Arriving at the vast Milano Centrale Station:

Trying to find our way around Milano Centrale Station to catch the Metro line:

The Milano Centrale station is an architectural delight:


We arrived in Milan around 2pm, and after checking into our hotel, we went back out to see Milan's main tourist attraction: the Duomo di Milano (Milan Cathedral). Though our hotel was a good three Metro stops away from the Duomo, we decided to walk there, as hoofing it is the best way to see and experience a new city (and a good way to work exercise in at the same time!). We would have missed all the following sights if we had taken the Metro or bus. The streets are a mish-mash of old and new, buildings and public vehicles alike.
Taking care of very important business first - gelato! This shop was just around the corner from our hotel near the Porta Romana Metro station, and these two cones of double scoops cost us a grand total of 2&euro! By far the cheapest gelato we've ever had, and so delicious too. Shop name is Carmen e Massimo SNC, on street Corso Lodi No.2:

Stopped by a playground along the way:

A view down one of the side streets full of old buildings:

The old type tram:

And the sleeker-looking modern tram:

Piazza Missori - an old bronze monument of Riccardo Ripamonti (1916) juxtaposed against the backdrop of modern buildings. Also in the background is the ancient brickwall remains of a crypt of a former basilica church:

A closer look at San Giovanni in Conca, a crypt of a former basilica church that dates back to the 4th century:

The façade of the Duomo di Milano (Milan Cathedral):


Two-thirds of the Duomo's 3500 statues are on the exterior:

One of the world's oldest shopping malls - the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, standing opposite the Duomo. The arcade contains luxury shops selling haute couture, jewellery, books and paintings, and there are also restaurants, cafes and bars:

The arch detail at the entrance to the Galleria facing the Duomo:

Beautiful architecture, designed in 1861:

In the central octagonal space topped with a glass dome:

A statue of Vittorio Emanuele II in the middle of Piazza del Duomo:

It was evening by the time we headed back to the hotel, again on foot. We had a morning flight to catch the next day, so we opted for a simple but delicious focaccia dinner at a bakery we encountered on Corsa di Porta Roma (street name). It had basic facilities for dining in, so we took a moment's rest from walking to fuel up for the night.
A bakery on Corsa di Porta Roma:

An olive focaccia:

A pizza-like focaccia with plenty of vegetable topping:

And another pizza-like focaccia with ham topping:

And thus we have come to the end of our 2013 summer trip to Europe! We have taken four other overseas trip since then, and I still have photos of Japan and Malaysia to blog about, so stay tuned!
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