Student Bloggers

Studying abroad has many elements of adventure to it. First, the actual departure from your home continent. But then, there is the opportunity to venture even further, the opportunity to explore outside of your newly settled foreign land. My first foray of exploration took me to Milan. For an initial journey, this one was a surprise. First of all because although I had considered traveling to Italy, I never considered Milan. The trains of thought for deciding to go to Milan were based out of stations of ticket price and an open weekend. A friend of mine from the Arcadia Trinity College, Dublin program and I bought tickets, and our adventure began last Thursday with our departure!

When you only have a weekend to travel and steep yourself in a location, careful selection of sites and consideration of transportation are key. However, this process is simple when you prioritize and set attainable goals for your journey. One way to simplify the issue of transportation to sites is by using a tour bus. While you do have to submit to the apparent identity of tourist, you also have easy access to all the cultural sites you will want to see, located conveniently around the important districts of Milan. You also get a complimentary narration of your travel around the town, keeping you up to date with the cultural background of the city you are exploring. However, another way to orient yourself is allow a day to explore, and a day to get lost. That is what Carrie and I did. We took a day to walk around, glimpse at the sights we planned on seeing, and leave our trip priorities to be accomplished on Saturday and Sunday. Friday was our time to walk around and gawk at the beauty that is Italian architecture.

After enjoying our walk about, Carrie and I finally directed ourselves to the historic city center, where the ever enchanting Duomo Cathedral is located, one of the more impressive pieces of architecture I have ever had the chance to lay eyes upon. I think this was when I first truly realized I was in a completely different part of Europe. The Italian language buzzed around me, and the buildings seemed to whisper their extended cultural histories into the ears of their onlookers. I realized how little I knew, and how much more I wanted to know. Cue the true commencement of my adventure in Italy.

Once in the Duomo area, there are many other sites to see, such as the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Put simply, the Galleria is a roofed outdoor mall. However, any description seems so reductive to the beauty that is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. This structure dates back to 1877, and houses a beautiful glass dome above, and intricate floors below.

After walking about for a bit, Carrie and I went to our one priority for the day, Castle Sforza, the home of the Duke of Milan, dating back to the 15th Century. Although once a stately castle and fortress, Sforza has since been remodeled to house multiple levels of various museums. The highlights for me were Da Vinci's trees that he painted on the ceiling, and Michaelangelo's final masterpiece, his  Rondanini Pietà.

The next day, was a day of much less focused exploration, and giving ourselves time to pause and take in our surroundings. We took an elevator to the top of the Duomo and saw the city from above, and then afterwards had an espresso and tiramisu at Bar Duomo and watched mill about the Duomo square. We then explored a less historic Milan and walked through the markets near the canals. Finally, after that we had a beautiful dinner in the Brera art district. The next day we explored the Brera museum, and then departed on a plane back to Dublin.

The food in Northern Italy is a huge highlight to traveling around Milan. The rich cheeses, the seafood, the desserts. All are lovely, and as far as I can tell the Milanese take pride in their cuisine. During my time there I was able to sample some excellent pizza, spaghetti, gelato, seafood risotto, tiramisu, and a cannoli!

Overall, Milan was a busy, wonderful adventure, and upon return, it seems surreal that I even went there. For future travelers, all I can advise for doing a weekend trip is to breathe in, breathe out, and say to yourself, "I am here, and I am lucky."