My Local Tour of Milan

I started today by going to Museo Teatrale Alla Scala. My tour yesterday was supposed to include the theater, but since it was Ferragosto it had been closed for entry. Instead they gave us tickets for entry the next day. There are still plays and operas that are performed in this theater today, but it is extremely hard to get tickets and there aren't any performances during August. There were lots of costumes displayed; most seemed to be from an Egyptian play (I can't remember the name now). The theater itself was stunning - we were allowed to enter through some of the boxes. Unfortunately, there was construction going on in the theater so it probably wasn't as stunning as usual. There were also large ballrooms with huge chandeliers right outside the theater.

After the theater, I still had some time before I was supposed to meet Nicla, so I went and got a cappuccino (around 2pm). Apparently, Italians ONLY drink cappuccinos with breakfast, which I didn't find out until later, so I probably stuck out. I was confused on how to order - I think you were supposed to pay first, then take your receipt up to the bar for them to make your drink, but I'm still not totally sure. I don't usually like coffee very much and I drank really quickly standing among all these businessmen having espressos, but I enjoyed my little cappuccino.

After my cappuccino, I met Nicla outside Il Duomo and we started walking. She was SO wonderful to show me around - I saw so many more little things than I ever would have on a tourist-y tour. What I didn't know before was that she and her boyfriend are the founders of a popular website called "Milanoize," which shares events, cool places and music from Milan. Nicla truly loves her city - she talked a lot on our "tour" about how so many people live in Milan but don't know all of the history that is really here. She showed me too many places to really list, but some of them are below: 

The first thing we did was stop in a little cafe so I could have my first Italian espresso shot (I mentioned I had espresso in London, but that's completely different)

 Nicla! 

First we walked over to Brera, a beautiful district of Milan. We saw Pinoteca di Brera, a public art gallery. 

Next we met up with Alessandro, then stopped where Nicla goes to school and where Katherine will be studying abroad, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. It's the largest Catholic University in the world and it was beautiful! Nicla told me how she sometimes irreverently runs through the chapel when she's late for class :) We couldn't actually get on the campus, or into the garden where only girls are allowed (they told me it used to be only virgins allowed, but if that rule still stood then no one would be allowed in), so I only got to peek through some gates. The outside was very nice though as you can see below:  

Next we walked to arguably my favorite place in Milan - Cimetero Monumentale. It is one of the largest cemeteries in Milan and it was the most beautiful cemetery I have ever seen. Inside were some famous Italian graves (Giuseppe Verdi, Alessandro Manzoni, etc) and outside there were large structures for whole Italian families. Some of the graves you could even walk down stairs into - some families chose to build down more than up. 

We walked around for awhile - the cemetery was SO peaceful and every structure was incredible to see. Alessandro told me how Nicla had suggested this place for one of their first dates, and he thought she was a little crazy until they actually came and walked around. I don't know if I would go on a date there, but I could definitely spend a few days just wandering around. 

 Next, they taught me how to use the Metro and we took it (plus a tram) down to Navigli, the canals in Milan. Originally, the canals had run throughout the entire city and were used to transport the marble used to build the Duomo, but most of them have been covered and are now roads. 

As you can see, they were beautiful: 

It was happy hour, so we had drinks and apertivo right next to the canals. Nicla had told her dad that she was with someone from the US and he was excited so he came to meet me briefly :) it was very sweet. He's a cab driver in Milan (apparently a difficult job in August when there is basically no one in the city), so he drove me back to the hostel. 

Thank you Nicla and Alessandro for an amazing day!! :)