We have been inMilan before. To be fair it was an access point to Italy and we did not spend a lot of time there. This time….while we did not stay long, we did explore more. I was generally incredulous as we met people in Milan who pronounced what a beautiful city it is or professed the amenities, however, today we wandered further and we understand more the draw.
◦We searched for the “peculiar or particular” restaurant we had ventured to when last in Milan… it was reminiscent of the Jerry Seinfield/NYC Soup Nazi restaurant… no reservation … no food. We were questioned by our hotel concierge about why we would go to a place with such a strange presentation. After wandering around the city, down winding streets and small alleys we settled on a restaurant nearer to our hotel where the caminiere were personable and the limoncello flowed freely.
◦An early start to the morning to make our way to the Chiesa di Maria della Grazie where Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper” is. If you have seen the Mona Lisa in the Louvre you recall how small the portrait is for its larger than life reputation. Not so the Last Supper. It does not hang on the wall- it is the wall. Our guide explained to our rag tag group about the conservancy. The preservation of this work is a story to behold. As the tours are regimented every 15 min, we had to pass through two separate class rooms where we were climatized and cleansed before entering the exhibit.
◦The Last Supper is the former dining room
of the Dominican monks who lived in the monastery in the late 1400’s.Leonardo painting his depiction of the Last Supper of Christ on the wall which separated the dining area from the kitchen. During WWII the monks sandbagged the wall which ultimately ( or divinely) saved it from destruction during the bombing raids. The monastery suffered major damage, but the wall with masterpiece survived!
◦The neighborhoods adjacent to the church and museum were more than beautiful. Buildings with intricate architectural design festooned with balconies brimming with flowers and trellises. The walk alone was worth the trip.
◦One more highlight of Milan… the underground. 
In a city where graffiti is very common in many neighborhoods the underground is pristine. The subway trains are bright and clean and unlike Boston or New York ( our most familiar underground’s) their is no separation between cars. There was a contiguous line of train with accordion segments which allowed for some flexing on a turn. It was impressive.
◦Our next journey is by high speed train. The Italo train from Milan to Florence travels at speeds at time over 200 miles per hour. The city gives way to farmland and mountains and whisks by so quickly. As a train passes in the opposite direction there is a brief whoosh of shadow then the scenery is visible again.
◦It is still a long day. Two regional trains takes us first to Pisa, then finally to Lucca… our new home away from home.
Maureen and David’s Travel Blog 