Our host, Paolo met us to say ‘ciao’ & collect the keys on Palm Sunday, 29 March. Walked to the station to wait for the Trenord regional train to Milano Centrale. As we left the Easter procession passed through the square. Chose from the unreserved seats in a deserted 1st Class carriage. It’s very much a ‘no frills’ service, no seat reservations and no restaurant car/trolley. Managed to find a seat for the whole journey in the small area reserved for 1st Class: 1108 – 1340.
Many of the longer distance trains now use Milan Garibaldi but we particularly wanted to visit Centrale. Last time we just passed through without time to have a good look around this magnificent station. Arrived on time but a bit disappointed that so much of the wonderful station has suffered the fate of others in becoming more like a huge shopping mall! Enormous LED advertising screens are fixed between the tall columns and over the imposing staircases.
Sadly, we misread Google maps directions for our 4 minute walk to the hotel. After trailing the wrong way round the station, finally found HD8, Milano on the historic Piazza Duca D’Aosta. Our 6th floor room has windows opening full height to provide a perfect view of the station. Centrale is certainly one of Europe’s most spectacular stations, opened in July 1931 with vast steel trainsheds and an awe-inspiring building. With this Art Deco facade, Benito Mussolini intended to convey the power of the fascist regime.
After a poor choice of venue for a late lunchtime sandwich, we went back to the station for a photo-shoot then with a 90-minute metro ticket visited Il Duomo in all its splendour, glittering in the afternoon sunshine. Peaceful protest is tolerated in Italy, it seems with many silent protesters holding placards and Palestinian flags. Walked through the spectacular arcades of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and bought an ice cream to end the afternoon before returning within our timed ticket limit on the metro. The nearest ristorante below the hotel has pretty poor reviews so we return to the Mercato Centrale for supper – sharing an excellent pizza washed down with local wine.