We were both so tired last night we were asleep by 8.30pm! The hotel is in a surprisingly quiet spot for its location so close to the Duomo so we both slept fairly well, my only problem that the alarm on my fancy new sleep earbus was still on Tokyo time and it woke me at midnight! we woke around 8am feeling good and went down to enjoy the abundant breakfast buffet. They catered to those wanting eggs and bacon, as well as the classic European layout of several cold meats and cheeses and a wide range of Italian breakfast cakes and pastries. The breakfast room is also very pretty, with floral displays and a florid wallpaper adorned with rose vines and birds. We ate well!
We wandered over to the back of the Duomo for our timed entry at 10.30am. I had booked the “Fast-track” tickets that gave us access to the lift for the quick route to the rooftop terraces which is much kinder on the knees and the breath than the standard route via the stairs. After a bagcheck we waited for our turn in the lift, which only took about 6 passengers at a time.
Once at the top we really enjoyed the experience of being up in amongst all the gargoyles and getting a closer look at the carved Saints that sit at the top of the many towers. It was interesting to look down on the people below and across the rooftops of central Milan. The lift only takes you to the first level of the roof, we did have to climb about 90 stairs to get to the very top roof section. At one part we passed some open windows where we could see down to the floor of the cathedral way below and felt the warm air drifting up out of the interior.
Eventually, we entered the narrow tower with the staircase that spirals down and down to the door where we suddenly popped out into the main part of the cathedral. I was struck by the beauty of the marble floor and the intricacy of the carving of every surface within the cathedral – it matches the outside!
The many windows were glowing with the sunlight streaming in and lighting up the floor and interior columns in colorful patterns. We sat for a while to rest and enjoy the huge space before making our way down into the crypt area under the cathedral. This is the Jemale Chapel and the Scurolo di San Carlo. The chapel is a round , highly decorated space whcih contains several holy relics. The Scurolo di San Carlo contains the crystal-and-silver urn containing the remains of Saint Charles Borromeo (Carlo Borromeo), a revered 16th-century Archbishop of Milan. The clear rock-crystal casket was a gift from King Philip IV of Spain. I was glad that he was fully clthed and his face was covered by a silver mask!
Our final location in the cathedral was the archeological dig area that lies even lower down and contains the remains of ancient religious buildings from the Roman Empire and the Early Middle Ages that were demolished to build the current Duomo. There were two early churches built on the site and at the lowest point we could see part of an old roman road. As lovers of the British TV show Time-Team, we always love a good archeological dig!
Back up and outside in the sunshine we walked through the enormous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, that I mentioned in yesterdays post. There were crowds of people wandering through and taking pics of the magnificent glass domed ceiling way up above. This place puts Sydney’s Strand Arcade well and truly to shame!
Out the other side of the Galleria you emerge into the the Piazza Della Scala, with several leafy trees in its centre and benches for weary sightseeers. In front of it stands the Teatro alla Scala, Milans famous opera house. From pictures I know the interior is very beautiful, but to be honest the exterior is a little underwhelming!
By now it was lunch time so we found a nice little cafe tucked behind the walls of the Galleria and enjoyed a yummy pizza and bruschetta for lunch.
Our route to our next stop ws back through the Galleria and east up the long pedestrianized Via dei Mercanti. We handt gone far when we noticed a big crowd and heard loud music coming from one of the porticos that front the street. Then we noticed the film crews and lighting guys watching a stream of models strutting their way along the portico. The models were mostly adorned with curlers in their hair so we figured this must be a dress rehearsal for a fashion show, knowing that Milan is a major fashion center in Europe. A little later we came across a sign advertising the dates of the Milan Fashion Week… which ends today! Finaly we knew the explanation for the many people we have seen in the piazzas and streets wearing the most absurd outfits – high fashion really is a bit wacked sometimes!
Across the road from all that excitement we stopped to take a look at Palazzo della Ragione and the Piazza Mercanti. These are both very ancient buildings that date from the 1200s and are considered to be the best preserved examples of medieval architecture in Milan.
We strolled up the bustling street until we arrived at the grand Castello Sforzesco. It is enormous! Built as a fortress during the fourteenth century, it is one of the most famous landmarks in Milan and has played many roles: defensive fortress, ducal residence and military barracks. There are some museums here but they were closed today , Mondays can be a tricky day for sightseeers in Europe, they often choose to close on Mondays. However, we could walk into the first of its vast forecourts.
By this time we were both ready to walk back down towards the Duomo and return to the hotel for a break.
We decided to head down for our complimentary Prosecco a little later , so around 7 we sat down to bubbles and chips and almonds in the bar. Quieter tonight but those that were there were largely American. It was a lovely mild evening again when we headed out to find a restaurant, but we hadn’t got far when BAM , I was hit with heart palpitations. I get. Them occasionally, they’re very unpleasant and uncomfortable but generally only last a couple of hours. Thinking back over the last day or two I realised I was definitely dehydrated, which is usually a trigger.
Back in the room we settled down for a quiet evening and I tried to distract myself with flipping through Italian TV channels. Unfortunately, this bout was a whopper. I can check my heart rate with my watch and I was going at 243 bpm and the pounding shook the bed ( and me!) so sleep was impossible. I had a shocking night , feeling very sick and miserable and soo tired, until the palpitations suddenly stopped at 5.45 am, 10 hours later!
Sadly, this meant I was in no state for our early start to get to the Last Supper for our early booking. I’m grateful we had such a great day seeing the Duomo yesterday , I’ll just try to remember to drink more water in the future!