Magical Milan
The end of summer is the peak time for tourism in most places across Europe. Additionally, many of my colleagues that work in the travel industry advised me that August is traditionally a month when Italians take their summer holiday, however, this did not affect our travel since we arrived on the last day of August.
For those residing in the US, Labor Day weekend heralds the final days within which people can enjoy the waning days of summer before the hectic activities of back to school. To travelers, this provides an opportune time to experience the magic of Milan especially with the declining presence of tourists at this time of the year.
We didn’t plan on spending much time in Milan but wanted to see some of the most popular tourist sites the city had to offer.
Our Airbnb was a 5 minute walk from the The Duomo, which was visible right from our terrace.
We ate lunch at a beautiful restaurant called Chez Panin where they had a great selection of sandwiches and paninis before heading over to the Duomo.
Here are some of my favorite pictures at The Duomo on an overcast day…
The lines were extremely long when we got to the entrance of the Duomo so we opted for the Fast Track pass which offers direct admission to the Terraces without having to stand in line.
The Fast Track pass is a neat option for those that have a very limited time in Milan and want to see the most popular attractions without having to sacrifice time standing in line.
After a tour of the Duomo, we were on the search for a place to have a cocktail and stumbled upon Terraza Aperol.
For €13 per person, we got a complimentary Aperol Spritz and hors d’oeuvres. This was a great way to wind down on our first day in Italy as we took in the great view of the Duomo from the terrace.
I stopped for a quick photo on our way to get gelato.
It is normally quite warm this time of year in Milan so I chose a light sundress and paired it with my favorite denim jacket because on this particular day, it was overcast with some light rain showers.
I couldn’t have ended my first day in Italy without having gelato.
I heard great things about Vanilla Gelati Italiani and it did not disappoint.
Two blocks from our Airbnb, we found a very quaint restaurant which had a very cozy vibe.
When in Milan, definitely give Rose by Mary a try for a quick bite to eat, or just an espresso.
Although candid photos are not my specialty, my boyfriend captured a good one of me enjoying our last meal in Milan before heading to the train station.
You can tell by the look on my face that I’m excited to experience my first ride on a high speed train.
