Rome via Brooklyn

After spending time in Florence, my next stop was Milan. I arrived early in the morning, and the first thing I noticed was how much cooler the weather was compared to Rome. It was honestly such a nice change after spending so many days walking around in the Roman heat. The city already felt busy with people heading to work, grabbing breakfast, and starting their day.

Of course, I had to stop by a local bar for breakfast. One thing I quickly learned in Italy is that a “bar” is basically a café, which definitely took some getting used to as a Muslim. I ordered a pistachio cornetto and a latte with oat milk as it’s much creamer than almond, and to my surprise it came with a tiny piece of almond chocolate on the side. It was such a small detail, but I thought it was so sweet and honestly one of my favorite little memories from Milan. The cornetto itself was probably one of the best I had during my entire time in Italy.

Going into Milan, I honestly thought this would be the city where I would spend the most money shopping. Everyone always talks about Milan being the fashion capital of Italy, so I had high expectations. Ironically, I ended up leaving completely empty handed, but even though I didn’t buy anything, I still really enjoyed walking around and window shopping while taking in the city.

One of my favorite places I visited was Castello Sforzesco. I wasn’t expecting it to be so massive. Walking through the castle and its surrounding grounds reminded me a lot of visiting St. Patrick’s Cathedral back home in Manhattan. Even though they’re completely different buildings, they both have this grand feeling that immediately catches your attention.

Afterward, I made my way to the famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. I had seen so many pictures of it online before coming to Italy, and it was definitely beautiful in person. The architecture, glass ceiling, and luxury stores made it feel very elegant. At the same time, I have to admit I was a little underwhelmed. Maybe my expectations were just too high because of social media, but I enjoyed simply walking through it more than actually shopping there.

Before heading back to Rome, I knew I couldn’t leave Milan without trying Spontini, which so many people had recommended to me. I can confidently say the recommendations were absolutely worth it. The pizza was incredibly cheesy, gooey, and filling, all while being affordable. I was super hungry after all the walking, I forgot to take a photo but it truly ended up being one of my favorite meals I had during my entire study abroad experience. If someone asked me which city had the best food out of all the places I visited in Italy, I would honestly have to say Milan.

Although Milan wasn’t exactly what I expected, I still had a great time exploring it. I may have gone home without any shopping bags, but I left seeing another city that showed me a completely different side of Italy. That’s one of my favorite things about traveling here. Every city has its own personality, and Milan proved that you don’t always need to buy something to take a piece of the city home with you.