A day in Milan

Are you going to Milan? This question was often asked of us. It's a large city with an even larger suburban area with a reputation for traffic congestion. Since we were flying in and out of Malpensa airport (outside the city) it meant we could avoid the city, however because of our extra week at the Red Sea our flight back to Italy was changed from Milan to Bergamo. so we had an extra day in Italy and decided to try Milan. Logistics of transportation were a test, we caught a train from Bergamo, then the Milan metro to the centre of Milan where by noon we were in the Piazzo del Duomo gazing up at the breathtaking exterior of the "Duomo" the fifth largest cathedral in the world.

Duomo

 The interior is a marble vaulted wonder with 53 massive pillars and spectacular stained glass. A climb up many steps to the rooftop rewarded us with a 360 degree view over the city, a glance of the distant Alps, and a much closer look at the spires and and the gold Madonna.

Next we walked through the Galleria Vittoria Emanuele, an old shopping mall. It has an amazing octagonal shaped cast iron roof with a glass dome. I never glanced at the luxury shops as I was enthralled just looking up! I did look where to walk and by luck stumbled upon the Mosaic Bull, where I had to take a turn, spinning around for "good luck".

Galleria Vittoria Emanuele

Spinning on the bull for good luck!

On a roll, next we decided to try to find the Santa Maria Grazie, where the "Last Supper" by Leonardo de Vinci is housed. I had read prior to our trip that you needed to make a reservation to view, months in advance. So we decided to take a chance and just show up. Luckily we were able to secure tickets for an hour later and join a small group of 25 people who were allotted 15 minutes to view this masterpiece. I opted for an audio guide and became totally absorbed in Leonardo's depiction of the emotional moment when Jesus announces that one of his 12 disciples at the table would betray him. Beautifully rendered, recently restored and so fragile is this unforgettable mural. Even a half day in Milan became a precious experience.