Milan! Arriving at the city and our hotel

I'm one of those people who spend months researching, reading and programming the trip. I love the whole process from the willingness to travel, through planning until you reach the trip itself. All this research and readings are really worth when the time comes, but at the same time it doesn't protect you from anything, hehehe. I spent over 1 year planning and researching for this trip: the best places, attractions, tours and hotels. Today with much joy our blog will start to share all these experiences with you, what was worth it, what went right (or not), super cool tips and a few traps for you escape.

So our journey starts in fact in 2014, when I began gathering information to plan myself. Italy is a fascinating place with history overflowing in every city, in each corner, so you have to control yourself and focus on what you really want to see. Besides the various guides that I bought and got borrowed – A special thanks to Isa and Mari for all your patience to share not only the books, but as well the tips of who has lived there – I was slowly discovering amazing Brazilian blogs specialized in Italy. All with wonderful tips, and super friendly and sympathetic bloggers who always answered the questions that we had. Each blog inspired me to want to create this here along with my boyfriend, After all in 2014 that time it wasn'i going through my head having a travel blog, I hope that one day we'll have a range as cool as them.

Below the main blogs that I consulted about Italy

• Tourism in Rome
• Milan in the hands
• Tours in Tuscany
• 360Meridians

From all the accumulated tips on internet, book or told to me, I started to create my own itinerary. Itinerary this one that throughout the process went through inumerous changes, even less than a month to the trip, hehehe, It's a part of the process. We have to accept that things will not always go as planned, but it can still be very good!

This was our final itinerary:

Our first stop was Milan. We start from Brazil on a flight of Iberia with stopover in Madrid, so it was 10 hours to Madrid and more 2 hours to Milan. As the flight was at night it was easy the stand the 10 hours on a plane, taking into account that in 2015 there was no individual entertainment on board. The films passed on these old TV's and more forward in a larger screen super Hi – Tech. The dinner was really good, and the breakfast too.

The service on board was quite week, you can push that button 1000 times the flight attendants will pass straight, in summary the button only serves to make noise. The most effective tactic we've reviewed to get them is to stretch the arm in the middle of the hallway when they are going through and hope that they will see you at least. Of course, a please and a smile always help more, don't restrain.

We landed at the airport of Barajas, is hugeeeeeee and the terminal that we arrived was beautiful! The architecture of the ceiling it's beautiful. If you in any journey have a connection there prepare your legs, like I said it's huge, We went down several stairs, we took the train and went up a few more stairs. They have elevators but not for the amount of people who need to use it. The signs of the airport are very good they even has the time it will take for you to get to your gate. As it was early the stream of people was small, and it wasn't too hard to catch the train. TIP: always try to get the wagons of the far end of the train, because they get emptier. BUT Notice the floor, they have marked where the train ends, because despite having many doors on the train platform the train don't occupy all of them.

We took our plane to Milan and .... again no entertainment on board!! But ok were for a few hours. The unpleasant surprise was having to pay for the lunch…."Gol feelings" (Got it's a brazilian airplane company). My parents were hungry and faced the paid snack , it was really good, I ended up stealing a bite, I couldn't resist, It was raw ham sandwich.

We landed at Malpensa airport. Since our connection wasn't in Italy we didn't arrive Linate airport which is closer to the centre and used to the internal flights. The Malpensa lies about 40 min from the centre of Milan, We chose to take a special train that leaves from the airport and goes almost straight to Milano Cadorna Station which is right in the middle of Milan and from there we made a connection with the subway to get off a few blocks from our hotel. The train costs 13 euros (It's not cheap) but it is super comfortable and you won't stress with the traffic. They have a huge booth inside the airport for you to buy the ticket, you just need to follow the signs that indicate TRAIN, it's all very well signposted.

When you get off at Cadórna Station you need to buy a ticket on any newsstand, usually within the stations there is one close to the turnstiles. You have a few options of ticket, you can buy a ONE WAY ticket or o valid onr for more than one day, etc…you have to see what will work best for and your needs. At first we bought a simple / ONE WAY, the next day we ended up buying one of 24h (This time at a newsstand on street) It has unlimited travel, muuuch better.

Everything was very calm, until my father began to stay behind on the street, we discovered with much regret that the wheels of the suitcase were destroyed. A big "Yay" for all the care with which the bags are transported at airports!! The address of the hotel that we were, a IBIS, was kind of a trick question because in the map that we picked up at the airport the street name was not showing, we stopped in a corner with an abandoned dogface and maps in hand, until two ladies very kind showed up and helped us, we missed the corner by a block, hehehe. Actually I made the mistake because the navigation is on me, hahaha.

We finally ARRIVED! We did check in, all passports were requested, with the keys in hand we ship your bags in the room and start to get to know Milan.

The IBIS Milano Centro was super tidy, unfortunately I forgot to take pictures of the room, we have a picture of view at least…

But it was pretty basic: nice bathroom with hair dryer, they didn't have mini shampoos or soaps, they had a tube hanging on the wall with soap/shampoo/liquid conditioner, it's all in one and stuck on the wall. A shower without curtains, he had a half-door of blindex, I thought that the bathroom would be flooded but nothing serious happend. Funny that in all hotels that we stayed the showe had a little rope for you pull in case of emergency, I thought it was super cool. The room I felt a little tight, had a closet, TV, and the bed. But the view ... I just loved the view.