We decided to visit Milan on our own. We wanted to get rid of any jet lag before meeting our group on Lake Como. Everyone told us that we should get on Italian time as quickly as possible...try not to nap that first day (even though we arrived at 7AM). So that was our goal.
Right out of the train station from the airport I tried my language skills out. I approached a woman and asked, "Dove Via Dante?" She launched into a long explanation, all in Italian of course. We walked off in the general direction she was pointing. We tried again, with much the same result. Thankfully, the pointing helped and we were soon checked into our hotel.
We explored our neighborhood a bit before landing back at the hotel for a nap. So much for our goal. Out again to explore Sforza Castle and its grounds. We had been wondering what the triumphal arch was at the far end of the Castle grounds. Consulting our Rick Steves guidebook, we discovered the Arco della Pace had been built for Napoleon, with the horses facing Paris. When the locals became disillusioned with the French leader, they turned the horses around, offering him the tail ends.
The Duomo
Sforza Castle
(left & right)
Arco della Pace
Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie
This query from the guy who is normally up between 5 and 6 in the morning. Good thing we packed the night before. We left the hotel at 11:15 and headed for the Metro station. When we reached the Train station, there was a huge line to buy tickets. The self-serve machines are really easy to use, so I stepped up to one and promptly did what the Rick Steves tour tips told me not to do: I bought 2 tickets for Turino instead of for Tirano. Thankfully, we boarded the correct train and I was only a little embarrassed to be gently chided by the conductor who decided to honor our tickets. Whew. And we were off to Varenna on Lake Como to begin our Rick Steves adventure.
We capped our evening off with the first of many meals eaten at outside cafes. Tom also discovered Italian gelato and became an expert at locating gelato establishments. His favorite flavor is Stracciatella (chocolate chip) served in a piccolo cup.
The next day we took a guided tour of Milan which included Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper. This famous fresco decorates the wall in the dining hall of the monastery attached to the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Reservations are absolutely necessary -- and the spots fill up about 3 months ahead of time. I missed the window, so we were glad to find being on the tour guaranteed a visit.
I haven't mentioned napping, but that continued, as well as rather sleepless nights. Hotel checkout our last morning in Milan was 11AM. I awoke to "Nanc...is it really 10:46?"
MILAN
Note: the rest of the trip pages are in the form of a manual slide show...hover over the photo and then click on the right or left arrow to move to the next photo. To see the full, uncropped picture, just click on the center of it.