Day 13

We woke early again, and finally figured out why: it’s these ridiculously long European summer days. The light starts creeping in before 5 a.m., and our bodies haven’t caught up.

After our final pack-up, we dropped off the keys for our apartment and walked to the nearby stop for the airport transfer bus. It was already there waiting, and traffic was light — perfect start. At the airport, we dropped off our bags at the Wizz Air counter and grabbed a coffee in the food court, hoping to spend the last of our Hungarian coins. Turns out, we didn’t quite have enough for anything — but we admired the airport’s genius bike-powered charging stations, where you can pedal to recharge your phone. A rare “gym meets gate lounge” moment.

Boarding was smooth and we left on time. Once the cabin doors were closed, an insane number of passengers stood up and began changing seats — definitely not standard protocol back home at Qantas. One of my students, Mikolaj, who chose me as his English teacher specifically to become a flight attendant, actually became a flight attendant for Wizz Air and is now based in Budapest, so it was cool chatting with the crew who all knew him. Naturally, I got a crew selfie before landing.

Once in Milan, the brakes on landing were so loud they sounded like a train pulling into a platform. After baggage claim, we spotted a “Terravision Bus” into the city for €10. Since the Malpensa Express counter was deserted, the choice was easy. Forty minutes later, we arrived at Centrale Station, just five minutes from our accommodation.

We were greeted by our host Gisela, who showed us to our sixth-floor apartment — small but well furnished, comfortable, and full of character. There was even a blue emergency alarm button on the wall that Ted accidentally pressed, thinking it was for the bathroom light. Oops.

After sorting out a travel pass through the ATM Milano app (not without a few Wi-Fi hiccups), we took the metro to Duomo Station. A PA announcement warned us about pickpockets — classic Milan. As we emerged above ground, we were hit by an overwhelming crowd. A concert was going on in the square, and for a second we thought our chances of seeing the Duomo were gone. But we managed to thread through the masses and still got a photo of that awe-inspiring cathedral. Thankfully, we still scored a decent view — it’s massive, detailed, and lives up to the hype.

The Duomo took nearly six centuries to complete — it’s one of the largest cathedrals in the world and has over 3,400 statues decorating it, which makes it feel more like a sculpture garden than a church. The roof is actually open to the public, with a terrace where you can walk among the spires.

We wandered into the nearby Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II — Milan’s glamorous 19th-century shopping arcade. Even though I couldn’t care less about luxury labels, the place is impossible not to admire. With its soaring iron-and-glass ceiling, mosaic floors, and sheer over-the-top elegance, it felt more like a cathedral for capitalism than a mall. Fun fact: it’s one of the oldest active shopping galleries in the world, and the mosaic bull on the floor is said to bring good luck if you spin your heel on it.

Hunger kicked in, so we stopped at Erbert Food — a kind of upmarket self-serve canteen. You pick a tray, choose your freshly prepared mains and sides from stations, then pay at the counter. Kind of like a sleek IKEA food court for healthy people. A surprisingly easy and satisfying stop. It’s a local Milanese chain focused on sustainable and balanced meals, and it definitely made up for airport snacking.

Next, we made our way to the Sforzesco Castle and wandered its vast courtyards before reaching the peaceful Sempione Park behind it, which was a nice break from the busier city streets. The castle was built in the 15th century by Francesco Sforza (the Duke of Milan), and later expanded by the Spanish and Austrians. Leonardo da Vinci even worked here — he helped design the castle’s defenses and painted frescoes inside. Not a bad bit of side work.

At the far end of the park stands the Arco della Pace (Arch of Peace), a grand Napoleonic-style monument originally started to celebrate Napoleon’s victories… though it wasn’t finished until after he’d been defeated. Still, it’s one of Milan’s most photogenic landmarks, especially framed by the tree-lined paths of the park. The mix of green parkland and grand structures was a welcome balance to the city’s fashion-heavy vibe.

We jumped on a tram to the Brera district, a classy old quarter with cobbled streets, tucked-away restaurants, and that sort of quiet charm you can’t force. Brera is also Milan’s artistic heart — home to the Pinacoteca di Brera, one of Italy’s top art galleries, and a neighbourhood that used to be a magnet for poets and painters. Even today, it has that same creative energy.

But today was about more than just sightseeing.

Back in Budapest, while we were at Spoon the Boat restaurant, Ted accidentally dropped his wedding ring. It bounced off the table and straight into the Danube. We were both gutted. He’s been upset about it ever since. But today, he found a new ring in a beautiful little store called Demaldé. It wasn’t planned, but it felt perfect — and brought a sense of peace to a very unexpected loss.

We wrapped up the day with dinner at Obicà, a mozzarella bar with proper food and a nice setup. Everything about the evening felt celebratory, like Milan was offering a small moment of redemption. We went there originally because it was reasonably priced, but then we fell into our bad habit of having more drinks, desserts, and coffee — and before you know it, our “cheap” meal isn’t so cheap anymore! 😄

We returned to our apartment full, a little sunburnt, and very happy. Tomorrow, we’re off to Lake Como — but Milan, you were more than just a stopover. You were full of surprises. Czytaj więcej