As the Olympics comes to an end, I am amazed at how beautiful and welcoming the host city has been.

Before coming here, Italians from other parts of the country had told me that Turin was an ugly, industrial city, with tacit and unfriendly people. But, from everything I’ve seen I would beg to disagree. And from what I’ve heard from Romans, Florentines and Milanese — to name a few — it seems they have also been surprised by the city once known only as FIAT’s factory.

The Games may have ended, but Torinesi are hoping they have sparked a new beginning.

The city’s historic center — from Medals Plaza in Piazza Castello to the bars on the banks of the River Po — has been seen on televisions around the world, along with the famous Gianduia chocolate, Barolo wine and Piedmont cuisine. While the sites and restaurants have proven world-class, what has struck me most has been the heartfelt welcome the residents have shown their visitors.

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There are a host of people I’ll never forget.

On a tram, in the middle of a heavy snow storm, tourists asked for directions to a hockey game and other sites. With many of the Olympic volunteers coming from other cities, the local crowd quickly jumped in with answers. Multilingual translations followed, and each tourist was assigned to an Italian group going in the same direction. An elderly couple took charge of me. We got of that tram, onto another, and off that one together as well. The woman took me arm-in-arm, while her husband held an umbrella over us. Huddled close, we trampled through several inches of snow and right up to the door I needed.

Another day, a woman from Turin told me she’d never seen foreigners or even heard a foreign language here before. She wanted photographs with me and a group of Dutch decked out in orange. After the photos, I practically had to fight her off as she persistently tried to pay for my lunch.

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On a separate occasion, an 84-year-old man from mountains nearby chatted with me and gave me a handkerchief he said he made in 1961. That time, I couldn’t refuse, and will keep it forever.

One taxi driver I met was trying to learn as much as possible about the countries his customers were from and peppered me questions on language, tradition and customs. Two others asked, with slight trepidation, how I found the people here and if they failed to show the warmth and affection of southern Italians. When I said no, each sighed with relief and hoped their people were doing well in the eyes of the world.

Meantime, Italians not from Turin all said they were shocked to find the city so beautiful and full of life. And even the Torinesi admitted they’d never seen such energy and vitality in their streets. But, all wanted it to last.

They hoped that now people knew of Turin’s “hidden” treasures that they would return. And they wanted to see their own people, and themselves, so joyous and at the center of attention. Let’s hope the Olympic media blitz pumps their tourist industry and that the city’s invigoration lasts.

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