Milan’s Cathedral Views & Traversing Lake Como
While studying abroad, I tried to plan as many weekend trips as possible from my home base of Florence, Italy. One of my favorite adventures was exploring Lake Como, just over 30 miles outside of Milan, Italy. While some people know Lake Como as the planet Naboo in Star Wars, others may recognize it as a popular location for luxury weddings. According to The Travel, the lake went through a series of names given by the Romans but takes its name from the city of Como, one of the most visited cities in the Lombardy area. This blog provides an itinerary for a quick trip of what I was able to see in two days during the off-season for the lake (late November).
📍Florence → 📍Milan
From Santa Maria Novella Train Station in Florence, we traveled via Amtrak to Milan which took about 2 hours. Getting around in Europe is an absolute dream, and I have come to really appreciate trains as a form of transportation (America step it up!). Upon arrival in Milan, we were able to check our bags at the service in the station so that we did not have to carry our luggage with us the whole day which was a relief.
A Day in Milan
One of the best things about traveling with my Dad is that we tend to wing the entire trip and end up spontaneously making plans as we explore. Now I know this may scare some type A people out there (trust me, I am usually one of them), but there is something very liberating about having the freedom to explore with no boundaries. That being said, my recommendations on what to do in Milan come from a place of spontaneity without much planning, but below you will find how we spent a day in Milan in late November.
First Stop: coffee & breakfast
After an early morning train ride, our first quest was to find a place to eat. We settled on Bowls And More where I got pancakes topped with nutella, bananas, and syrup and a smoothie.
Climbing the Cathedral
After walking for a bit after breakfast, we saw the Cathedral (Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of the Nativity of Saint Mary) in all it’s glory and knew we should explore more. After looking online we saw that you could explore the rooftops of the cathedral, so we booked tickets and got into line. Turns out we were in the wrong line, but we were escorted to a lift by a very kind worker, and before we knew it we were on the roof. The views were incredible and you could really see the city from the top. We then accidentally snuck into the interior of the cathedral, but decided to just go with it (oops!). The inside of the cathedral was just as beautiful with incredibly high ceilings, chiseled sculptures and architectures, and huge glass window panes that I cold stare at for hours. There was also an archaeological site which was located underneath the cathedral which was really neat to see.
Street Photography
We spent some time sitting outside of the cathedral listening to an opera street performer who had an incredible voice and people watching. At the time, I was enrolled in a street photography class which was equally uncomfortable and fascinating. Taking pictures of others in public is not necessarily something I typically do as a photographer, but this class pushed my limits and I was able to observe some really neat people who were passing through Milan. We also grabbed lunch at a panini place away from the crowds to experience the best of both worlds. I would recommend walking all through the shops nearby the Cathedral as well if you have time!
Biking
I know I said that this was a list of recommendations, but let me just make this clear: do not try to bike in downtown Milan. We had some time to kill and had to get back to the train station to get our luggage, so we decided to rent bikes that were available on the side of the road. All you had to do was download an app, and then look at all of the drop-sites to make sure there is one near your destination. It was an easy process, but the biking itself felt very dangerous. I was beeped off the road several times by trams, and there were far too many people on the sidewalk to share the space. I am sure it would be lovely on the outskirts of the city, but trying to maneuver through the most crowded area was very stressful.
Accommodation
After biking to the train station, we hopped on the metro to get to our hotel. We stayed at the Sheraton which fit all of our needs and even had a delicious Italian restaurant. I had risotto for dinner and was incredibly satisfied with my meal.
Lake Como
📍Milan → 📍Lake Como
After a quick full-service breakfast at the Sheraton, we checked out of the hotel and walked 20 minutes to the closest Metro, and took it back to Milan Central Station. From the main station, we hopped on a 10:20 AM train to Varenna to get to Lake Como. The ride was only an hour, and it was cloudy and cold (around 48°C) upon our arrival at the lake. Unfortunately, there was no luggage drop-off or lockers, so we ended up wheeling our bags with us while we explored which ended up being more of a hassle than anticipated. I would highly recommend packing light for a day trip as there is a lot of walking, and the experience can be bogged down with heavy luggage.
Exploration
Unfortunately during late November Lake Como is considered to be in off-season, and a lot of the stores and restaurants were closed. As a result, we spent the majority of our time wandering. We stopped for coffee and pastries, explored the quaint side streets, and stumbled across a botanical garden.
Villa Monastero – Botanical Garden
The only reason we came across this garden was because of a poster outside of the entrance, the entirety of the garden was hidden from buildings and gates and we almost missed it entirely. This garden, named Villa Monastero, was definitely the highlight of our time in Lake Como. The garden stretches along the edge of the lake for over a mile, and hosts an array of botany and architecture. The views of the mountains along the lake truly made me feel like I was on another planet. There were palm and citrus trees, statues that lined the walkways, and a few different gazebos to sit in and take in the view.
Ferry Hopping
Furthering our wandering, we decided to take one of the lake’s ferry’s to another town, Bellagio. Right outside the Varenna train station is a ticket office for the ferry, and in November the ferry operated on an hourly schedule. The ferry took approximately 20 minutes, and being out on the lake was a surreal feeling. We were able to take in the views of the various towns that line the lake’s edge, and my zoom lens came in handy. Once in the town, we walked some more and decided to get a bite to eat.
Princess
Most restaurants and shops were closed in this town as well, so our options were fairly limited. We decided on Princess, an Italian restaurant with a clean and minimalistic decor. We got the parmesan and asparagus risottos with a side of fries (strange combo, I know, but we were super hungry from all the walking). I also ordered a hot chocolate hoping it would provide me with some warmth, and I was surprised when it ended up being a pudding-like consistency. It was still delicious, but it was not a traditional hot chocolate. Still cold, we both decided the best thing we could do was continue to keep moving so we continued traversing the streets of the small town.
Sunset Watching
We ended up walking through the whole town and found a spot along the water to watch the sunset. Lucky for us, the sky cleared slightly allowing for a gorgeous sunset that reflected off of the water and gleamed against the mountains. We spent quite some time watching the sunset and took the 5:45 PM ferry back to Varenna, and then caught the next train back to Milan Central Station.
Conclusion
Spending one day in Milan was simply not enough time to see everything, but we spent most of our time walking through the city to get a feel for what it was like. I would love to come back to this city to spend some more time exploring what more it has to offer, but we left feeling content and excited to explore Lake Como. I plan to revisit the lake during its peak season to compare its atmosphere, but there was something incredibly special about wandering through stunning small towns with no crowds and the sounds of the birds to keep you company. Our trip to Lake Como was incredibly peaceful, and I left knowing that I would return again.
