Project: 9 European Cities in Two Weeks for only P150,000 All-in! [PART 2]

I rode the subway back to Bastille to get my stuff and meet up with my companion. We needed to get to Paris Beauvais Airport for our flight to Milan via Ryan Air (P2,072 per person). Unfortunately, we got wrong information from our hotel receptionist and even from my companion’s friend of where this airport was. We thought we could ride the train but when we got to the train and asked the locals there, apparently it was only accessible by bus or cab, since it was actually outside of Paris. We panicked since we were running out of time, so we decided to just grab a taxi instead. Never mind that we paid 20 euros each to get to that freaking airport. 

We got there right on time, the check-in gates were almost closing. We thought we could get away with our backpacks but Ryan Air’s policy was strictly 1 hand-carry luggage per person. I had to tie my messenger bag into the back of my backpack so it could not be seen and my companion had to check in her backpack since she couldn’t squeeze in her other bag into it. It was so stressful and some of the attendants seemed to be power-tripping. There was one nice guy though who helped my companion check-in her luggage even if the check-in gates were already closed by this time. Apparently, the flights were delayed anyway, so luck was on our side. 

We got on the plane, not very different from our own budget airlines here in the Philippines, with the small seats and luggage compartment. It only took a little more than an hour to get to Milan Bergamo Airport. From there we bought some snacks and drinks. There were about two bus lines that chartered between Milan Bergamo Airport and Milano Centrale. We chose the one that was leaving in ten minutes and cost us 4.50 euros each.  The ride took about thirty minutes and when we arrived in Milano Centrale, we were too tired to walk to our hotel, so we decided to just take a cab.

Thankfully, there was a lift in the building of Hotel San Tomaso, which was on the third floor. We got the Double Bed Private Ensuite Room for 2 nights, counting this night that we arrived at 1:30 AM, spending about P3,400 per person. We slept comfortably that night, since the room was adequately large and clean.  

The next day, we were eager to taste authentic Italian food, and while walking to the train station we came across this family-run neighborhood restaurant (more like a carinderia, really). The locals all seemed to know each other and they would greet each other “Ciao!” to our delight. They would just go to the shop, order their food for take-out, drink one shot of espresso and off they went, to work or who knows where. It all seemed so rushed, yet familiar and amazing at the same time. It was a blessing to witness everyday life in Italy. Another blessing was the scrumptious Italian food. Oh, I could not forget the freshness of the arugula, basil and tomatoes on top of our cheesy vegetarian pizza! 

It was simple and home-made by none other than the patriarch of the restaurant. We learned that the grandfather did the cooking, the father did the service (taking orders and all), and the son was the cashier. Listening to their conversations, I imagined myself being on the set of The Godfather and they were part of an Italian mafia, and the room at the back of the restaurant was actually where they made deals, haha! They were shouting at each other but were not angry, and the lilt at the end of their sentences was contagious. I also ordered a baguette, thinking the vegetarian pizza my companion and I shared was not enough. But after a few bites of the baguette, I stowed it away in its paper wrapping and saved it for later. 

After our delicious 13 euro-meal, we headed to the train station and bought the whole day train pass for 4.50 euros. We then rode the train to Cadorna and walked towards the Sforza castle. It was free to roam around the area and we didn’t really feel like going into the museums. The day was so beautiful out; we had a blast taking photos!

We then walked towards Sta. Maria della Grazie Piazza, where we hoped to see the Last Supper. However, it was already fully-booked that day. Best to reserve tickets through this site. 

We took the tram to Duomo to see the awe-inspiring Duomo di Milano cathedral. Looking back on my whole trip to Europe, this by far is my most favorite cathedral! I dub it as white chocolate heaven! I got goose bumps the minute I stepped out of the train station, the spires of the white cathedral looming into view. 

We got the Type B combination ticket for 10 euros which included ascent to the terraces on foot, visit to the Baptistery of San Giovanni alle Fonti and the Treasure. It was well worth it as the rooftop of the cathedral was as magnificent as the outside! We stayed there for quite some time, resting our sore feet and just taking in the beautiful view. 

After our trip to white chocolate heaven, we wanted to fulfill our craving for sweets, so we bought gelato at one of the shops in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuell II, which was just right across the Duomo. 

It was already late afternoon, so we decided to head back to our home base and check out all the nifty shoe stores in the area. Obviously Milan lived up to its reputation as one of the fashion capitals of the world, and I couldn’t resist all the good finds! I ended up purchasing three pairs of shoes at the myriad of outlet stores in the city.

We were famished by the time we were done shopping, so good thing we found a cute pizzeria within the neighborhood called Pizzeria del King. We each devoured one whole pizza plus a bottle of Moretti beer for me, for only 8 euros. The pizza was huge and the toppings were crazy deliciozo! I wanted to live there in Milan!

Of course, there were other places in Italy to explore, so the next day, we had to leave marvelous Milan early in the morning to proceed to Florence. I made the mistake of not booking our train tickets beforehand, so we ended up buying more expensive tickets. What I researched to be only 27 euros online became 50 euros by the time we bought it for the same day travel. It took one hour forty minutes to get to Florence, and fortunately the hostel we booked was just a 10-minute walk from the station. Soggiorno Primavera is a Bed and Breakfast run by Massimo and his wife Marisa. They were very accommodating and kept the place neat and homey. We got the Standard Double Bed Private Room for P1,900 per person. The bathroom is shared with the rest of the floor, but it was okay since it remained clean all the time.

Everywhere in Florence is within walking distance. We started with the Il Duomo Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, which is my second favorite cathedral in Italy. From afar, it seemed to be made of paper, like those carton boxes I built as a child.

There were so many tourists, it was hard not to get lost, as you just had to follow the throngs of people, passing the Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, Uffizi Gallery then crossing the Ponte Vecchio bridge.

All around were stores that sold leather goods, trinkets, and mementos of Florence. I wandered until Piazza dei Pitti while my companion bought leather bracelets. I just sat there along with the other tourists, basking under the Tuscan sun. Everywhere was picturesque and I was sad that we only had one whole day there.

We ate at one of the restaurants near the Il Duomo and that was a mistake because the pasta was not freshly cooked. There was free Italian wine though so that kind of made it better.