Postcard from Milan
When studying abroad, it is important to learn how to “go with the flow.”
My boyfriend Kieran just arrived for his study abroad in Milan and I was so excited to visit him the first weekend he was there, so we could discover Milan together. When you don’t know much about a city beforehand, you must be able to go with the flow because many hiccups will happen causing plans to change multiple times.
DAY 1
Friday morning came too soon, as I’d been sick all day Thursday and didn’t have the energy to pack before bed. I set my alarm for 4:30 a.m. to pack before my flight. I landed in Milan at 10 a.m. and took public transportation from the airport to Kieran's apartment. Little did I know the train stop was 2 miles from Kieran’s apartment, so I Uber’d the rest of the way.
Once there, I got ready for the day, and we were out the door. The apartment is located just outside Chinatown, so we stopped at La Ravioleria Sarpi for pork dumplings on our way to the financial district. Although good, I would not go out of my way to stop here again. After our snack, we walked through the beautiful financial district on our way to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, where Kieran bought a stunning (and overpriced) wallet from Mont Blanc. The shopping center was one luxury store after another, and its beauty was beyond compare (shown in the picture). This is where I found out that I was missing Milan Fashion Week, scheduled the following week…UGH!.
After shopping, we walked to the magnificent Duomo Cathedral. Thankfully, tickets were cheap and we were able to take a self-guided walking tour. After exploring the exterior of the building, we visited the breathtaking rooftop. At this point, we were a bit hungry so we stopped for a quick coffee and slice of pizza at the Milan Starbucks Reserve. The coffee was delicious but I would not suggest anyone purchase pizza from a Starbucks. After this quick stop, we walked through Fontina Di Plazza Castello admiring the castle up close.
Late afternoon, Kieran and I took a train back to the apartment and relaxed while we googled dinner recommendations. We chose Osteria Da Fortuna where I had the most incredible pasta ever. “If you plan on going to Milan, it is a must that you eat at Osteria Da Fortuna.” While at dinner we decided it would be fun to take a day trip up to Lake Como for the following day. We finished our dinner and went back to the apartment to watch a movie with my guy friends from AL who were also studying in Milan.
DAY 2
Saturday morning, we woke up and purchased train tickets to Lake Como. The Uber to Milan Central took much longer than expected. We arrived at the train station 3 minutes before departure, sprinted through security, and hopped on the train as the doors were closing. Due to my poor planning, we spent the 50-minute train ride on the floor. We arrived at Como San Giovanni and followed the crowd to the lake. I was in awe of the beauty of Lake Como but would suggest visiting Lake Como on a weekend with good weather and little to no fog forecasted. We explored the streets full of stunning buildings, churches, and flea markets.
After shopping around, we decided to head back to the water. We walked along the coastline, taking in the amazing views, while losing track of time and realized we needed to get back to the train station asap. When we arrived back in Milan, we had to rush to meet our friends for the Inter Milan Futbol game. All nine of our seats were together in the upper deck. Being from the U.S., I’ve never understood the magnitude of European Futbol games. Inter Milan won the game 1-0, with Captain Martinez scoring a goal in the last 15 minutes of the game.
Post-game, we hoped to go home to change into club attire, but the Uber was too expensive. so we pivoted and went straight to Club Magazzini Generali. I usually never purchase a VIP ticket when out at a club, but it was my friend's birthday and I got roped into $75 VIP tickets. We danced at the club for a few hours, then went home to snack on our leftovers from the night before.
DAY 3
We woke up much later than planned so I was forced to grab a quick orange juice on the way to the station. My Uber canceled on me multiple times causing me to arrive at the train station just after my train had taken off. While customer service was looking for a solution, I missed the next train. Some tears were shed when I realized the next train departing for the airport was 30 minutes out. When I finally arrived at the airport, I had to sprint through security and make it to the doors just as they were closing.
Despite many hiccups along the way, my trip to beautiful Milan was one I will never forget. I am so thankful for all of the opportunities I have had to explore Europe” since coming abroad.
Stay tuned for a postcard from Madrid!
Julia
