Milan - Italy - Day One

"My favorite thing about Milan is that you see these people, and it's as if a spaceship came out of the most attractive planet invented and just dropped them off all across the city." - Brad Goreski

A few close friends and I took a weekend trip to Milan, Italy! Milan is the fashion capital of the world, and you could tell the moment we stepped foot in the airport! Our comfy sweats had no match for the leather, high heels, and designer duds we saw people waiting in for their flights! (When you know people here are the most stylish..)

This was the first international trip we had planned completely ourselves, and we felt very independent. However, there were obviously a few little mistakes here and there. For an example, my roommate had booked a high rated hostel for us to stay in, but when we got there, she realized she had actually booked their sister hostel in ASIA!! Thankfully we didn't put down any payment online, but we didn't have anywhere to sleep the first night. We had some friends staying a few metro stops away, and we slept on their floor the first night! (Thanks Maggie!)

After an iffy night of sleep, we snuck in a continental breakfast, and went out for the day! Prague had prepared us for navigating the metros, and we were happy to find that Milan's were easy!

Our first stop was Duomo di Milano, a breathtaking Gothic cathedral that took nearly six centuries to complete! This cathedral is the biggest church in all of Italy, and we were in awe with its beauty and architecture!

First day of being abroad without below freezing temperatures, so we actually tried to dress stylish and "European!"

The cathedral began construction in 1386, and the last gate was put in 1965. I always find it fascinating how many years of work are put into churches and cathedrals in Europe. The people who come up with the original designs don't even live to see the final product. This really shows that they are creating it in God's glory, and that they know the purpose is beyond them!

Mark Twain actually wrote about this Milan Cathedral, saying:

"What a wonder it is! So grand, so solemn, so vast! And yet so delicate, so airy, so graceful! A very world of solid weight, and yet it seems ...a delusion of frostwork that might vanish with a breath!... The central one of its five great doors is bordered with a bas-relief of birds and fruits and beasts and insects, which have been so ingeniously carved out of the marble that they seem like living creatures-- and the figures are so numerous and the design so complex, that one might study it a week without exhausting its interest...everywhere that a niche or a perch can be found about the enormous building, from summit to base, there is a marble statue, and every statue is a study in itself...Away above, on the lofty roof, rank on rank of carved and fretted spires spring high in the air, and through their rich tracery one sees the sky beyond. ... (Up on) the roof...springing from its broad marble flagstones, were the long files of spires, looking very tall close at hand, but diminishing in the distance...We could see, now, that the statue on the top of each was the size of a large man, though they all looked like dolls from the street... They say that the Cathedral of Milan is second only to St. Peter's at Rome. I cannot understand how it can be second to anything made by human hands."

Right next to the cathedral is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the world's oldest (and most beautiful) shopping malls!

Not only is it one of the most beautiful, it is also one of the most expensive. Example A, the Ferrari store inside!

Gucci

Prada actually had its own cafe on the upper floor of the store, and it was beautiful!

It is always rare to find something with my brother's name on it, but it turns out he has a very high fashion store "named after him!"

We couldn't afford anything in this mall except one Mcdonalds coffee. I think this is the definition of being a college kid.

Sooooo, we hit up an art gallery! We went to the Galleria d'Arte Moderna, a famous modern art museum in the city center! We wanted to go to a modern art gallery, since there is no place more Modern than Milan!

After the art gallery, we had one huge thing on our bucket list to cross off. REAL ITALIAN PASTA!!

We headed over to Pizza Bistrot Ristorante, and met up with our friends for dinner!

Good times never felt so good, SO GOOD, SO GOOD, SO GOOD!

Love at first sight. Bacon, noodles, and breadsticks. What could be better?

After dinner, a lobbyman in our hotel suggested that we go to a posh bar and club! The place gave out free sparklers, and the photographer captured some of our fun moments!

Girls night out!!

Such a great first day, and we definitely made the most of our time! We went back to our new hotel, (much comfier than Maggie's floor) and got a good night sleep!