OOO #35: Out of Office - Italy, Part 2
Highlights from Milan, Turin, and Lake Como
My husband joined me for my second week in Italy (read about my first week here), and we took Trenitalia north to Milan. There we explored the city and took two day trips: one to Turin and one to Lake Como.
Milano
Milan exceeded both my husband’s and my expectations, and I hope this won’t be my last visit (I would love to see an opera at La Scala and eat on whatever tram seemed to double as a dining room). Here are some of the places that made our trip delightful.
Things to Do
The Duomo. Milan’s Cathedral is one of the most beautiful churches I have ever seen. I think European architecture peaked with Gothic style, and I just loved every part of the cathedral, both inside and out.
Highlights at the Duomo:
A nail believed to be from the True Cross is one of the church’s relics. Look directly above the altar toward the ceiling to spot a red light—that is where the nail is kept.
I have seen images of d’Agrate’s sculpture of San Bartolomeo before, and it is even more amazing in person. St. Bartholomew was flayed and is depicted as such, but standing as if he were alive while draped in his skin. IT’S WILD. I also learned from my tour guide that martyred saints are typically depicted with whatever weapon/device was used to kill them; St. Bartholomew is holding a sword in this statue.
There is a hole in the Duomo roof to allow the sun to pierce a metal band in the floor which serves as an astronomical calendar. Because the universe is constantly expanding, the light no longer hits the band at noon exactly.
According to our guide, the same family business has been repairing the Duomo since it was built, and because the cathedral was built with a soft stone, it is under continuous repairs. Genius business move.
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. The Galleria is probably the second most photographed tourist attraction in Milan after the Duomo, and for good reason. The arcade’s iron and glass domed roof is gorgeous, as is the stone and tile work. The galleria functions officially as an shopping center and unofficially as a place for people to take photos and videos for ig and Tiktok; I walked through several influencer-esque photoshoots, and I don’t think it can be avoided. One feature of the galleria that I really enjoyed is the four mosaics of the coats of arms of four important Italian cities: Milan, Turin, Rome, and Florence. Legend has it that if you spin three times on your heel on the bull (you’ll see where) clockwise, you will return to Milan, and if you spin three times on the bull counter-clockwise, you will have luck with fertility. Pro-tip: After you walk around the galleria, head few blocks north to Zia Esterina Sorbillo for fried pizza (an experience unto itself).
The Last Supper. Until I started teaching five years ago, I did not realize that DaVinci’s “The Last Supper” was not a painting in a museum, but a fresco in situ in a church in Milan (Santa Maria delle Grazie). The fresco is way bigger than I expected, and survived way more challenges than it should have: the church was bombed and damaged during WWII, and the fresco was exposed to the elements for several months before the church was repaired. If you’re planning a trip to Milan, buy tickets to see it as SOON as you know you’re going because they sell out quickly. You can buy tickets through the Church or if it’s already sold out, through a tour.
Museum of the Risorgimento. The Unification Museum explains the history of Italy’s unification and has incredible artifacts and art from throughout the time period including Napoleon’s coronation robe and one of the earliest tricolor flag. Most of the labels are in Italian, so prepare to brush up on your reading skills or bring a phone with Google Translate’s photo translation feature. Also, it’s free.
Shopping. Milan is one of the fashion capitals of the world and home to flagship stores of many designers, both globally renowned or growing. While in Milan, I visited the flagship store of Vibi Venezia, my favorite shoe brand. Vibi Venezia sells furlane—Venetian slippers—which I wear pretty much every day, and even though I barely bought souvenirs for myself on this trip (a box of hanuta bars, a pennant with Rome’s coat of arms, and a book of the Domus Aurea), I went home with a couple of pairs of furlane for the new school year.
Places to Eat and Drink
Rovello 18. Our Airbnb host (more below) recommended Rovello 18, and our meal there was the best meal I had on my two week trip. I had the risotto milanese (which inspired me to make some changes to my own risotto), and my husband had the lobster pasta. We also had fried and cheese stuffed zucchini blossoms (that were still attached to the zucchini), and I don’t think I have ever eaten a whole vegetable and enjoyed it as much as I did that dish. Please just go.
The best gelato I have had in Italy was at Il Negozietto del Gelato near the Naviglio Grande. I am particularly fond of Italy because the country takes pistachios seriously, and Il Negozietto del Gelato’s pistachio gelato was unforgettable.
For a fancy breakfast: Marchesa 1824. It took me three separate trips to the Galleria to find the entrance to Marchesa 1824, but it was worth it when I did (FYI, it’s on the southeast quadrant of the Galleria, on the southern rather than eastern street, and the entrance is via stairwell to the right of the window display). The decor was dreamy, and my cappuccino was excellent. I wish I had found it earlier in the trip, so I could have gone when I had more time to relax and enjoy it.
