Ciao Bella!: 2 Nights in Milan

The Frugal Foodies are taking on Europe! We are bopping around for six weeks with hardly anything booked or planned. Why? Living and working on cruise ships is very restrictive. You only go where the ship goes, and your experience is dictated by how much time you have in port. We want the freedom to be spontaneous and seize experiences as they come.

Now, the trip isn’t totally unplanned. We have a route roughly sketched, but are unsure how everything will be colored in.

It’s my goal to blog about each stop with the 411 on where we stay, what we do, and, of course, what we eat. Mostly so that I can remember the adventure. But also because someone somewhere on the internet might find it interesting. I find most travel bloggers are either in their early 20s staying in hostels or adults in their 30s/40s who are making a full time income off of it. I’m here to fill the niche of a more or less “normal” millennial who wants to experience the world on a reasonable budget without staying in 6 bed dormitories.

On our six week European adventure, the first stop is Milan!

Kick Off Our 2 Nights in Milan: Initial Impression

Being back in Italy is invigorating. The streets have a romantic, storied charm that has been refined and developed over centuries of history. Each turn reveals something interesting. Ornate cathedrals. Roman ruins. Detailed archways. Bakeries, cafes, bars, and restaurants. I can’t help but gawk at the artistry everywhere. Beauty might be in the eye of the beholder. But I’m hard pressed to think anyone in the world wouldn’t be stunned by the towering Duomo.

The streets are clean and everyone is well dressed. There are quite a few congested streets packed with tourists, cars, and trams. But then there are areas that are eerily quiet and peaceful.

It feels good to be back in Europe.

Where We Stayed for Our 2 Nights in Milan

When we began looking for hotels in Milan, one thing was clear: we weren’t in Southeast Asia anymore. On our recent trip to Vietnam and Thailand, spending anything over $30USD a night was a splurge. (Read about our amazing 3 day motorbike tour HERE!) In Milan, there wasn’t a single place to be found for under $50USD. We settled on Hotel Centrale for $92.73usd a night.

The Pros:

• It’s within walking distance of the main train station.
• 24 hour front desk service.
• Breakfast is included.
• Rooms are fairly spacious and the beds aren’t horrible.

The Cons:

• No AC, just a fan.
• The included breakfast is simply coffee, a croissant, and little container of yogurt.
• No fridge in the room.

Would I recommend station at Hotel Centrale? Nope! But it was the best deal we could find and it got the job done.

Tip for Booking Accommodation in Italy #1: The first price you see isn’t the price you get. There are city fees, hotel fees, taxes, and sometimes cleaning fees too. Which means that 54€ steal IS to good to be true.

Tip #2: Check to see if the hotel has AC. A tip my friend had given me weeks ago that I forgot at the time of the booking.

What We Did

Jeremy and I prefer exploring over touring. Instead of going to museums, we’ll pop into various galleries. Instead of visiting every single historic site, we’ll get a coffee and watch the world go by. But of course there are always city highlights to share. So here are some of my favorite things we saw during our 2 nights in Milan.

The Duomo

Construction on the Duomo began in 1386, and it wasn’t completed until 1965. It’s the largest gothic cathedral in the world boasting 3,400 statues and over 700 marble figures. It’s utterly magnificent, and a tourist attraction that shouldn’t be missed.

Cimitero Minumentale di Milano

I love visiting cemeteries in other countries. Seeing how a place honors the dead is a fascinating. Cimitero Minumentale, which translates to Monumental Cemetery, is perhaps the most beautiful cemetery I’ve ever seen. (La Recoleta in Argentina is a close second.)

Musicians, architects, actors, and other famous people of Italy’s past are buried across the expansive grounds. And the grave sites are anything but modest. There are detailed sculptures, towering obelisks, and elaborate temples that are much bigger than our little Upper East Side apartment. It felt like walking around an art museum,

The Wall of Dolls

The Wall of Dolls is an art exhibit dedicated to raising awareness about violence against women. Used dolls are strung up on a hedge next to images of murder victims and jarring statistics. In Europe, 1 in 3 women on victims of abuse. In America, 1 woman is attacked every 15 seconds. 130 million women in this world have undergone genital mutilation. The exhibit also has a wall of silence, showing how most women never say anything about being abused.

