Walking Around Milan

Why go to Milan for New Year? It has a famous football team.  Must be famous.  Even I have heard of it.  Fashion and shopping.  Not really a fashion follower and if I shopped in Milan the travel fund would be severely depleted.

Truth is I had never been there and neither, it transpired, had the friend I was meeting for New Year.  Plus there are flights to Milan from both Manchester and Birmingham.  Our nearest respective airports.  So it was more a process of elimination than positive choice.  But a good one.

Can I recommend it?  Yes, for a short break and when blessed with beautiful weather there is plenty.

Malpensa Airport is some distance from the city but the express train made the journey almost seamless and efficient.  Though remember to get your ticket clipped at the station or you will be stung for an extra 5E.  I didn’t and was.

A fine, Cold, crisp night air encouraged immediate exploration and we joined others to admire the spectacular Duomo

Adjacent,  Pallazo Reale was the back drop for a musical light show

Constantly changing colours and concepts

Christmas markets lingered.

Tempting taste buds,

Italian design and flare in pork pigs

and cakes!

Food remained a theme.  It would be easy  to end with a waistline resembling the proverbial.

Tempting displays sat outside family run restaurants,

Even the simplest risotto Milanese a melt in the mouth moment.

So food and more food, had to walk it off round the city.  Blue sky and sunshine was a relief after the recent relentless grey wind and rain of Cumbria.  Just a joy to wander in rays of vitamin D.

Duomo by day,

Climb to the roof to admire the intricate

detail.

Armed with Dorling Kindersley guide (courtesy of local library) we explored

the castle

and city gates.

Visited, parks, museums and churches.

Transported by trams

to see art and architecture.

The only disappointment being the ‘canal area’ which due to renovation was seriously closed.

Still, in a city where you can buy a designer coat for your dog, to match your handbag,

and see Leaonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper there is a tradition of ‘wall art’.

We did get tickets to see The Last Supper at Stanta Maria delle Grazie.  But only by luck.  When booking flights three weeks before we booked the last remaining two tickets in the 3 days we were in Milan.  No photos of mine as entrance is strictly controlled and supervised at all times.  Advanced booking is essential.

New Years Eve a lot of restaurants close as everyone is out celebrating – in the Plaza del Duomo – as we were.  The hotel restaurant proved to be excellent that evening.

Transported by Flybe

Stayed at Hotel Brunelleschi