We took a last minute trip to Northern Italy and spent a day in Milan and 2 days in the Lake Como/Bellagio area.We arrived to Milan very late on Thursday evening after a struggle with the train systems. The Italian trains are much different then the Dutch or German trains in that the time the trains arrive is also the time the train leaves! (thats if they are even on time). We also witnessed how they suddenly cancel the trains at the last minute.
Anyways, we made it and had a lot of fun touring the old, hustle and bustle city of Milano. Its known as the international fashion capital and has the first Prada store that opened in 1913. We admired the impressive store windows and gawked at the prices of the fine Italian apparel! We eventually found our way through the narrow streets to find the famous Piazza del Duomo where the cathedral dominates the town square. The Duomo is the 4th largest cathedral in Europe with over 3,500 statues through the architecture. It was started in 1386 and finished in 1805 because Napoleon wanted to be crowned King of Italy there. Its a classic scene of business professionals hustling to work, people gathering for coffee or pasta on the Piazza square and pigeons attacking any last crumb! (Scott got attacked by a group of starving birds.)
We walked to the Santa Maria Cencacola where Leonardo Di Vinci's painting of the "Last Supper" is stored but tickets sell out 4 weeks in advance so we missed out on that one since it was such a last minute trip.
We walked A LOT and were pretty tired by noon so we grabbed a bite to eat and guess what we had?!? What else but PIZZA!!!! It was delicious.
By 2pm we were ready to hit the calmer, slower paced life in Lake Como which is in Northern IT bordering Switzerland and the Alps. If you've ever heard of Como Lago, it was probably from all the publicty from Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes planning their wedding at George Clooney's vacation home on Lake Como - a rumor - but what an amazing, romantic town for a wedding or honeymoon.
In Lake Como we enjoyed the scenery of villas on the mountain stretching down to the water where the ambiance of Italian tunes play from a street accordian musician or music from cafes with old, colorful buildings trimmed with balconies and flower pots. You'll see in the pictures - is it Italy or what?!
We toured the town and took a trollie car up the mountain (and it was straight UP the mtn!) to find amazing panoramic views of the lake and Alps. We also a bus ride through the hillside to Bellagio, another town with shopping and views of the lake and the Swiss Alps. At the end of the day, we took a boat ride back to Lake Como to grab some more Italian food!
We ate, walked, ate, walked. It was a wonderful long weekend of sun and a glimpse of spring which we strongly need from the windy Hague!
Ciao for now!
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