While staying in Lake Como, we were determined to visit Milan, which we had both traveled through in the past, but never stopped long enough to explore. It is an easy 40 minute train ride from Como and well worth the time. While you could spend several days exploring Milan, it is still worth spending half a day there and getting to see a few of the highlights. I am sure we could’ve seen much more than we did, but we like to move at a slow leisurely pace and take it all in, so that is what we did.

First stop, the Galleria Vitoria Emanuele II, one of the world’s oldest and most beautiful shopping emporiums.

It’s a gorgeous structure with vaulted glass ceilings and 4 long halls, some leading you deeper into the famed fashion district.

It’s also one of the most expensive malls in the world.

As the morning turned into afternoon, the number of visitors increased exponentially. It scares me to think what it must be like during Fashion Week!

Next was the part we had been long anticipating, the Duomo di Milano.

I can still close my eyes and remember the Easter day in 2020 when Andrea Bocelli gifted the world with a solo concert while standing in the shadow of the Duomo di Milano. His message of hope was live-streamed worldwide, inspiring and instilling hope while his country and the whole world was still reeling under the oppressive weight of Covid. What a blessing and beautiful gift, light in the midst of a dark time. I have always admired and respected this man, not just for the beautiful God-given talent of his voice, but for his character, example, and integrity. It made our visit to Milan so special. Here are a few photos

On a practical note: If you plan to visit the Duomo, make sure you either schedule a tour or get skip the line tickets that allow you to go up to the rooftop and start there, working your way down. I was surprised by how very long the entrance line was and thankful that we could bypass it.

And a few of the exterior and roof top areas! Truly incredible.

Visiting the Duomo in Milan is truly an incredible experience. After fully experiencing it, we took time to wander around Milan, getting lost and just exploring and people watching.

We had no agenda other than exploring and eventually finding a place to enjoy some lunch.

There was a special event going on for designers, so the streets close to the Duomo were packed, almost claustrophobically so!

We ventured outside of these areas and ended up finding one of the best restaurants I’ve ever dined in, Alla Cadrega. It was modest, family owned and friendly, and had the best most creamy pasta I’ve ever tasted.

The type of pasta was totally unfamiliar to me at first, but was called Maccheroncini al Ragù Bianco di Vitello. Unfamiliar until I realized the American version of this would most likely be macaroni, though very differently shaped! It was amazing and I would return to Milan just for that dish! I am not kidding. We did a lot of pasta tasting, and this simple dish was one of the most flavorful, hearty meals we were served in all of our time exploring Italy.

After lunch, given how crowded the city was, we made the choice to head back to Lake Como, where we could enjoy the rest of the evening. For more information on our itineraries, feel free to email us at dtgainor@gmail.com or visit Global Getaways to learn more about who we are and how we work.