One night in Milan

Wednesday 30 August...

Yesterday’s train trip from Zurich travelled 3.5 hours through a mountain vista of Swiss towns and lakes, and then into Italy via picturesque Lugano and Como.  We arrived early evening, a little tired and grubby from the heat, but the hotel was just a short walk from the station and, as we rarely stay in hotels, we always have fun discovering the rooms.  Hotel Berna scores highly on the fun scale!

The room is crazy!  The bed is sprinkled with lollies in colourful wrappers - caramels, jubes - and even a full bag of sweets, together with a welcome message from Floria our housekeeper.  Meanwhile, the bathroom is glowing with alternating red, green, orange, blue lighting!  I find three lighting modes…normal (but why would you!), soft blue glow, and the nightclub mix that greeted us…time to rock that Italo disco!

Our plan was to relax over a drink at the bar and order room service, but then we met Max the barman!  He had prepared a range of snacks, complimentary with a drink, and insists proudly that we try his bruschetta…it’s scrumptious.  We are the only guests in the bar so we have Max’s full attention.  He gives us an idea for a day trip from Venice and recommends breakfast of coffee granita and ricotta cannoli in Sicily.  He also recommends an osteria nearby for dinner, making a booking for us and drawing a map to follow. 

We arrived at the osteria and were swept up in the extreme volume and frantic pace of a full house…a welcome glass of champagne, fussed over by loud and joyful staff, and a table in the garden courtyard.  The music was loud and at one point a waiter jumped on the bar for a dance and, later, took a guest for a whirl around the floor.  Having begun the day in reserved, orderly Zurich, we feel like we’ve slid down the rabbit hole into something not quite real!  Grazie mille, Max!

This morning was late checkout, a wander around the neighbourhood, coffee and biscotti at a pasticciera and then to the station for the 12.45 train to Venezia.  We will arrive in Venice just after 3pm today.