March 25, 2011
Today...Milano! We were up at 8am, grabbed a quick continental breakfast, packed up the car and headed into the city. Milano is a busy city. It took us an hour to negotiate the maze like streets, street cars, and crazy morning traffic into the center of the city. We made our first stop at piazza duomo, the central piazza of the Milano Cathederal. We went inside to tour the Cathederal which was begun in 1386 and took 600 years to build. This massive cathederal was breath takingly stunning.
Now we headed to visit the reknown Milano food and wine merchant Peck, which Darrell calls the most important food and wine company in Europe. They have operated in Milano since 1883. The company was just purchased by a business group last year, who are now the third owners of Peck since it was established. The new ownership group is lead by Luca Monica, who is a friend of Darrell's.
After the new owner, Luca Monica, gave us a tour of Peck, he took us around the block to the Peck Italian Bar, which is their new concept of an eatery & bar, for some sparkling wine and appetizers. We were met there by Cristian Cantaluppi, Luca's business partner.
Seeing all of the amazing food at Peck and having some delicious appetizers at Peck Italian Bar made us hungry, so Darrell flagged down a cab and we drove to what Darrell calls the best restaurant in Milano. Darrell told us that this is not a restaurant - restaurant, but a Trattoria...real cooking...and the first time during our trip that the meal was cooked by a woman!
With very full stomachs came the first shopping opportunity of our trip. What better place than Milano? We started at the piazza duomo Galleria and then ventured off to the many side streets to shop and sight see a bit.
Shopping done, we when back to Pack for a bit of liquid refreshment, then headed out on our evening drive to Malpensa Milano airport where we stayed the night at the new Sheraton Malpensa airport. After returning the rental car, we walked back to the Sheraton hotel. The route took us through a newly constructed area between the rental car return area and the hotel. Darrell saw a sign that said railroad station lower level. He immediately went for the elevator. We went down one level and were amazed that a brand new railroad station had been built which services Milano. Darrell said it was about time the Italians spent some money doing something useful. One can now arrive at Malpensa airport and take the train directly into Milano and even onto Florence.