#318: Bellagio (pg 199; 2nd Ed: The Italian Lakes, pg 190)

 

Arriving in Como

Oct. 1, 2022

After spending a few hours wandering the streets of Como, we hopped on a boat and embarked on a 2 hour journey to Bellagio.

Ultimate girls trip - Como and Bellagio!

My sister-in-law Heidi, me, my friend Lauren and her sister Shawna

Some of our sights along the way...

Where James Bond Casino Royale was filmed.

Another view of it. 

George Clooney's home and boat dock.

Once we arrived in Bellagio, we headed for La Punta for lunch.

Lunch on the Lake.... Cheers!

We passed by several gelato places with no line and then came to this one with a line.... that's a good sign of a good gelato.  And it was!  Try the Mascarpone Biscotti flavor -yum! 🍦

Exploring the cobblestone streets of Bellagio with gelato in hand - the only way to explore!

And then we were back on a short boat ride (like 10 minutes) to cross the lake to catch our bus back to Milan.

Goodbye Bellagio....

Until next time....

Verdict: Yes!  This area is absolutely gorgeous.  I lived in Vegas for several years and my favorite of all the casinos is Bellagio.  I could stand there for hours watching the water shows, going in to see the conservatory gardens, etc.  It was so fun to finally see the "real" Bellagio!  The first edition lists "Bellagio" but the 2nd Edition lists it as "The Italian Lakes" and I think that was the right move.  Because The Italian Lakes and all of the surrounding towns are a sight to behold - not just Bellagio.  I definitely want to go back and I would do things differently next time.  I booked this excursion through Gate 1 who contracted out with another company Carrini Tours.  The 2 hour boat ride we took from Como to Bellagio was billed as a pleasure cruise of sorts.  But the capacity of the boat is much larger than the chairs on the boat.  So people were standing everywhere, jockeying for position for a good view, etc.  It wasn't the nice, relaxing boat ride I envisioned.  And also, two hours in Bellagio was not enough time.  So I would ask a lot more questions next time about how big the boat is, how many passengers, seats etc.  I would love to see some more of the Lakes (Maggiore and Garda) and towns.  I'd like to come here again to stay for a few days instead of just a day trip.  But anyway you do it, it's worth doing!

#317: La Scala Opera House (Teatro Alla Scala) pg. 203

 

La Scala Opera House

Sept. 30, 2022

Getting my opera on 🎵

Verdict:  If you're an opera buff, then I imagine this is high on your list as one of the most famous opera houses in the world.  If you're like me and, despite my attempt at culture at my love of musicals and the arts, opera leaves you feeling snoozy, then this is one you can pass on. And I'm not surprised it was taken out of the 2nd Edition.  But it's still worth checking out when you're in Milan because it's fun to see where so many of the world famous operas (such as Otello, Falstaff, Turandot and Norma) got their start!

Cost:  You can tour the museum and see the opera house for $12.  Or you can spend a small fortune to actually go to the opera.  Alternatively, you can wait in line (the earlier the better) for same day tickets that they start selling at 1pm for a fraction of the cost (although these are typically "nose bleed" - but at least it gets you into the "room where it happens" at a deep discount.)

#316: The Last Supper (pg 202) 2nd Ed: The Last Supper And Other Works of Leonardo Da Vinci (pg 192)

 

Santa Maria delle Grazie

The Gothic church that houses....

Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper, one of the world's most famous images.

They only allow a small group of people into the church at once, which I loved because it made it more of an intimate experience.  You had about 15 minutes (almost) "alone" with this wondrous work of art.

Taking it in.

For some reason, I expected this to be some refined oil painting on canvas in an ornate cathedral.  Instead, it was pained directly onto the wall of a nondescript dining hall of a former refectory of the church's adjacent convent.  Which I think almost added to it's allure. 

Da Vinci worked on this from 1492-1498

Due to this Da Vinci painting the wall in layers, as he would on a canvas, instead of applying pigment to wet plaster as most artists do when using the fresco technique, this painting began to deteriorate within 6 years of completion.  A 20 year restoration project was completed in 1999.  

On the other end of the dining hall is Giovanni Donato da Montorfano's The Crucifixion completed in 1495.  It was customary for the dining halls of Dominican monasteries to have a Crucifixion at one end of the dining hall and a Last Supper on the other.  

After leaving the room where The Last Supper is housed, there was a small display which showed the painstaking efforts the Milanese took to preserve this beloved painting during WWII.  As you can see here, they put up scaffolding and anti-aircraft protection.  Here it is in the process....

And here it is fully protected as well as they were able.

Sure enough, the bombs came and the church was nearly reduced to rubble.  But miraculously, The Last Supper survived.

Verdict: And for that reason, among others, it is worth seeing if you can.  They only allow 30 people in at a time, so tickets are timed and sell out quickly.  Plan to buy your ticket 3 months in advance in order to see this magnificent work.

Cost: $15

#315: The Milanese Experience (pg 201)

 

Sept - Oct 2022

Getting ready to head into the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping mall.

Taking my turn on the bull in the center of the Galleria.

Mosaic floors

Window shopping

Cheese, glorious cheese!

Lemoncello 🍹

Ode to Leonardi da Vinci

Eating out at cafes.

And ending every day with gelato.

Cheers!

Verdict: This is a tough one because I think the "Milanese Experience" is a bit subjective.  I think there are parts of it that are a "must do" and parts you can do without.  I am not a shopaholic, so seeing the fashionistas and the high end shops is fun, but it's not a must do for me.  However, the "Milanese Experience" in terms of the Duomo, the art, the cafes, etc.  Now THAT is worth the trip!

Cost: This can be as much or as little as you want based on your shopping and eating habits. 

#314: Il Duomo (pg 202; 2nd Edition: On and Around Piazza del Duomo pg. 193)

 

Sept. 29- Oct. 3, 2022

When you find a deal on Travelzoo for $499/person which includes R/T flights from NYC to Milan on Emirates airlines as well as a 4-night stay in a 4-star hotel centrally located in Milan along with breakfast every day..... you book the trip and go!

And then you check into your hotel (we stayed at Starhotel Tourist across the street from the Bignami Metro stop), hop on the Metro, get off at the Duomo station, come out of the Metro stop and are greeted by THIS!

The inside....

Make sure to buy the extra ticket to scale the rooftop and walk amongst the spires.  It's absolutely worth it!

View from above.

With my sister-in-law Heidi.

So awesome to get this close to the intricate detail of the part of the Duomo that touches the sky.

A view of the La Madonnina, the mother of Christ, who has topped this church since 1774.

Duomo at the golden hour.

And in all her glory at night.  It's worth seeing her at every time of day!

Verdict:  Yes!  Seeing this beautiful cathedral in person exceeded my expectations.  She's even more magnificent in person than any picture I've ever seen.  And climbing the rooftop was really cool.  That is definitely a must do when you visit!  You can reach the rooftop with a separate ticket by elevator or stairs.  

Cost: $8 to tour the inside, $11 to go on the rooftop.