Happy Halloween from Milan!
Although Halloween has long been especially popular in the United States and other English-speaking countries, the holiday has spread well beyond them. Italy is no exception! Walking around Milan, I was surprised to see shops decorated for Halloween and children out trick-or-treating.
In my neighborhood, where many people live in apartment buildings, the trick-or-treaters I saw were collecting candy from local businesses. Here, the phrase is "Dolcetto o Scherzetto?", the Italian equivalent of “Trick or Treat?” Literally, it means something like “a little sweet or a little prank?” The order is reversed, but the request for candy is very much the same!
Alongside the candy and decorations, Milan had something for science lovers too. I attended a special Halloween event at the Civico Planetario Ulrico Hoepli, Milan’s historic planetarium in the Indro Montanelli public gardens near Porta Venezia. The theme was “Witches, Ghosts, Vampire Stars and Cosmic Pumpkins,” which seemed like a promising combination.
The building has quite a history of its own. Designed by architect Piero Portaluppi and donated to the city by publisher Ulrico Hoepli, it opened in 1930.
