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We took a 9am easy jet flight from Paris to Milan. So some of you all might be wondering what is there to do in Milan? To be honest, there isn’t much.. Just the Doumo and the Last Supper Painting but we decided to fly here because the air tickets were cheaper as compared to flying to Venice directly. Furthermore, we managed to find cheap accommodation for a night!
(Booked from booking.com (no deposit required)) and it was just 81 euros for a triple bed room =) Comes with free buffet breakfast =D Also, it was within walking distance from the train station. HOWEVER, do take note that it’s a little complicated from the airport to this place because I kind of assumed that town = near the train station and this was a really bad assumption and we ended up at the wrong place and we had to take another bus ride. Honestly, we paid 1.50 euros per bus ride and the ticket has to be purchased in a tobacco/magazine shop.
However, to our disappointment, the air conditioning was not working and there was barely any wind.. But I always feel that “xin jing zi ran lian” so we survived the night eventually. The awesome breakfast the following day made up for the aircon-less and fan-less night!
Day 15 / Wednesday (Only day in Milan)
After settling down in the hotel, we went to somewhere nearby for lunch and then took the metro (1.50 euros again) to the Duomo.
Cathedral (Duomo) – A breathtaking sight and a must-see if in Milan. This structure took almost 600 years to build and is the largest in Italy – fourth largest in the World. At the time it was built it could hold the entire population of Milan, 40,000 people. The exterior is striking with it’s many spires and statuary – the interior is just massive.
Be careful of those people feeding the pigeons. They treat us like we’ve never seen pigeons before, and they throw the pop corn seeds to your feet so the pigeons will fly over to irritate you! @_@
Grand Bronze Door with exquisite sculpting. One of the largest bronze doors that ever existed?
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele IILuxury Shopping area beside the Duomo CathedralThe highlight: Prada Shop since 1913
Introducing to you.. Gelato #1 – The ice cream shop beside the Mac’s inside this mall. Can’t remember the flavours I took but I think i ate sorbet.
We did not have any plans in Milan so we spent the remaining time shopping~ Do re-visit the duomo at sunset as I like the glistering golden sunshine on the building.
Random story to share: According to some language guide I had, they told me that “Prego” means thanks. So.. when the waitress was giving us the bill, I said “Prego” to her and she laughed it off and said that “Prego” would mean like keep the change (which was quite a lot). Then I googled and apparently “Prego” could mean “please”.. Aww. It was such an awkward situation but at least she knew we didn’t mean it that way =p
The shopping there had the usual brands.. Zara, Mango, blah blah blah.. all the same so we almost saw the same thing throughout Europe. LOL. It has its pros and cons.. the pros is. you can always change your mind and buy the item in another city =p the cons.. shopping gets boring, but then again shopping is never enough =p =p =p (if your luggage and wallet can afford it)
Day 16 / Thursday (Venice Day 1)
Took the 927 train and we managed to reach Venice at 1045am. (29 euros)
TIP: Book your train tickets very extremely early! You will be able to qualify for the early-bird discounts which is really trip (Which made me save a lot of money despite not purchasing euro rail) Do google for some really useful guides which teachers you how to navigate in the not-so-user-friendly trenitlia website.
Hot, Hot, HOT VENICE greeted us when we reached. The sun was so bright and sunny and we had to drag our luggage 10 mins to our accommodation.
Venice Hostel: Alloggi Gerotto Calderan
** Do take note that you have to pay tourist tax of 2 euros per person per night in cash.. >_<
Hostel was decent, with attached toilet but with a almost non-existent air cooler? But then again, the best part was the free wifi! We couldn’t check in till after 2, so we left our luggage at the storage area.
Yes, Venice – the never ending bridges.
Gelato #2 at GROM in Venice.
GROM (actually i can’t totally be certain that this ice cream was GROM) anyway, its quite a well known brand so you’ll never go wrong with the taste. but price wise.. hmm.
The wise me says: If you don’t get lost in Venice, you’ve not been to Venice.
Saint Mark’s Basilica (Basilica di San Marco)
Blending the architectural styles of East and West, Venice’s magnificent basilica was consecrated in 832 AD as an ecclesiastical building to house the remains of St. Mark.
Palazzo Ducale
Bridge of Sighs.
The Bridge of Sighs is a bridge in Venice. The enclosed bridge is made of white limestone and has windows with stone bars. It passes over the Rio di Palazzo and connects the old prisons to the interrogation rooms in the Doge’s Palace. It was designed by Antoni Contino (whose uncle Antonio da Ponte had designed the Rialto Bridge), and built in 1602.
People, people, everywhere.
Presenting to you.. the leaning tower of Venice.This is the second leaning tower I’ve seen so far, apart from the Big Ben.
Playing with camera effects~
Dinner~
Day 17 / Friday (Venice Day 2)
Good morning Venice!
Rialto Bridge
Probably the most visited and most photographed bridge in Venice, the Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto) opened in 1591. For nearly three hundred years, it was the only way to cross the Grand Canal on foot.
In the olden days~
Some market near Rialto Bridge
Anyways, we bought a 12 hour Vaporetto (Water Bus) pass to get to Murano & Burano. One place is famous for glass-blowing and the other is for lace. Since Venice is.. not very interesting (if you don’t want to tour the palaces, museums.. you can consider exploring the islands!! )
(Don’t you find the cranes look so awkward here)
Took a ride on the vaporetto to the islands!
The legendary colourful houses =p (We were wondering. so the residents don’t get to decide what colours their houses have to be painted? and they even have to match the windows and curtains too.. Heh)
Most expensive calamari done in the Singaporean style! *mac donalds garlic chilli*
Cruising around the area..
Sunset~ alright.. it haven’t set yet. (7pm)
SUN-kissed buildings~
Hmmmm..
Nice Dinner~~ by the way.. there’s such thing as “cover charge” in venice.. which means that it’s another way to make you pay more money..
I love squid ink pasta!
There were quite a lot of asians in Venice.. I saw/hear koreans, japanese, malaysians and the list goes on.
Gelato or rather ice cream #3 (KINDER SURPRISE FLAVOUR and OMG IT IS TRUE TO ITS NAME) and it’s only $1.50 euros (Brandless)
Well, Venice was not bad but a little too too too too touristy. people were everywhere and there isn’t any romantic atmosphere or anything of that sort as people are just everywhere!! Nevertheless, it felt like a really safe but expensive city.
Yes you should visit this place.. but would I visit it again? Probably not.. unless I manage to take part in the mask festivals.. heh.
