Milan & Lake Como
Milan, when we thought about this destination before we had kids it was all about the shopping and the spectacular buildings and the romantic get away. Now having a child in the mix, this city gave me somewhat of anxiety thinking about going there with a 3 year old.
Back in 2020 we had this long weekend planned and booked to visit Milan and Lake Como, but the world came to a stand still when Covid lock down was announced. We had so many trips planed before Covid, but had to cancel them. We had an excel sheet in which we had to keep track of getting back all our refunds for the year of traveling we had planned before starting a family.
Fast forward 4 years later, it was now time for our Milan and Lake Como trip. Our fellow travel community suggested visiting before the summer rush. This was also inline with granny coming to visit us in Europe. So we booked our tickets on Black Friday and started planning our trip.
Our plan was to first spend 2 days in Milan and then 3 days in Lake Como. From previous research it was suggested that renting a car is the best option to get the most out of the trip and to visit all the small towns around the lake. We booked a rental car at Milan Malpensa Airport which seemed convenient. However, we once again learned a few things a long the way. Firstly, there are two terminals at the airport and they are not walking distance from each other -so make sure you book your car rental at the correct terminal. We made the mistake to book with a rental company that was all the way in the other terminal, and that cost us about an hour of lost time to find it and pick-up the car.
Once we settled down at the apartment in Milan we walked around, admired the beautiful buildings and went for dinner at a local pizza place that had slices bigger than our hands. We strolled around until we ended back at our apartment that catered for all our needs. This was also the first time that Amber slept on a bed and not on a matrass on the floor. We used these blow up “buffers” to keep her from rolling of and it worked like a charm.
The following morning we got up early, packed our bags, dropped them at the car and took the metro into the city center. Using the metro with my mom was an interesting and funny experience. You quickly realize that when you come from a country like South Africa, where you are used to driving by car the entire time, using the train is literally a foreign experience. Our tickets to enter the Duomo di Milano were booked for 10am, therefore walking around and experiencing the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II before all the tourists and rush hour was very special. We could take beautiful pictures and also have Amber running around without worry. Robert went to buy us a cup of coffee but returned with the most beautiful package that we thought he lost his mind in purchasing a gift in one of the stores, but alas it was cappuccinos and croissants wrapped in the most beautiful packaging.
Duomo di Milano
The Duomo di Milano was a spectacular site and even more special on the inside. We wondered around and looked at all the beauty on the inside, but it was even better going up on the roof. Amber was not loving it as much as us, but luckily her daddy came up with the perfect solution: “roof shoes”. From there we were walking and even running around, admiring the views created by both the architecture and surroundings. We finished our half day in Milan with a gelato from “grom” before we got into the car for our drive to Lake Como.
While driving we realized that the GPS was taking us on the highway which included a lot of tunnels and turns. We got off the highway and started driving the small roads next to the lake and really taking in the scenic beauty of Lake Como. We checked into our airBnB which was located on the north-east side of the lake and took a walk in the small town where after we went for dinner with the best pizza and pasta in the town of Bellano.
We rented a self drive boat for the next day. It was supposed to be idyllic, but to our surprise the wind was blowing so much that the waves changed our leisure drive on the lake into a adventure / hold on for your life ride. We stopped at a small town for some coffee and snacks and took off again. Needless to say our boat trip combined with the wind was not ideal, but we were still grateful that we did it for the experience.
The last full day we had, we hopped onto a ferry from Varenna to Bellagio. We were excited to see what the hype was about. To be honest we were a bit disappointed, as walking around with strollers where not easy due to the amount of small staircases from cobble stones. We took the Petit Train to decrease the amount of walking but was also not impressed with the surroundings we saw. We ended up spending a lot of time in a playground in a park, which was the most fun the kids had the entire day. We went back on the ferry to Varenna and was encountered by the tourists, overflowing the small pathways and packed all the restaurants. We got into the car and stopped by a burger cafe were we could escape the heat and all the tourists. Overall it was still a beautiful site and we loved the small towns and the views, but it was not the best day for kids.
Our final day consisted of driving back to the airport, with a stop at Lecco for a nice stroll and coffee with croissants. Amber could run around after the swans and play in the playground while we could admire the views.
We loved Milan and all the history it had to offer. Lake Como was one of the most beautiful places we have ever seen. If and when we have the opportunity to return we will definitely be there again. There is still so much to see and do! Till next time - CIAO