The perfect combination: Milan, Lake Como, Bergamo, fashion and good pizza

While we’re all thinking about where we’re going for the New Year’s, let’s reminisce about the brutal trip to Milan. Bojana, my great friend, and I decided this December to visit the sights of Milan, which was certainly not such a feasible idea for our first ambitious thought, “We’ll be able to see everything in three days”.

This article is written for you by Jelena, who came back with three kilos more. Why? Because on every corner throughout the city, you can see pizzas, all kinds of pasta, ice creams, fantastic and authentic sweets, but also alooot of coffee in every shape and size. I won’t even talk about cocktails! I am the ideal bait for all of the above!

Yum yum, Photo: Jelena Mirić. Adria.fun

Our flight was on the route Belgrade (Nikola Tesla Airport) – Milan (Bergamo Airport), the return ticket was 50 euros, bought a month in advance. The flight lasted about an hour and a half, and we flew with Wizz Air. The price of the bus from the airport to the central station in Milan is 12 euros, and the ride takes about an hour. It is important to mention that the buses drive every hour and all night, so you don’t have to worry if you have a late flight.

We stayed at the Ambra hotel, which we do not recommend! Apart from the friendly receptionists and the proximity to the center, everything else was a disaster. They forgot about our breakfast, the late check-in, the toilet was not functional, we did not have internet in the room, the heating did not work, etc. This is one of the worst accommodations I have ever stayed in.

But we didn’t allow something like that to spoil our mood!

Only good vibes, Photo: Jelena Mirić. Adria.fun

On the first day, we visited all the interesting places in the city, such as churches, cathedrals, theaters, fortresses, museums, parks, and everything that every tourist would do at first. At one point, we decided to get lost through unknown streets and walk while enjoying their charms.

We didn’t like the crowd in the center, and I honestly couldn’t imagine my life there, but with all these charms of the city and possibilities – we certainly enjoyed it to the fullest.

One of the things I tried for the first time in Milan is the aperitivo, served every day from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. when Italians relax and socialize with tasty and quality snacks. Aperitivo is a gourmet experience that you can only witness in Italy. It usually consists of Aperol, Campari, or some other cocktail and something to snack on.

Experiencing an aperitivo “hour” is an ideal way to feel the local culture, get to know the people and their habits, and, of course, take a break from visiting the sights and satisfy your hunger until dinner. Additionally, every night, we enjoyed cocktails, mini pizzas, chips, peanuts, sliced carrots, pastries, and olives (admittedly only me, Bojana avoided olives like her ex-partners on the street).

The price of a cocktail is, on average, 5 to 8 euros, and it depends on the location and the food that comes with the alcohol.

My recommendation is Labo Napo bar, which is one of the few bars where the waiters were friendly and had fantastic energy. The prices of coffee and drinks are from 1.5 euros to 5 euros, pizza, and pasta from 8 to 12 euros, and public transport and the metro are, on average, 1 to 3 euros.

Speaking of public transport, we decided to go to Lake Como on the second day of our trip, which is about 50 minutes away by train, and a return ticket costs 12 euros.

Como is a small sweet town, which has adorable sights, but also a beautiful lake. Bojana and I decided to take the funicular to the top of the hill (the ticket cost 6.60 euros) and enjoy the view of the entire lake. The great thing is that Como is very well connected to Milan, so every now and then you have a shuttle back to the city.

One evening, we also walked along the Navigli canal, where we enjoyed the charms of nightlife and youth life in many cafes – even though we are not so young after all. 

An interesting fact is that, in the past, the Naviglio Grande canal used to transport around 350,000 tons annually with as many as 8,300 ships!

We avoided shopping because we didn’t have the brain capacity for crowds, but for those who are a little more patient, you can find nice clothing at an affordable price, and of course, there are also well-known brands that certainly have their own “spicy” prices. On the last day, we decided to go to Bergamo and shorten the journey to the flight back. So we took the train from Milan to Bergamo, and that ride lasted an hour and cost 6 euros one way.

We spent a few hours in Bergamo, saw a cute little Christmas market, experienced the quietness of the city, had a good dinner, and headed further toward the airport (one way 3 euros).

Before I forget, I need to mention that Genoa and Verona are also convenient to visit if you are in Milan, but we simply didn’t have time for all the activities. This is a sign that we have to come again in the future!

I also must publicly apologize to Bojana, who enjoyed my snoring tunes at night, but she must admit that I was an interesting companion.

Now that I’m slowly coming back to reality, I can’t wait for the New Year’s madness that I’ll also share with you soon! And I’m asking you to recommend me a gym in the comments below so that I can lose these few kilos i gained in Milan!