Team Trip Milan
Yay – we are is celebrating our 10th anniversary! And since the big day conveniently falls on a weekend, a little team trip suddenly feels entirely justified – preferably to a European city that has recently been making headlines for its wave of glamorous new luxury hotels. The itinerary? Carefully curated, packed with experiences hosted by passionate local insiders, and designed with a beautifully thought-out flow. Well… at least until the Italian side somehow takes over and five out of six booked experiences are suddenly canceled, rescheduled, or completely reinvented at the last minute. Seriously?! Oh, well – flexibility is basically our middle name. Milano, are you ready for us?!
Sali Rooftop Bar with bar bites – that was the plan for our first evening. Turns out that the bar is technically on the rooftop, but thanks to the lack of windows, there’s not much of a view for anyone sitting inside. Uhm, okay… the tuna sushi, however, is absolutely delicious!
Words of wisdom on a Saturday morning: "And the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls…" Simon & Garfunkel knew what they were talking about. Still, quite the unexpected sidewalk discovery. And yes – we remember exactly what it took to get here.
First experience: a private tour of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. Always good to add a little cultural enrichment to the itinerary.
"Private" – along with 29 other visitors. Not exactly what we had imagined, dear supplier. But we’ll take your word for it that it’s usually even more crowded.
Well then… we might as well make the best of it and snap a selfie with Jesus and his dining apostles. This painting is bigger than we thought!
Site inspection number one – and what an entrance. The lobby at Rocco Forte’s The Carlton is actually a spectacular flower boutique!
When it comes to the three different design concepts, we simply can’t agree: every LuxuryWise lady has a different favorite. So… all approved!
One thing we do agree on: the charming garden restaurant with its cozy little booths is an absolute yes from us. Same goes for the espresso.
Milan Design Week is just around the corner – kicking off the day after our departure. But even without the official festivities, the city already offers endless eye candy for art and design lovers. The weather does its part, too: we’re soaking up glorious summer sunshine and 26°C (79° Fahrenheit) temperatures.
Milan Design Week is just around the corner – kicking off the day after our departure. But even without the official festivities, the city already offers endless eye candy for art and design lovers. The weather does its part, too: we’re soaking up glorious summer sunshine and 26°C (79° Fahrenheit) temperatures.
Cuteness overload! Everywhere in Milan, we keep spotting adorable turquoise Fiat Topolinos. Apparantly, this is the city’s latest must-have car trend.
Tiny city cruisers are buzzing through Milan nonstop. This lipstick-red little model is called the Microlino – and honestly, how cute is that?
We wouldn’t mind having one of these tiny cars ourselves… and naturally, moments later we spot one perfectly matching Melli’s outfit. A sign, clearly.
The Portrait Milano hotel doesn’t do things halfway: they immediately show us the Presidential Suite. And yes, we’d absolutely take it.
This bathroom is the perfect setting for wildly glamorous Design Week after-parties. Honestly, the entire hotel has an incredible vibe.
A pool with serious wow factor: Once, monastery students walked beneath these ancient vaulted ceilings. Now? You can literally swim through history.
Off to the city center! Certain LuxuryWise ladies are determined to shop at the giant Zara, but first we stop in amazement to watch this athletic gentleman casually leap over four young women like it’s absolutely nothing.
And there it is: Milan’s magnificent Duomo. We were supposed to explore it during a private tour complete with VIP rooftop tickets. Unfortunately, access was blocked due to a "political demonstration." Thanks for nothing, far-right extremists.
The next item on the agenda goes perfectly smoothly: a professional photo shoot. It starts inside the iconic Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II…
… and continues in front of the cathedral – if we can't go in, we might as well put the stunning façade in the spotlight, together with a twirling skirt.
Yes, we shop! Well… at least for the photo. But honestly, even window-shopping at Prada, Dior & Co. is pretty entertaining.
Night falls over Milan – and since we’re far away from Northern Germany for once, there’s absolutely no need to pull out a jacket. Quite the opposite: it’s one of those perfectly balmy summer nights made for a Saturday evening in the city.
As for our “dinner”… we’d honestly rather not talk about it ever again (seriously, has anyone ever had food arrive six minutes after ordering?!). This rooftop bar, however, is a different story: at Rinascente, you’re practically nose-to-nose with the Duomo.
Day two – and once again, absolutely nothing goes according to plan. Instead of a lunchtime pizza-making class, we suddenly find ourselves making fresh pasta in the home of a local family. Initially… slightly odd.
…yet chef Giuliana (pictured), Marco, and their three sons turn out to be delightful hosts and guide us through the process. Meanwhile, miniature poodle Aldo handles the role of four-legged icebreaker to perfection.
Are these the perfect ricotta-spinach ravioli or what?! We can now also make tiramisu practically in our sleep. Funny coincidence: the family is currently making a big move into the luxury travel world themselves.
The private tour of Milan’s legendary La Scala was originally scheduled for 9 a.m. – now it’s happening at 2 p.m. At this point, honestly, nothing can shock us anymore. Thankfully, it does absolutely nothing to diminish the wow factor.
We look pretty fabulous in a glamorous VIP box at La Scala, don’t you think? And our guide does her very best to snap some memorable photos at lightning speed – because in exactly four minutes, the lights go down and rehearsals begin.
Ciao, Milano! Despite all the scheduling chaos and last-minute surprises, we had a wonderful time – and would also like to extend our sincere gratitude to the exceptionally cooperative weather. 🇮🇹
all Images: LuxuryWise