• 10 Things about BG
  • How to Contact Me

Tea with BG

~ Everything you talk about during tea!

Tea with BG

Tag Archives: Italy

My trip to Italy (Part II): Overview

30 Tuesday May 2017

Posted by Barneys Girl in Italy, Travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Amalfi Coast, Italy, Travel blog

Since I got lazy and never got around to finishing reviews on my first Italy trip, I have actually already been on my second trip to Italy and just came back from my first trip to Spain. Just for record keeping purposes, here’s the summary of my second Italy trip – this time we explored the Amalfi Coast, the more “luxe” version of Cinque Terres. This time around, we tried to slow down, and spent at least two nights at each hotel to relax and enjoy each location (also cause we are getting too old to change hotels everyday). The hotels were much nicer, and there were no train rides at all. Overall a much more luxe trip. Though the bf and I were somewhat disappointed with the food on this trip – besides the pizza in Naples, the food in our last trip was MUCH better. I don’t think we even had one good tiramisu the whole time!

Day Location Accomodations Activity
 Redeye flight from Hong Kong to Amsterdam
1 Amsterdam W Amsterdam Keukenhof Gardens, Coffeeshops, Ann Frank House, Dutch Pancakes, Apple pies
 Afternoon flight from Amsterdam to Naples (EasyJet)
2 Naples Hotel Piazza Bellini Di Matteo Pizza
 Morning drive from Naples to Herculean to Pompeii to Amalfi Coast
3
4
Amalfi Coast + Ravello NH Collection Grand Hotel Conventi Di Amalfi Herculaneum, Pompeii, Amalfi Coast, Ravello
Morning drive from Amalfi Coast to Sorrento
5
6
Sorrento + Positano + Capri Maison La Minervetta Positano, Le Sirenuse (La Sponda), Capri, Blue Grotto, Sorrento
Afternoon flight from Naples to Paris Orly (EasyJet)
7
8
Paris Hotel de Seze Bistro Le Baratin, L’Ami Jean, Shopping
Evening flight from Paris to Hong Kong

First stop: 1 day in Milan 

22 Wednesday Apr 2015

Posted by Barneys Girl in Italy, Travel

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Airport Taxi Transfer, chanel, Duomo, Duomo Terrace, Italy, Last Supper tickets, Malpensa Airport, Milan, Salsamenteria Di Parma, shopping, travel tips

Why Milan? Mostly because that’s where the direct flight from Hong Kong stops nearest to Cinque Terre, so it made the most sense. I have been to Milan a couple of times in the past and have never felt a huge urge to go back.  This was my first time to visit on my own terms though, and since I had months to plan I was determined to do it right.

The Malpensa Airport: Some time into the planning I realized that I have never been through the Malpensa Airport before because I have typically visited via train or the Linate Airport (which is super close to the city – like the Haneda to Tokyo). I didn’t realize until then that it is almost 1 hour away from the city. Not knowing whether they have van cabs in Milan that can carry our party of 4 (and 4 large suitcases) and whether there will be extra charges, I decided to book a minivan to pick us up via Airport Taxi Transfer (which a colleague had previously used). The price came out to be around 85 euros which I thought was reasonable (vs. 72 – 86 euros by cab according to TaxiFareFinder).

It is worth bearing in mind though that Airport Taxi Transfer is a UK based company which outsources to local car companies. We know this because our flight arrived early, and when we didn’t see anyone at arrival waiting for us we called the hotline. Someone in the UK picked up and said that we should have recieved the direct contact of our driver already – we didn’t. They gave us an Italian number to call, which finally went through after a few times (this is early at around 7am in the morning). Turns out in Italy when you say you are arriving at 7:55am, they don’t double check your flight status but arrive promptly at 7:55am. Many other passengers appeared to be waiting for their drivers as well.

Shopping: After breakfast and a quick nap at the Bulgari Milan, our first order of business was to check out the Chanel store. Since we have many days and a lot of train rides ahead of us, we wanted to leave our shopping till last. But Chanel was the exception because they were apparently going to hike up prices in Europe on April 8 and the Boy bag is a super hot item. We had to use every opportunity we had to snag it!

Turns out we were not the only ones thinking this. Chanel was the only store along the Monte Napoleone with a line! After waiting around 15 – 20 minutes, we were finally let in – only to find that they have sold out of classic boys.

With the benefit of hindsight, I regret not shopping in Milan. The stores were definitely more peaceful (and likely with WAY more style and sizes) than in Florence or Paris!

Salsamenteria Di Parma: Time flies when you are shopping/ lining up. Before we realized, it was already close to 2pm (end of lunch time)! Consulting my map and list of recommended restaurants by friends, we ended up at the Salsamenteria Di Parma which was noted as good for “salami and sparkling red wine” and was conveniently located 2 blocks away from where we were.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

It turns out to be a super casual joint filled with lots of local customers (a good sign!). We were seated after 5 – 10 minutes and ordered a platter of their best ham (because why not?), some sandwiches and pasta, as well as half a bottle of house red (served in a bowl!). The food came shortly after. I’m not a huge foodie, but I can say that aside from the sandwich (which we thought was a bit dry) it was a very satisfying and good valued meal (came out to be less than 20 euros per head).

Duomo and Galleria Vittorio: After lunch, our next stop was the Duomo and Galleria Vittorio. It was packed with tourists (and probably theives) but it is not a trip to Milan if you don’t stop and say hi!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The last time I came, the front facade of the Duomo was under construction. So it was nice to actually see it in all its glory this time (and under such gorgeous weather). I also really wanted to make it up the Terrace (roof top), because I have never been and I have seen some really gorgeous pictures of the architect up there.

