The original Italian Job 1 was a trip that we experienced during the summer of 2016. We travelled North to South from Venice, taking in Bologna, Florence, Pisa, Pompeii and Herculaneum, then back up to Rome. We used the very reliable Italian train network to get about and everything went without a hitch. Italian Job 2 is a little different. This time we are heading West to East, across Northern Italy. We are using trains but mainly getting about with me driving a hire car.

This morning we flew from LHR to Milan. Little did we know that the sense of urgency in getting there was to avoid a massive thunderstorm heading towards Milan Linate airport. The plane flew around the storm and landed with about ten minutes to spare before the rain hit. At this point thankfully, we were on the bus being transferred to the airport terminal.

It was a breeze getting through passport control, picking up our bags and getting a cab. The driver spoke good English and explained that he was happy to see the rain. This was the end of the big heatwave that had affected all of Italy, and has been in the news at home in the UK. The taxi driver took us past where a tree had come down in the storms. He told us it isn’t a normal occurrence.

It cost €30 to get from Linate to central Milan. The hotel we booked is only a couple of blocks away from Piazza del Duomo, one of the main tourist areas in Milan. Once checked in, we headed out for late lunch, finding a Pizzeria restaurant close by called Meat Grill Food.

https://www.facebook.com/ginosbistrot

The restaurant sold many different dishes but I liked the look of the pinsa. Pinsa is similar to a pizza but has a base handmade with selected ingredients: soft wheat flour, rice flour, whole soy flour, wheat sourdough, water and salt. The term pinsa comes from the Latin verb pinsere which means to stretch but also to crush, grind and pound. This process gives an end result of a base that is about 2cm thick. It is light and crunchy in texture on the outside but soft inside, making the whole experience different to eating a normal pizza. It was delicious.

Once we’d paid the bill, we went to do some more exploring. We passed the Palazzo Della Ragione, an old building that was built in the early 13th century. On one of the arches we saw a stone relief of a sow which is depicted half-covered in wool. Legend has it that Milan’s name (Medio lanum meaning “half wool”) originated from this relief.

Next we headed to the Duomo. The piazza was swarming with people taking photographs. We didn’t need to spend much time there as we have a booking lined up on Tuesday. Instead we went to Italy’s oldest shopping centre, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. This shopping centre is home to many fashion houses such as Gucci, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Prada.

https://www.yesmilano.it/en/see-and-do/venues/galleria-vittorio-emanuele-ii

It consists of four ornately decorated arcades that join together in an octagonal centre, underneath a very imposing glass dome. There is a mosaic in the centre which shows a bull, as the centrepiece of the Turin coat of arms. It is a common occurrence for people to spin their heel three times on the bull’s testicles, which is meant to bring the person good luck. Of course, I had to try it!

It was then back to the hotel to freshen up and chill out. We made our way back out in the early evening to eat. Earlier on in the day we’d passed Marino Restaurant where a cheeky waiter ended up chatting to us. He’d promised us a table when we wanted one in the evening. So, we thought it was worth a try and went there. The same waiter found us a table straightaway.

https://instagram.com/ristorante_marino_1939?igshid=Y2I2MzMwZWM3ZA==

The restaurant was busy both outside and on a covered terrace. The table we were given was undercover which later proved to be the right thing. After a nice meal served with a lovely bottle of Fiano, the heavens opened again, and I mean opened. The waiters were working flat out to move people and furniture inside so nothing got wet. Water was blowing in sideways so sprays of rain hit us. Amidst the chaos, a street seller was offering umbrellas for sale. He was quickly sent on his way. Although we were under cover, rain was everywhere on the floor, so one waiter had to brush it away with a sweeping brush. Our cheeky waiter came up to us all excited and laughing, saying that we were all on the Titanic.

Once the storm had passed, we paid the bill and headed off home after a long but eventful day.