Milan Cathedral, Duomo di Milano, Italy. (Boris Stroujko - Adobe Stock)
Milan, located about a four-hour drive (or five-hour train ride) from Aviano Air Base, and roughly two and a half hours (by train or car) from USAG Italy bases in Vicenza, is perfect for a weekend getaway. There is so much to experience there: Historical sites, museums, fashion, shops, great food and coffee.
We chose to stay at the Maison Milano because of its location right in the city center, and we wanted to splurge on a bit of a luxury stay for the weekend.
Exterior of the Duomo (Tamala Malerk)
We arrived early on Saturday (our day began at 4:30 a.m.) and left Sunday afternoon. Lots of activities were squeezed into one day and we probably could have squeezed in one more before catching our train on Sunday.
Our first stop after dropping off the luggage at the hotel was a quick cup of coffee and a pastry from 12oz Coffee Joint. Then we went to the Duomo whose construction began in the 1300s and took almost 600 years to complete, and you can definitely tell: This cathedral is beautiful both inside and out. Here you can see gorgeous tapestries, imposing statues and shocking gargoyles. The stained glass windows will awe you. I recommend going back after the sun goes down to see it lit up on the outside.
We ate a quick lunch at Social Pizza and then went to the small, but still very informative interactive museum: World of Da Vinci. Here you can see replicas of some of Da Vinci’s inventions and learn about the restoration of “The Last Supper” painting. My husband and I had a blast attempting the virtual reality interactive exhibit of steering a canoe through a canal. It took about an hour to explore this place.
Interior of World of Da Vinci first room (Tamala Malerk, inside World of Da Vinci)
We found our next stop while just wandering around. That was when I learned that there are six Starbucks Reserve Roasteries in the world and Milan is home to one of them. This is definitely a must-do for coffee lovers and Starbucks fans. It features exclusive and seasonal menu items and merchandise. I recommend trying the Whiskey Barrel-Aged coffee and the Gianduju Hot Chocolate. Had we not just had lunch, we would have tried some of the food there. If you were to pick something to do before you leave on your second day, this would be it. Even the most die-hard fans will be in and out in less than 90 minutes.
Our final attraction was the Sforza Castle, a medieval fortification area. This is a mostly-free attraction featuring several exhibitions, a fountain and an armory. We ended the night with a relaxing dinner and dessert at La Locanda del Gatto Rosso where I can recommend the carbonara and panna cotta.
Hot chocolate and whiskey-barrel coffee at Starbucks Reserve Milan (Tamala Malerk)
On Sunday, we slept in a little after doing so much the day beforehand. We officially checked out, but the hotel allowed us to store our luggage while we explored the area for a couple more hours before we caught our train out.
