Magnificent Milan 🇮🇹

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The exquisite Milan Duomo glowed its beauty against the Royal Blue evening sky...

We arrived at Milan on September 4th. For me, that has been the most exciting day of my life. It was my very first out-of-the-country vacation, and everything was just about to begin.

Our initial plan was to have St. Moritz of Switzerland as our first stop, but I told my sister that Milan Duomo seems more tantalizing. Although leaving the border for another country is equally exciting, I believe that the Swiss border was meant for another time.

So, yes. Milan Duomo, here we go!

But before we officially begin our vacation, we needed a few hours of rest to acclimatize to the new surroundings. We stayed at Arles Hotel in the suburbs of Milan.


Outside our window at Arles Hotel

The view from our room already had the quintessential Italian landscape. Though it was one of the simplest we've seen in Italy, it was still more elegant than most homes here in the Philippines.

Even just the sight of those red bricks piled on top of the buildings already makes me feel the Italian vibe, like we're already near the Mediterranean Sea, which, at this point, we haven't been to, yet (wait for the Venice entry for that 😅).

Coming out of the hotel made me feel what a temperate climate must be for the very first time. It wasn't hot, it wasn't humid. It was cool enough to be cozy and fresh. At low 20s, the weather reminded me of Tagaytay, which, for me, is the city with the best climate in the Philippines.

For the rest of our vacation, we were smothered by cool winds and temperate climate, something that was denied of us for most of our lives.

Into the streets of Milan, we saw plenty of trees providing shade to locals and tourists. Oh how I wish we'll have more of this kind of planning in tropical Legazpi where most roadside trees were uprooted to give way to road widening projects.


My sister and my aunt were comfortable on their seats.


It wasn't so difficult to find Milan Duomo. The train systems were organized and easy to comprehend, and the seats were plenty.

Before too long, we saw the marvelous Duomo. It was exactly as I thought it would be, and even more. All the exquisite details were there for us to see and gaze at.


The Milan Duomo

Though there were many tourists, the square was not crowded. There was enough space for everyone. They say that September is the best month to visit Europe as most tourists have flown back to their homes getting ready for autumn and school, and it was neither too hot nor too cold. It was just cold enough to be cozy (again, imagine Tagaytay weather 😅).


Myself, my sister, and my aunt, enjoying the piazza.

Daytime Milan Duomo was magnificent enough. What we didn't know is that it transforms its look as nighttime comes, and we're delighted to see the cool change. She reminds me of Mayon who changes her proverbial clothes as she deems fit 😅.





We had no tour guides, but luckily, it's 2023, where everything you need to know about a certain place is already revealed on the internet. Based on my research, the duomo began its construction in 1386 but was completed only in 1965 or after six long centuries!




The Duomo's architectural style is obviously Gothic as it is filled with spires all over, and it is the largest cathedral in all of Italy (not counting St. Peter's Basilica as it is entirely located within Vatican City 🇻🇦).


Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II



Next to the Milan Duomo was another exquisite architectural landmark - the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II! The name was that long for it was named after the first king of the Kingdom of Italy!





This landmark is known to be the oldest active shopping gallery in all of Italy as it was completed in 1877, after twelve years of construction, which means that this landmark was completed earlier than the Duomo. Amazing, right? 😅





The gallery showcased several luxurious brands, but I could not mention them at all as I'm not really into branded goods but I think I saw Gucci there 🤷🏼‍♂️. In all honesty, I don't even know all the coolest brand names now. I just want to explore the world within my means. 





Well, anyway, Galleria was just as magnificent as the Duomo. Both these structures spell the essence of what Milan is for me, which gave it the proper alliteration I could think of (I love alliterations 😅).





One thing I noticed about Galleria are the many glass ceilings that allowed natural light to penetrate into every corner of the arcade, giving it a tinge of natural beauty. European cities are well-known for making the most out of the natural contours of the surrounding landscapes in planning their cities, but the Galleria stepped it up by taking advantage of the effects of sunlight.

When sunset comes, the colours change dramatically, making the Galleria appear as if it were an entirely different place.





Leonardo's Corner




Amid the hustle and bustle of the streets of Cosmopolitan Milan, there was a quiet corner where only a handful of tourists come to pass by - the Piazza della Scala where a monument to Leonardo da Vinci stands erect.


The place was dark and desolate, and not a lot of people pass by to see. It has a certain enigma that reflects the kind of life of artists have - that, despite the worlds and universes they create, they do not receive much attention from the masses, for they aspire not to entertain the world, but to create something new, something never before perceived or imagined. They have their very own world and space. It is dark and sad, and would only be admired and would resonate wafts of inspiration after they have died and passed on to eternal life...

And that's it for my Milan post. I hope you've enjoyed reading this article as much as I enjoyed writing it! :)


Credits: all pictures by myself.


To Be Posted Soon...






The Sinking City of Venice!
🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹

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