A Taste of Northern Italy: 5 Days in Milan & Venice

Step 1, Milano.

It started painfully early, at 6am so I treated myself to my beloved Caffe Nero iced Pistachio oat latte (it's the best!) and we were soon rewarded by amazing views from the plane. See for yourself:

Despite the early start, the excitement of finally returning to Italy kept me awake and as we landed, I beelined to Sorbillo for a Margherita I had not tasted in almost 10 years! I did not cry because I am not a weirdo - but I could have. As the pizzeria is right next to the Duomo, we took a digestive stroll through the Piazza del Duomo and the Gallerie Vittorio Emanuele II. Forever breathtaking.

At this point my rusty Italian was coming back, just in time to order some pistachio and crema gelato from Ciacco (I once ran to make it before closure - it's that good). My partner opted for a pistachio affogato which - judging by how fast it disappeared - must have been pretty delicious. Speaking about delicious, if you are a foodie, I would recommend Peck. It's a grocery store with a ton of beautiful products and a lovely wine cellar. The scent of aged cheese, cured meats, and freshly baked bread that fills the air makes it tough to leave empty-handed

In the evening, we took la metropolitana to the Navigli area to check out the aperitivi*. The canal-side buzz was infectious, a mix of locals and visitors sipping cocktails under the soft glow of string lights. We ate at Temakinho, a Brazillian/Japanese fusion restaurant. I had been before and it has remained just as tasty as I remembered. I would especially recommend trying the Rio Bananal and Salmao Gostoso sushi. I indulged in a Maracuja Caipirinhia and A. got the classic Aperol Spritz (go Campari if you like bitter or Limoncello if you're into lemon). The latter choice would become a recurring theme on this trip.

The next day, we walked around the Parco Sempione and Castello Sforzesco while reading into the story of the city. We skipped lunch in favour of climbing the Duomo. The pictures speak for themselves - it is magnificent! For an early dinner we found a pizzeria that was open on Sunday, had no tourists and was amazing. If you find yourself near Crocetta, definitely pay Pizza AM a visit. The menu is simple, prices are good and the service was super quick. We also got a free appetiser!

Finally we continued down towards Porta Romana to enjoy a spa evening in QC Termemilano. Having been there years ago, I had envisioned a tranquil retreat, but instead, it felt like stepping into a live-streamed reality show! It may be because of the 'storm room' that went viral on social media but it is now influencer galore. Almost every space has a screen or some sort of background noise (where's my peace and quiet?!). At every turn, you risk bumping into a sea of duck faces and skimpy neon bikinis. The robes have no pockets and yet everyone seems to carry hideous plastic phone pouches around their necks. While lounging in a supposed 'relaxation' area, A. and I witnessed a whole OnlyFans photoshoot. After an hour, it really felt like we were the only ones here to actually chill. The only empty room was the one hot(er) sauna in the basement and that's where we went. The viral storm-cinema-bath-thing was so overrated. There is barely room for 4 people and nobody stays longer than the time it takes to film an Instagram reel. Basically - do not go.

Step 2, Venezia.

After a final meal in Milan (Risotto allo Zafferano and Ossobuco - try it!, tiramisu and limoncello) we boarded our train to Venice. It was fairly smooth and got us there in under 3 hours. Just be careful not to stop at Venezia Mestre. It is not Venice. As we stepped out of the station, the sound of lapping water replaced the hum of city traffic and we were greeted by a gray sky and misty light that seemed to mute all colours. I personally really like that, as it gives the streets an eerie atmosphere. I completely forgot it was Carnevale but quickly realised it explained the very intricate costumes we saw some people wearing. As we did in Milan, we headed straight for the main square San Marco, walked around and found our accommodation.

For dinner, I booked Poste Vecie and we took a very scenic 40min walk to get there. I really like cities at night but even more so when they look that good! The food was brilliant (the Fritelle di Carnevale are a must!!) and we befriended an American mother and son sat right next to us. Although this is not a budget option, I would recommend it as a treat! We left happy and full, trusting our instinct would get us to bed safely. It somehow worked out and we took in the views along the way.

The next day the weather was turning but the views still stunning. We headed to l'Bacaro de' Bischeri, a sandwich place that specialises in Schiacciate. I loved it so much, recreating this is now on my (never ending) list of bread based projects (that's an actual list - I know ..). I believe they update the menu regularly but I had pistachio (of course), burrata and ham in my schiacciata and omg! The bread was warm, slightly crisp outside, pillowy soft inside - each bite an explosion of creamy, salty, nutty flavours. So much so I only remembered to take a pic when it was nearly done… We savoured our lunch watching the gondolas and later enjoying each other's company over a much needed cappucino.

Having bought umbrellas, we decided to go visit Murano, the mecca of glass smiths. Thanks to the rain and probably random week day, we were mostly unbothered by other tourists and crowds. We visited a factory, looked at a bunch of glass vases, jewelry, objects of all sorts and eventually decided it was time to regain Venice. Now that is when it gets difficult. Boats are quite small and tourists are pretty determined to get on - no matter what. That's how on a jam packed vaporetto, I ended up being held above the stairs by A. as a family of 6 was trying to squeeze into space that simply did not exist. The ride back was tense and culminated in an altercation between a French man rudely blocking the exit and a Venetian woman who wasn't having it. Funny thing is neither understood the other so I was there, watching one of my fellow countryman get destroyed by a 5 foot tall Italian lady - he deserved it.

By the time we were sat eating Polpete e Polenta that evening, we had forgotten all about it. Once more, we decided to get lost in Venice's beauty and saw some cool stores we promised we would check out the next day.

Our last day started with pouring rain so we quickly took refuge in a lovely bakery where we made ourselves an Italian brunch - if that's even a thing. Fed and motivated, we walked to San Marco in the hopes of visiting the Palazzo Ducale. Alas, the queue was surprisingly long and it was not the vibe we wanted. I have however visited it before and would recommend it wholeheartedly. I guess we will just have to come back!

Since we had some time before our flight back, we thought it best to visit the shops we mentally flagged the day before and to find a cosy restaurant for a final Venetian meal. Along with gorgeous traditional Venetian pattern furniture fabric**, we bought a silk ascott for A. and a silk scarf for me. The colours and patterns were stunning and the lady in the store absolutely adorable. If you are in the market for quality silk then Fabris is a great stop! We ended up completely alone in a very nice restaurant where we sipped on Bardolino and tasted some classics - carbonara forever.

The rain tapped against the window as we lingered over our last meal, savouring the final taste of Italy before heading home.

Places mentioned:

• Sorbillo, Via Agnello, 18, 20121 Milano MI, Italy

• Ciacco, Via Spadari, 13, 20123 Milano MI, Italy

• Peck, Via Spadari, 9, 20123 Milano MI, Italy

• Temakinho Navigli, Ripa di Porta Ticinese, 37/39, 20143 Milano MI, Italy

• Pizza AM, Corso di Porta Romana, 83, 20122 Milano MI, Italy.

• QC Termemilano, P.le Medaglie D'Oro, 2, 20135 Milano MI, Italy

• Poste Vecie, Mercato del pesce di Rialto, San Polo, 1608, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy

• l'Bacaro de' Bischeri, Ruga dei Oresi, 57, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy

• Fabris Ricami, Marzaria S. Zulian, 724, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy

Notes

*if you're not familiar it's a drink and a selection of easy foods, usually around 10-15 euros you can enjoy for dinner. It's very popular.

**I plan on turning those into wall art for our home office. I probably will document this on Instagram.

Did this make you hungry? Try my super easy bread recipe!