Prada, Gucci, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Armani, Versace, and Louis Vuitton are just a few of the fashion brands you'll find in our closets at home. Learning that we'd only need a few blocks of a single street to filter through all the latest fashions these brands had offer was music to our ears. We instantly knew this was going to be the perfect city for a stylish weekend.
As close as I'll ever get.
Opting out of driving our Lamborghini or Ferrari up to the second largest city in Italy, we settled for the Executive Club car on the train. Sometimes procrastination can work in your favor. We booked tickets only a few weeks in advance for this popular non-stop route from Rome and somehow worked in a free upgrade. After a quick glass of persecco in the Executive Club lounge, sheltered from the overcrowded Termini station, we boarded for a relaxing three hour trip north.
When we arrived in Milan we were greeted with one of the coolest central stations we've yet to experience. That's not a hard recognition to receive from us having only been to three central stations so far in Italy. All the same, the architecture was uniquely different from the other stations and the art was abundant. First impressions are important and Milan was on the right track.
Floor mosaic
Besides replenishing our wardrobes of high fashion, our plan for the weekend was to meet and socialize with our friend Michelle. Heidi and Michelle had worked together in Colorado until Michelle started her adventures in teaching internationally. Currently working in Copenhagen, Michelle was looking for a quick weekend away and Milan was a perfect spot to connect and catch up.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Milan is a beautiful city with plenty to offer in the way of historic sites, churches, food, art, etc. Leonardo di Vinci's Last Supper has survived here since 1495, the Teatro alla Scala is renowned worldwide, and the Duomo di Milano (Milan Cathedral) is a site to see. Even with plenty to see and do we we're all perfectly happy wondering through the city center on a beautiful fall day in Italy. We ate a delicious lunch, caught up on each others lives, and mostly just enjoyed some good company.
Wilco at Fabrique
Saturday night Wilco just happened to be playing at a club in town. They were scheduled at Fabrique, a small concert hall similar to the Fillmore in Denver. The band played a great show of new and old tunes for a crowd well versed in Wilco. I was surprised to see so many people who knew the songs and sang along with the band. I know Wilco has a huge following in the States, but wow, they are popular in Europe. Hopefully that means we'll see them again soon.
Bronze porto carved in 1906. "LIfe of Mary"
Of course the weekend ended just as quickly as it started. Although these quick weekends away from Rome are just that, quick, we surely enjoyed exploring Milan. Especially when we had a familiar face to help us enjoy it. Thanks Michelle! We'll surely be back for a concert of some sort in the Teatro alla Scala and to possibly lay eyes on the Last Supper. With that said. We surely won't be back for any $7000 shoes.
Thanks for reading our blog. Don't forget that all comments or suggestions are always appreciated. Where should we go next? Also check out our Flickr account for more photos of each trip. Safe travels, Andy