Ciao Milano

The second part of our journey through Italy was North to Milan via the Trenitalia. I loved riding the train and then arriving into Milan's beautiful train station. Right away when we arrived I noticed a huge shift between Rome and where we were now. It was a dreary rainy day but I expected that from Milan. The main city architecture was very brutalist and corporate until we got to the fashion district where our hotel was. The big attractions here are the Duomo, The Galleria, and of course shopping in the Fashion District Via Spiga. Milan felt a lot like a cross between Paris and Belgrade. The people were nice but not as friendly as in Rome and a little snobby. It is worth coming here also to just people watch because all the women wear outrageous outfits. 

Our first half day we checked into the Mandarin Oriental which was a great mix of modern Italian decor with a little Asian flair. The room was sophisticated and minimalist with an enormous bathtub that we used quite a bit. We started the day off with a quick walk to look at the shopping center Galleria Vittorio Emanuele ii. The Galleria is filled with high end shops and restaurants and has two gigantic Prada stores. We stumbled upon a small Fondaizone Prada Osservatorio photography exhibit that took us to the top of the building. Aside from the cool exhibit we got to see the top of the Galleria which not a lot of people get to see. Afterward, we admired the beautiful Duomo which is right next door. Then we went to the Museo del Novecento which housed beautiful works of art as well as a nice view of the Duomo. Later that evening we enjoyed apertivo, cocktails, and pasta at the Armani Hotel. This was probably the chicest hotel I have ever seen including the clientele at the bar. To end the night we walked around the fashion district and admired the beautiful stores and christmas decor.

The next day I really wanted to check out the Fondaizone Prada museum and the attached Bar Luce designed by Wes Anderson. It was definitely out of the way, about a 20 minute UBER ride. We only saw one gallery before the attendants kept telling me to check my bag even though it was just a medium sized handbag. Apparently it was too large but I really didn't want to check it being that I had valuables inside including my passport. We decided to move on to eat at Bar Luce. We didn't have to wait too long for a table being that it is a very popular place. We ordered cocktails and sandwiches, and then I wanted some coffee and desert but our waiter never came back so we just paid the cashier and left. I was a little disappointed by the trip there. I would not highly recommend it if you don't have a lot of time in Milan. We decided to walk back because it was such a beautiful day. We got to see some great local neighborhoods in Milan including the University and a beautiful park. All in all I am really happy we got to see Milan, it is a great city to do in just a day or two!