Milan, Classic Caviar Flap Bag
The next trip I took was to Milan, Italy in May. It is a great time to visit the city (not too cold and not too hot), light jacket weather mostly.
We stayed in Camperio House. The location of this hotel is superb, everything felt very close, it is right next to Sforzesco Castle. The hotel was nice, the snacks and water were complementary. They had a good breakfast, nothing exceptional, but good to start the day. The rooms were clean and specious and the best part they were quiet at night. The doors were a different matter, if you had loud neighbors walking in the hallway you could hear them.
We visited the Duomo di Milano, which is a beautiful church and great photo-opportunity. They have recently completed it (it took six centuries to finish). The masonry is exquisite and it is the 5th largest church in the world. The church is covered with many statues of patrons that have donated to finish the construction of the church.
No trip to Milan is complete without seeing “The Last Supper” by Leonardo Di Vinci. The security they have for this painting they should have for most paintings. Flash is strictly prohibited, because it can cause irreversible damage. Most museums and palaces are very lax with their art, but to preserve it people should understand not to flash a painting. The masterpiece was wonderful to see and it is worth to go with a tour, because they will tell you the history and everything the painting has been through (including the horrible Nazi period).
Right next to the hall is the Santa Maria delle Grazie. This church’s construction begun under Duke of Milan Francesco I Sforza, and Ludovico Sforza repurposed the church as the family burial place. In fact, the church was never completed and you can observe two different styles of architecture (one more Medieval and the other more Renaissance).
Sforza Castle
Sforzesco Castle is a great visit, it has Michelangelo’s statue and rooms that Di Vinci had designed. At night, as during the day, it is a great photo-opportunity spot.
Another great opportunity for some of the best photos is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, which is the very famous mall in Milan. Some great shopping can be done in this mall, the prime real estate is taken by Prada and Versace stores.
Basilica di Sant’Ambrogio is an interesting stop, it is one of the oldest churches in Milan and all of Italy. It was consecrated in 379 and original, some modifications were made in the 12th century and the church took the final shape we see now.
Ambrosian Library is a great museum and sometimes has great temporary exhibitions, we happened to be there when they had Leonardo Di Vinci drawings and a fantastic exhibition of watches and clocks (with some of the oldest pieces I have ever seen). The art in the museum is also worth the visit. Unfortunately they were very strict with any kind of picture-taking (some guards followed us to make sure).
Galleries d’Italia has only Italian masters and it has mostly Modern art, it is a great museum that is located right next to the Teatro alla Scala where most of the greatest composers performed.
Painting in the by Adolf Hiremy Herschl “Sic Transit” (1912) in the Galleries d’Italia
A fantastic church to visit is San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore, which has paintings covering every bit of wall. You can also visit an archaeological site connected to the church with Ancient Roman pieces on display (from gigantic to small).
Pinacoteca di Brera is worth the visit, also some wonderful photos can be taken in the courtyard of the museum. Their art is displayed in a timeline of oldest to the most modern pieces. When they restore art on site they set it up so that visitors can take a look at the process of keeping art clean and true to the original vision. The museum has works by Raphael, Rubens, Caravaggio, Hayez (“The Kiss” being his masterpiece) and many many other masters.
We really enjoyed our time in Milan and would go back for another visit. Ciao ’til next post!