Day 0: Benvenuti in Italia!Hotel: Hotel Berna
Phrase of the Day: Buongiorno (Hello/Good Morning - used until ~4pm) |
Miles
Scoops of Gelato
High Temperature for the Day
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Did you know?
The Milan Duomo took over 6 centuries to complete and has over 4,000 statues, gargoyles, and figures that adorn the rooftop and cathedral.
Leaving the United States
Coming from the Pacific Northwest, we had a long day of travel ahead of us. We loaded up our carry on luggage into the car and arrived at the airport at 5am MST. Our flights took us to Salt Lake City, New York and then, finally, Milan where we landed at about 10am. Once we arrived in Milan we followed the signs to the train terminals and bought a ticket to Milan Centrale, managing to get a little lost along the way. Then, we found a seat to wait for the train. If you buy tickets at the terminal, make sure you validate your tickets at the various stands around the tracks. Our tickets were checked on every train we took! A 40 minute train ride and then a quick 10 minute walk to our hotel was nice and easy. Arriving in the morning, our hotel graciously stored our luggage while we ventured out into the city to find the Duomo and my friend Becca.
The name of Italy has magic in its very syllables.
- Mary Shelley
The Milan Duomo |
Wow! What a stunning piece of architecture and art! We purchased "skip the line" tickets online before leaving home and went straight up to the rooftop. We spent quite a bit of time wandering around, exploring the rooftop, and enjoying the small details carved throughout. One of our favorites was a small dove tucked in the corner of a staircase; small enough that you would miss it if you weren't looking. It is amazing to think that many of the beautiful small details were not meant for the public eye. After enjoying our sky high views, we descended down a tight spiral staircase to the interior of the cathedral. The stained glass windows were beautiful and I loved the mosaic floor, something I would find in most of the churches throughout our tour. Rick Steve's guidebook was our companion to learn about the Duomo.
After a good couple of hours in the Milan Duomo, my parents headed back to the hotel while Becca and I decided to wander towards Sforzesco Castle and Parco Sempione, a public park. On our way back to the hotel for the evening, Becca and I stopped off for our first gelato at a lovely small gelataria called Dassie. I, as would come to be my standard, had pistachio!
After a good couple of hours in the Milan Duomo, my parents headed back to the hotel while Becca and I decided to wander towards Sforzesco Castle and Parco Sempione, a public park. On our way back to the hotel for the evening, Becca and I stopped off for our first gelato at a lovely small gelataria called Dassie. I, as would come to be my standard, had pistachio!
HELPFUL HINT: Review your tour schedule and look at what you might want to do in your free time and purchase advance tickets online for special places you might want to visit. Don't cram your schedule full as if you will never come back, though! Leave time to wander and explore...and believe you will see those other museums on your next trip!