Gambara Subway Studio

There are supermarkets close by, and beyond them the neighborhood is mostly quiet and residential. I felt comfortable using the station as a Japanese visitor. It was the closest one to my hotel, and even getting off late at night felt fairly safe, perhaps because there were so few people about. Milan's subway has a reputation for pickpockets, but staying alert should be enough.

GAMBÀRA is the name it should keep, in all its beauty. The station opened as a terminus in 1966 and has always been called Gambàra. The fuss over whether it should be “Gàmbara” only started with the voice announcements.

Gambara links a peaceful neighborhood to the rest of the city. Milan's metro is a real masterpiece, reaching all the major historic places.

That lavender bed running as far as Piazza Dalla Chiesa looks lovely, and I really like the little square with its benches and bar tables. Ever since they took out the tracks and rebuilt the space, it's become beautiful. In summer it even reminds me of a seaside piazza. I was saying to a friend today, though, that Sundays can be a letdown: certain people occupy all the benches, sitting around with their beers. I'd rather see other people there.