Melina's trip to Milan
This was my second time to Milan and it felt as magical as the first time. My husband and I spent one week in Milan during November just as it was getting to the winter season, so jackets were a must. There is a different energy in Milan, everyone is always jogging, eating healthy, walking their dogs, shopping and not to mention smoking (not my favourite thing but they seem to love it).
We started our trip by enjoying the traditional breakfasts starting at around 7am with a buffet of pastries and of course coffee. If you ever go to Italy, be mindful that you will get funny stares if you are caught drinking cappuccinos after 10am as this is considered a 'morning' thing.
We then went to the famous Starbucks Roastery which is quite new and known to be the most beautiful in the world. Honestly it felt like I was in the Willy Wonka factory of coffee. The Galleria Vittoria Emanuele II shopping gallery is home to all the big Italian brands. It is absolutely stunning. The architecture from the famous Milan Crest tiles to the glass window ceiling is quite a sight. If you love food, the Princi Bakery and Eataly were my favourite places although anywhere you go has amazing food.
During the evening it is traditional to go out for aperitivo 'appetisers' and drinks before you go out to dinner which is usually 8-9pm - very different to how we have dinner in Australia, but at the same time quite sophisticated. You’ll see a spread (almost buffet like) of finger food ready with your drinks. Not sure how they keep their weight under control. I definitely came home a little heavier. Night time in Milan is seriously stunning. The old gothic buildings yet modern culture make you feel like you are in a completely different world.
That weekend, we attended two football matches at the San Siro stadium which is famous for its architecture. It is absolutely amazing. We watched the home league Serie A as well as the Champions League which was phenomenal, and the atmosphere was incredible. You will never experience sport like it until you are amidst the European crowd there. They are on another level.
Whilst we were there, we visited the famous Cathedral Duomo di Milano and climbed right to the top where you view the whole city. Be prepared to walk up flights of never-ending stairs, my legs were on fire by the time we reached the top but the view of the whole city made it worthwhile. If you've always wanted to see Leonardo DaVinci’s last supper, make sure you book this one week in advance online as we were upset to find out there was no tickets available. Instead we got to attend the Picasso exhibition which just landed in Milan.
We finished our trip enjoying a bike ride in the famous Parco Sempione which holds the Arco Della Pace (Arch of Peace) which is a very big park located near our Air BnB.
If you love food, culture, art, architecture, I highly recommend spending time in this beautiful modern city.
