Italy!!!

When Andy told me about a work trip to Milan in April, we went back and forth on going with him as a family.  I mean, come on, it is Italy! I haven't been to Italy since my college years. One of the main attractions to us uprooting our family and moving overseas, was the ability to travel Europe.  Even after posting to a local FB group and being told that most people didn't like Milan and/or it wasn't a city for young children, we decided to take the chance and find things that the kids would love and enjoy Italy! As long as we had a park and gelato, we would survive!

We booked our flights and started planning! We arrived on Tuesday evening and I would have the kids by myself on Wednesday and Thursday.  Andy would work a half day on Friday and then we were off to Lake Como until Sunday!

Getting on the plane - flying LOT.

We broke the cash machine in Milan! Ha!

This was our hotel in Milan - Hotel Manzoni - right in the heart of downtown.  It was beautiful and we had plenty of space.  AND our own patio!

Room service pasta at 9pm! Perfect!

After no nap, and a 10pm bedtime, they crashed hard!

Andy's co-worker's sweet wife, Laci, sent us a daily itinerary with recommendations on things to do with the kiddos, complete with restaurant recommendations and hours of opening! My kind of gal! Upon her recommendation, we started off at Castello Sforzesco, but first we needed to find some breakfast.  

Quick pic on our private patio!

Heading out for the day! Please excuse my tired mama eyes!

Doing some window shopping on the way!

As the kids didn't want to ride on the Glider Board,
we managed the streets of Milan like this.

SO, when people told us that this city wasn't meant for little kids, they were right.  Managing two toddlers, with a stroller on skinny sidewalks, large steps and small cafes, was not an easy task.  We came across this place and headed in for breakfast and coffee!

We were the only ones sitting down in the restaurant - all others were doing this...

This counter was packed for most of our visit and those kind men
behind the counter were going at full speed! 

My first Italian latte

We finally made it to Castello Sforzesco! Now let me just set the scene for you - one mama, trying to control two crazy kids while they run after birds (and thinking it is funny to run from me), while keeping a hand on our stroller with the backpack at the bottom, while trying to enjoy the scenery and take some pics.  I am just exhausted rewriting it all! Thank goodness the views were beautiful!

Looking over the wall at the dried up moat

Located just behind the Castello Sforzesco, is Milan's largest park, Sempione Park.  Perfect! 

It was Design Week in Milan, so there were some pretty cool displays set up in the park.  I believe these were designs of quick-to-set-up housing structures.  Let's pretend I didn't have the kids with me, I would have leisurely walked the park and would have read the signs at each structure and learned more about them, but remember the running, out of control kids that I had to keep track of - reading was not in the books!

Bribery of bars and gummies led to this picture!

There was an aquarium in the park that we also visited - Civic Aquarium.  By this point I was talking to the kids through clenched teeth, encouraging the to stay by me and not interrupt the kids' tour group that was there, quietly listening to their tour guide.

Can you spot the fish!?! Beckett was OBSESSED with this fish! Gross!

Standing on the balcony, looking at the fish below

I just love European city streets!

We ate lunch at this cute pizza joint!

It is surprisingly hard to order just a plain cheese pizza 

Another street shot!

After heading back to the hotel for naps, Andy's co-worker's wife, Laci, met up with us
for gelato at Bianco Latte and some park play time before meeting the guys for dinner.

Train ride in the park

Heading back to the hotel from dinner!

Day #2 in Milan - We headed to Princi Corso for breakfast.  The place was packed, so I parked the kids inside the door of the little cafe and BEGGED them to stay in the stroller while I ordered.  While standing in line, almost to the counter, I look over and watch Reese hop out of the stroller and start playing with the large glass door to the cafe, release it from its open state and it starts to close.  Luckily the nice man behind me, let me back into line and the kids stayed in the stroller until we went outside. :)

On our way to the Duomo, we came across the Lego store!

Reese was pretty proud of her creation!
Beckett was busy behind me, begging for a $120 lego for 20 minutes. Ha!
"Sorry mom, but we just have to get this!"

The Duomo of Milan 

Can you see their excitement on their faces!?! ;)

When your kids don't want to take a selfie, you take one of yourself! 

Right behind the Duomo is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the oldest malls in Europe.  
It was beautiful!

Beautiful floors!

Reese is ready to shop!

We then headed back to the Public Gardens (Giardini Pubblici Indro Montanelli) to play before lunch.

We found a cute cafe in the park for a yummy pizza lunch (quinoa salad for me)
and some chocolate milk!

After naps, we decided to hang at the hotel before meeting up with Andy for dinner.

Our private patio!

I had too! He is just so cute!

Andy, his co-worker, Thomas, and Laci met up with us for dinner! Instead of walking with a stroller through crowded streets, we took the bus.

Such excitement once they were allowed to finally push the stop button!

Face push

We ate dinner at this cute little restaurant with maybe 8 tables.

Keeping the kids busy when we are pushing 8:30 for dinner.

Thomas and Andy

Laci & I

My delicious dinner!

The street crowd outside the restaurant

Thomas was such a trooper, carrying B and putting up with his shenanigans!

Day #3 - We stayed at the hotel again on Friday morning as the kids needed a bath and I didn't want to tackle the streets again solo with the kids.  Andy met us back at the hotel around noon and we headed to Como!

Built a fort in the hotel

This kid is OBSESSED with money!

Around noon on Friday, we headed to Como, a lake town in northern Italy.

The door to our apartment!

The windows we looked out of - third level.

More pizza!

Our little pasta lover!

After naps, we headed out to explore! Breathtaking views!

More gelato!

The Life Electric sculpture dedicated to the physicist Alessandro Volta.

What a view!

The setting was beautiful! Felt like we were eating in a garden!

Day #4 - Full day in Lake Como! We decided to take a boat ride out to Bellagio.

Breakfast shenanigans at our apartment

Our boat!

The views were amazing! 

We arrived at Bellagio! From the dock, most of the city was set above us,
so there were these beautiful staircases leading to the top!

Cute little restaurant

Heading back down!

Someday, I will have a mailbox like this!

We grabbed coffee, wine and some pastries before getting back on the boat.

We got a painting of this building while in Como!

Oh you know, hanging out on the dirty sidewalk, racing his cars!

People watch on the street below during nap time

More gelato!

We walked passed this stand multiple times and finally stopped to buy our painting!

Andy with the artist!

Fun trampoline attraction in the park! Brilliant!

Bagpipes in a little center square - reminded us of Aunt Paula!

Last dinner in Como

Day #5 - We woke up and headed to the airport as our flight options were either before 11am or not until 7:45pm, getting us home at 10pm - we chose the early flight. 

A little gift at the airport before heading home! 

Overall, the trip was amazing! We are so glad we went and saw these areas of Italy! We chatted about how European travel is such an effort from the US and if you make the trip, you usually hit up the bigger cities.  Como is a city that we would have most likely never visited if we hadn't moved to Poland.  For this, we are grateful and feeling blessed for these expat adventures! 

PS - No George Clooney sitings! We tried!