Eight years ago when Darryl and I married, we said we’d go to Italy for our 5 year anniversary, well it was that year when I left the United States of America to follow my dreams of teaching overseas. Needless to say, we did not make it to Italy that year. But this summer we finally did.
After Amsterdam, we caught a Vueling Airlines flight to Milan. The flight from Amsterdam to Milan was 150 Euros for 2 people including baggage. It was a short and reasonably priced flight. We stayed in an Airbnb between the design district and historical center in Lombardy. I highly recommend the accommodation so here is the link and a few pictures of the outside and courtyard.
We didn’t have any tours scheduled in Milan so we spent the first day exploring on our own. We walked the Navigli area of Milan and ate at Fud restaurant which is on a pedestrian street just off of the canal. After eating we walked along the canal. We found the local supermarket, Pam, and went food shopping.
The next day Darryl and I took a local train to Garibaldi stop to see the Naviglio de Martesana. I read some blogs that recommended riding a bike the entirety of the canal to Gorgonzola, so I expected to get there and find a place to rent a bike to do just that. Unfortunately, I didn’t. First we had to find the canal. Thanks to google maps, after about a 15 minute walk through dirt roads, over a bridge and through grasslands, we found the canal but there was nothing there, just a canal. There was no where to rent bikes and barely any people around. The few people we did encounter spoke Italian and we don’t. Instead of simply turning around and going home defeated, we decided to walk the length of the canal and enjoy the scenery. I mean we were in Italy so how could we feel defeated. We did find the sign for Gorgonzola and a duck family.
On our way back we found the Piazza Del Duomo and the Galleria Vittoria Emanuele- Golden Triangle of shopping.
The one tour that was planned from Milan was a self-guided day trip and it was to one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited in my life: LAKE COMO! Check back for that post, you don’t want to miss the pictures.
Teaching Abroad- American Teacher Overseas 