Milan is great, but there is also a lot to see and do in the surrounding areas. While we were in Milan, we took two day trips outside of the city. We rented a car, but it is also possible to go by train.
Day Trips from Milan
Milan: A Little Bit of Everything
Happy New Year, everybody! I haven’t written since November – I needed some time off. Now, I’m back! I just returned last week from two and a half weeks traveling around Italy and Ireland. Buckle up and enjoy the ride!
My first stop over the Christmas period was Milan. After a small snag (my parents and grandmother getting stuck at the airport and not making their connection at JFK), things were smooth sailing from there. Even when my family wasn’t in Milan with me, I still made the most of it.
Copenhagen: Was It Hyggely?
Denmark: Land of Vikings. I had been wanting to see Denmark for a while now since I have family that left there in the 19thcentury, but it was just so expensive. I’m not going to lie. It’s incredibly expensive. But taking a trip to Denmark is necessary, and Copenhagen is a great place to see.
Helsinki or Float
It wasn’t my first choice. I had wanted to travel somewhere else. It wasn’t even on the top of my list of places to visit. But Helsinki charmed me in a way I wasn’t expecting. I arrived at night, which is always difficult. Everything is dark, it’s cold, things are closed. I had no idea what to expect. When I awoke the next morning, I was pleasantly surprised. Helsinki is cute.
Granada: The Big Pomegranate
Granada is world famous for the amazing and spectacular Alhambra Palace, but few people know the meaning of the city. Granada is the Spanish word for “pomegranate”. According to legend, the pomegranate is a sacred fruit for the Jewish people because it has (allegedly) 613 inside each pomegranate and there are 613 commandments in the Torah. A quick Google search will tell you that that isn’t exactly true. Still, you can see pomegranates everywhere, from the street signs to the pebble-work on the ground.
Like many places I’ve visited and will visit in Spain this year, I always think, “How have I been in Spain for three years and not been here?” Not going to Granada isn’t exactly my fault — their train station hasn’t been linked to major cities in three years while they try to ready the station for the AVE. So to get there, I took the high speed train from Madrid to a small town in the Málaga region, then boarded a bus to take me to Granada. Of course, you can get to Granada by bus, but I hate buses. (I get carsick.) Pero por fin, I had arrived in Granada.
Welcome to YouTube: My Journey to Speak Italian
It’s been a pretty quiet summer from me. I came back to the United States for the summer to get out of that Madrid summer heat. So, this summer has been a lot of working to pay off my credit card before I go back to Europe and snuggling with my dog.
Well, since I haven’t been doing much, I decided to start a new project. My parents and I decided to go to Italy for our Christmas vacation. Why not learn Italian? So, I’ve downloaded a podcast (Coffee Break Italian) and I have a workbook.
Munich: Better Late Than Never
Back at the end of March, early April, I took a trip through Austria and Germany. Well, life gets in the way (aka thesis time), and I never talked about my time in Munich. I did write about Neuschwanstein Castle, but never about the charming city of Munich itself. It’s only been four months, but hey! Better late than never!
Sevilla Side Trip: Itálica
Sevilla is a wonderful city, just see my last post. But sometimes it’s great to get out of the city and experience something more relaxed. On my last day in Sevilla, I went to Itálica, considered to be the first Roman settlement in Hispania. However, people today may recognize it more for being the Dragon Pit in Game of Thrones.
Let’s be real. The main reason I went there was because of its GoT connection. When I visited San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, it was full of fans playing the theme song and decked out in fan t-shirts. What a pleasant surprise when Itálica was nearly empty.
Sizzlin’ Sevilla
Andalucía: typical Spain. Tapas, hot weather, flamenco, palm trees. That’s what most people think of when they hear Spain, but really, those are more typical of the South. In three years of living in Spain, I had never been down there, making up so many excuses about needing time or the trains being too expensive. Finally, I decided to stop making excuses and just go to Sevilla.
Kiev in Real Life
Back in March, I entered my name into the lottery for the Champions League Final. I had no expectations of getting a ticket since I didn’t get picked for a single Euro 2016 ticket two years ago. Yet, on a cold night in Vienna back in March, I found out that got a ticket to see the Final in Kiev! I immediately called my dad. I was nervous because it was in Kiev, a city that was famous pictured for the riots just four years ago. This isn’t a typical “here’s what to do” post, but rather a “don’t believe what you hear” post about the lovely city of Kiev.