The display is poignant and heartbreaking. It’s something well worth seeing in Milan. Plus, it’s right around the corner from the next site…

Colonne di San Lorenzo and Basilica di San Lorenzo Maggiore

The Colonne di San Lorenzo in front of the Basilica di San Lorenzo Maggiore shouldn’t be missed if you’re a history buff. They are some of the few remaining Roman ruins in the city dating back to the 2nd century. (Although I will say other online sources say 3rd and 4th century.) What struck me was the casualness of the site. Young people sat under the columns writing in journals, listening to music, and laughing with friends. The scene was an odd blend of the past and the present meshing together just right.

Naviglio Grande

Naviglio Grande is a canal connecting the Ticino river to Milan. Construction began in the 12th century for the purposes of defense, irrigation, and commerce, and it proved to be essential for trade across Italy. Today, there are boat rides that go up and down the canal. But it’s also lined with bars, restaurants, and coffee shops. It’s the perfect place to go for a relaxing stroll. And I hear that if night light is your jam, it’s the place to be!

Sforzesco Castle

Sforzesco Castle was built in the 15th century, and it was originally intended to serve as a citadel. It has been used by many rulers over decades, notably as a military base. But today it’s a hub of art and culture with an Art Gallery, Archaeological Museum, library, and various exhibits. You can pay entry for the attractions, but you can also just wander around the grounds taking in the beauty.

Where We Ate: The Can’t Misses

All’Antico Vinaio

All’Antico Vinaio is a famous Florentine sandwich shop that has recently made a splash in NYC. There are 5 locales throughout the city, and foodies have been going feral for the super loaded sandwiches. I went to the Nomad location, and enjoyed the experience, but wasn’t wowed. (Get my review HERE). I saw that there was a All’Antico Vinaio in Milan, and I decided it was my frugal foodie obligation to check out the prices. Lo and behold, a nearly identical menu for nearly half the price!

We went for the Paradiso, which has mortadella, stracciatella cheese, and pistachio cream for a cool 10€  total compared to $18USD before tax and tip. The bread was straight from the oven and they didn’t skimp on the mortadella and pistachio cream. Each bite was an epic mix of salty, sweet, crunchy, and creamy. The one in New York wasn’t nearly as loaded nor as fresh.

It was a sandwich experience I’ll be dreaming about for years to come. If we were staying for longer than 2 nights in Milan, I would have gone again

Where We Ate: Places I’d Skip

Pasta e Vino

Pasta e Vino serves up pastas, wines, antipastos, and a few mains. We got a gnocchi in pesto sauce and strozzapreti in amatriciana sauce (crispy bacon, percono cheese, tomato sauce, and black pepper). While the pastas were fresh, the sauces were far too salty and lacked flavor. An unfortunate miss.

Panzerotti Luini

Panzerotti is a popular street food that’s like a calzone meet an empanada and had a baby. While Panzerotti Luini has been in business since the 19th century, I personally didn’t love our panzerottis. We got one baked and one fried, and both were quite bready without too much flavor.

Giulio Pane e Ojo

Giulio Pane e Ojo is a Roman Osteria serving up traditional Italian fare. We went with the intention of splurging a bit for it to be our “let the trip begin!!!” type of dinner. We got bruschette, paccheri (type of pasta pictured below), pollo alla diavala (spicy baked chicken), a side of broccoli, a side of chicory, and of course two Aperol Spritzes.

Unfortunately, none of the dishes had that “wow” factor. The flavors and textures were more or less one note. While it was perfectly fine, there are far better uses for $76 USD.

Other Eats to Try….

There are focaccerias and gelato spots everywhere, and odds are they are all good!

My hot take is that the food scene is Milan is just “meh.”

I’m sure someone will come after me for that. If you are said person, comment with your recommendations. We will be returning to Milan before flying home!

Tips for Getting Around Milan

Milan is very walkable. But then again, I’m a 20,000 steps a day sorta of gal. The subway system is also extremely easy to use. It has tap and go payment, meaning you don’t have to fuss with ticket machines. And the different lines are easy to figure out. The trams are apparently quite easy as well, but we didn’t take any.

Total cost of our 2 nights in Milan….

Hotel: $185.45USD

Food: $157.71USD

Groceries: $12.66USD

Transportation: Around $40…. I didn’t keep great track!

Total: $355.82

Final Thoughts…

The total spend for our 2 nights in Milan was above the budget. But hey, it’s the first two days of the trip! Plus, we did just get married. Seems like a reason to celebrate if you ask me.

I enjoyed Milan, but I’m not sure if it was the city itself or simply just the joy of being in Europe. Either way, it was a memorable start to the adventure.

Next stop… Budapest!