in the evening, from Bergamo airport, at the other end of the city. I had seven hours between flights, but after deducting the two hours between airports and the two hours recommended to be at the airport before the flight, I only had three hours to explore the city. There were two options: either go straight to Bergamo and wait there for five hours or take advantage of this fortuitous opportunity to slip out into the city for a short but deliberate stroll. And I took that opportunity.
Only three hours in Milan - my first time! And even though I knew it would be a short time, on the train ride to the city centre I already felt that pleasant excitement of travelling - when you don't know exactly what you're going to see, but you know it's going to be something special. I had a very clear plan in advance: only three hours, so I needed to focus on the essentials. I wanted to taste the local food, admire the architecture and feel the soul of the city at least a little bit, and not be in a hurry at all, just be here and now and enjoy the moment. That's what I try to experience on every trip, whether it's a month or a few hours.
As soon as I stepped out of the metro station, I was greeted by the heart of Milan - the Duomo di Milano. I stood in front of it and looked up at the towers rising towards the sky, marvelling at how Gothic could be so light and bright. All that openwork lace detail on the stones looked like something that shouldn't be real - too perfect. Tourists bustled around, speaking in many different languages, and the Christmas market houses in front of the cathedral already smelled of mulled wine and roasted almonds. December in Milan is another random but lovely bonus.
Just a few steps away is Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. I entered it from the Cathedral Square and the first thing that caught my eye was the glass dome through which the winter sun was slowly creeping. This place is more than just a shopping centre. It is Milan in its elegance. People walked slowly, admiring the mosaics, and some stopped to lean on the familiar mosaic bull between the four central symbols, which tradition says is good luck.
Turning slightly to the side, I crossed over to the Teatro alla Scala. Although I didn't go inside, just standing in front of this world-famous opera was something special. Somehow I didn't even feel like rushing - even if I only had a few minutes, I wanted to stop for a moment and just be in the atmosphere.
And then the food. I had decided that I definitely wanted to try the panzerotti from Luini, a famous place near the cathedral. There was still a queue, as I expected, but it was moving fast. I took two - and ate one right there, standing on the pavement next to others like me, enjoying the treat they had bought. It was somehow very "street-cosy", even reminiscent of moments in Japan when I used to eat just on the street, surrounded by strangers, but also curious people. I saved the other panzerotti for the plane. A 2.5-hour flight with a warm memory from Milan.
On the way back to the metro, thoughts came flooding back. Just a couple of hours - but how much can you fit in. This short experience reminded me once again: travel is not about distance or duration. A journey is how you feel when you are in a new place. How much openness, curiosity and sincerity you bring to your time. You can travel for a year and not experience anything real, or you can travel for three hours and remember it for a lifetime.
Sometimes it takes a long time to plan a trip. We don't always have it. Sometimes you just want to snap your fingers and have it all ready to go - no research, no reading, no doubts. If that's the case for you, contact me. I like to plan. After a short chat, I'll prepare your travel plan - whatever the destination. With descriptions, photos, links, even an audio guide if you like. And you just go.
Milan was an unexpected date for me. But very nice.