Other Things
I loved our Airbnb. The apartment was on a piazza that was about a 5 minute walk from the Duomo (and therefore the metro) and within walking distance of a Carrefour Express. The host was responsive and gave us a number of great recommendations of places to eat in the city, and the apartment itself had everything you could need. I am particularly thankful for the in-unit washing machine.
Milan’s main train station—Milano Centrale—is the most beautiful station I have seen in Italy thus far, and it’s worth arriving a few minutes early for photos.
It rains more in Milan than it does in central and southern Italy, so check the weather each day so as to not get caught in a deluge (this happened more than once).
Torino
My husband and I booked a day trip to Turin without really knowing too much about the city; I wanted to go specifically after seeing how beautiful it was on “La Legge di Lidia Poet.” I learned earlier in my trip of Turin’s historical importance (it was the home of the House of Savoy and was the first capital of unified Italy), so I was excited to see what the city had to offer.
Museo Egizio
The Museo Egizio specializes in ancient Egyptian artifacts and has one of the finest collections in the world. I particularly loved the judicial papyrus and the gallery of kings, plus the section describing where ancient various Egyptian gods were first worshipped. If you enjoy Egyptian art and are in Italy, go.
Palazzo Reale di Torino
As I mentioned earlier, Turin is the home of the House of Savoy, and I wanted to make sure we visited the Royal Palace. The palace is a treasure trove of decorative art (European sculpture and decorative arts is always one of my favorite departments of encyclopedic museums), plus it has an incredible armor collection. The palace continues beyond the normal tour of opulent rooms into a portrait and painting gallery followed by a classical archaeological museum, which had the first piece of Carthaginian art I have ever seen (ROMA FOREVER, CARTHAGE NEVER). Additionally, the palace is the home of the shroud of Turin (which is not on display).
Mole Antonelliana
My husband and I didn’t have enough time to go inside the Mole Antonelliana, but even a walk around it is beautiful. If you’re a cinema-lover, the Mole is home to Italy’s National Museum of Cinema.
Bicerin
Bicerin is a coffee-based drink created in Turin. It has espresso, drinking chocolate, and milk and topped with whipped cream. Caffe al Bicerin invented the drink, but can be found at loads of caffes in Turin.
Overall, my husband and I loved Turin and wish we had spent more time there. We were also an anomaly as American tourists; one of the most amusing moments of my trip was someone at the ticket office at the Palazzo asked “why are you here?” when she realized we were American. We had a nice time just wandering down random streets and through covered passageways, and my favorite moment of the whole trip was spent sitting in the Piazza San Carlo laughing and people watching with my husband. Turin will always have a special place in my heart.
My only lingering question: why are there five United Colors of the Benetton in central Turin?
Lago di Como
I am going to preface this by saying that I didn’t do enough research as to how to spend a great day in Lake Como according to my husband and my interests, as I ran out of steam while planning a two week vacation on my own. It rained most of the day we were in Como, and the clouds obscured the mountains that surround the lake. When the skies cleared every so often, the scenery was beautiful. We had a good time walking around the gardens of Villa Melzi, which gave us a nice view of Villa del Balbianello. My husband and I agree that Lake Como would be a great place to relax if 1) we had brought hiking gear or 2) we were absurdly wealthy and could stay at a resort and have a private boat to cruise around the lake.
A few more notes on Italy
I spend a fair amount of time on trains during my trips to Europe, and I honestly prefer train travel over any other kind. I highly recommend using trains to get between cities and within cities (Milan’s transit system might be the best thing I’ve seen in a while?). This TikTok from Kaci Rose has a lot of helpful tips about navigating the train system for the first time; the best piece of advice is to buy your train tickets in advance (and double check WHICH train station you’re arriving at in a city because Rome and Milan have several). Also, if you buy a ticket from a kiosk, don’t forget to validate it before getting on the train.
There are of course unexpected train delays (which can also be said about American airline travel), so make sure to give yourself some buffer time between when you’re supposed to arrive and any important activities you need to do. Typically, I give myself an overnight buffer between train travel and an important activity such as a flight or a ticketed event, just in case.
If you want to buy a train ticket from Rome Fiumicino Airport to Roma Termini, don’t wait in the line at the kiosks in the airport, the kiosk in the train station will likely be faster.
Just because there is a record-breaking heatwave in Rome, that doesn’t mean it won’t be 65 and raining in Como—remember that changes in latitude and biome come with changes in weather. I am SO glad I brought an umbrella, but could have really used a thicker sweater and some water resistant shoes.
In 2024, you will need to get a visa ahead of travelling to Italy and the rest of the EU—just a heads up!
That’s it! Have a great rest of your week!
So wonderful, and I really appreciate your writings.