A weekend in Mlian

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

Milan is less than an hour away by plane and the flights very cheap so we decided to spend a weekend exploring this stylish city. A twenty minute walk got us to Olbia airport and not long after we arrived in Milan. We caught the Malpensa shuttle bus to the central station and fought our way on to the busy metro managing to get pick pocketed on the way. The guide books do warn you. It was snowing heavily and the hotel was a ten minute walk from the station. A session in the hotel's lovely spa soon warmed and cheered us up again. The hotel offered a free shuttle bus downtown and the following morning we took advantage of this service and were dropped off in Corso Venezia just north of Milan's Quadrilatero d'Oro. This is a traffic free area where all the world's best known designers showcase their creations. The chic Milanese were out in force, their fur coats keeping them warm on this crisp wintry day. The super stylish shops were looking wonderful with their Christmas displays. Tired of window shopping we continued walking to Milan's legendary opera house, La Scala, and on through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the world's oldest shopping mall. It is a magnificent five storey arcade covered with a glass and iron roof, housing elegant cafes and yet more designer shops. Before emerging into the bustling Piazza del Duomo we had to pirouette on the mosaic bull's balls for good luck.




Milan cathedral

Milan cathedral

The Piazza del Duomo was alive with people admiring the impressive Gothic cathedral, one of the largest in the world, with its forest of spires and statues. Sadly we were unable to climb the 165 steps to the roof as it was closed due to the snow and ice. Despite the sun shining it was bitterly cold and we kept popping in to shops to keep warm as we made our way up via Dante and continued north. Our final stop for the day was the much talked about design shop, hotel and restaurant, 10 Corso Como. Hidden behind an unassuming façade in an old working class apartment building we mingled with Milan's jet set as they shopped, sipped coffee and ate in this fascinating complex. Cold and exhausted it was time to head back to our hotel and warm ourselves up in the spa.



Castello Sforzesco

 


Castello Sforzesco

The next morning we checked out and left our bags at the hotel. We made our way by metro to the Castello Sforzesco one of the biggest citadels in Europe. The original construction began in the 14th century and was remodelled in the 15th century with Leonardo da Vinci helping with the design of the defences. We continued by foot to the Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie in the hope of getting a last minute cancellation entry to see Leonardo's Last Supper on the adjoining refectory wall. No way. We were told to book a minimum of three days in advance in no uncertain terms. Despite the cold it was a lovely sunny day so we continued by foot to the trendy Navigli canal district. We enjoyed a delicious hot chocolate by the water's edge and watched the world go by. By now our legs could go no further so we made our way to the nearest metro and back to the hotel to collect our bags and return by bus to the airport.

 

 

The Navigli district

 

Winter in Sardinia - Olbia

Marina di Olbia opened in 2009 and although the pontoons are all in place it is still lacking infrastructure. The shops, bars and restaurants lining the marina have still to be built. It is a ten minute walk to a large shopping centre which includes a large grocery store for all your daily needs. A further five minutes and you will find Roxy’s, a local bar and good value pizza joint. For a wider selection of restaurants and ships chandlers you will need to take the marina courtesy bus into Olbia town a few minutes’ drive away. A half an hour walk will get you to the Costa Smeralda airport offering flights throughout the winter months. There are stunning anchorages closeby in the Tavolara national park. Lots of sandy bays and beautiful turquoise waters. Surprisingly, with all the area has to offer, there are only a few other cruisers here which has made for a very different winter experience. We plan to make use of the planes and ferries on our doorstep and to visit Milan, Venice and Rome. Car hire is relatively cheap and we are looking forward to discovering many of the delights Sardinia has to offer.

Marina di Olbia