I’m not sure if it was because it was Easter Friday, but there was a huge line going up that did not appear to be moving. And sadly I had not thought to pre-book a ticket either. We decided to come back after we went to see the Last Supper (which we did have a ticket for) because we didn’t want to miss our slot. But when we came back a hour later the line did not improve.

Luckily we have our ears pricked at all times. The trick is to buy tickets from the other side of the Duomo. It seems that everyone somehow lines up on the left side of the Duomo (the side near the Galleria), and forget about the ticket office on the other side. It seems that the elevator was broken that day (or tickets ran out?), so we took the stairs (around 200+ steps).

It was all worth it though. The flying buttresses, the beautifully intricate carvings and statues – it was magnificient. MUST GO.

Duomo Milan 

Opening times (Terrace): daily 9.00 – 19.00. Last ticket 18.00

The Last Supper: Growing up, we have always had a copy of the Last Supper above our dining room table. So when I went to Milan during college I really wanted to see it in real life. Except I didn’t know it was such a hot commodity back then, and was quickly shown the door when I tried to go see it. This time around I was determined and prepared.

About 2 months before the trip (in early February), I emailed our hotel and asked them to help book Last Supper tickets for us. It was fortunate timing, because the pre-selling for April and May was about to start in a week. A week later the hotel emailed back on the day of the sale, and said that they secured tickets for us. A few hours later though, they emailed back again and said there was something up with the system and they actually did not…

What happened is that Last Supper tickets (which are only worth 8 euros at ticket level!) are quickly swiped up by local tour agencies to be incorporated into packaged tours. And many people do indeed join these tours just to see the Last Supper (I have many friends who have done that!).

… anyway, in the end the hotel put us on the waitlist via their agency, Gold Black Style. I frankly did not have much hope and almost booked myself on one of those packaged tours. But 2 weeks before the trip, they emailed us back and said they got us tickets!!!

So if you want to buy Last Supper tickets here are the ways:

Source Time in Advance Cost (Euros)
Official Last Supper Website At least 2-3 months (check release dates) 6.5 + 1.5 booking fee (goodluck!)
Select Italy At least 2-3 months ~16
Concierge or agent such as Gold Black Style At least 2-3 months ~30
Packaged Tours Couple days to weeks ~68

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

So that day we arrived super early and actually had time to tour the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazi as well. The actual entrance to see the Last Supper is on the left side of the church in a very non descript looking building (apparently the reflectory). After going through a few set of doors (for conservation purposes), we eventually found ourselves with a small group in a dimly lit medieval hall with the Last Supper painted on one side of the wall. We all fell silent and sat down on the benches set in front to stare at the Last Supper.

I am not sure what I was expecting exactly as I am no expert in art appreciation. It was definitely different from the typical painting in a museum. Because of the method it was painted in, it was also much more faded than the replicas I have seen. It was also way bigger than I thought. Eventually people started to move around, and we realized that behind us was another painting (the Cruxificion by Giovanni Donato da Montorfano). You can really see the difference in the painting method makes when you compare the two pieces, and start to understand why they take such great pains to protect it. But anyways, after about 10 minutes (which I think is just about enough time) the bell rang and we were herded out into the gift store.

Was it worth it? Definitely. Would I go again? Probably not, I would peg it as an once in a lifetime experience.

Getting connected: One of my key missions in Milan was actually to get a local sim card for the rest of the trip. After comparing prices, I decided it was cheaper to get a local sim card (vs. a wifi egg) while I am in Italy. It is easy to open once you find a store (I picked Vodafone and it took around 15 minutes), cheap at only 30 euros for 4 GBs (for the month!), the connection is great and it allows you to make local calls which turned out to be very useful. The wifi egg on the other hand costs ~10 euros/day, has inconsistent connections and always run out of battery (bad experience in Seoul last time!). Also I guess I just don’t like to be tethered to other people. But anyway, I was super happy with it and highly recommend it!

The most convenient store is the Vodafone on Via Orefici near the Duomo (the street behind the Duomo taxi station) or in Milan Centrale. It took me a while to find the store without data, so it will be useful to print yourself a map beforehand! Alternatively, TIM stores seems to be even more prevalent in Italy. But I don’t know what packages they have.

Other Recommended Restarants by friends (because there’s nothing quite like the word of mouth):

My trip to Italy: Overview

15 Wednesday Apr 2015

Posted by Barneys Girl in Italy, Travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Bologna, Cinque Terres, Florence, Italy, Italy itinerary, Milan, Modena, My trip to italy, Parma, Turin, Tuscany

Just so we are on the same page, I would classify myself as a “spoilt but cost conscious traveller in her twenties”. I just came back from my trip to Italy (with a brief stop in Paris for obvious reasons), and I am now totally head over heels in love with Italy. The scenery is ridiculously gorgeous and the food is affordable and absolutely delicious.

Since I spent months and months planning the trip (yes, I am a obssessive planner), I thought I would share my work here (with the benefit of hindsight) so that some likeminded souls can put it to good use. My boyfriend assures me that it is worth $$ to some busy bodies out there. It will also let me live through the process all over again and mentally extend the trip 🙂

The idea started forming about a year ago, when my friend A and I realized that there will be a long holiday in Hong Kong for Easter 2015 where we can take 3 days off and get 10 consecutive days off work (a huge consideration for us working gals!). So we started brainstorming long trip ideas from South Africa to Spain. We eventually decided on Italy because we wanted to go to Cinque Terre and Florence AND we love pizza and pasta.

We were originally only going to Milan, Cinque Terre and Florence, but we ended up visiting 9 different cities/towns in 11 days instead. It was most definitely ambitious and admittedly tiring, but it was also exhilarating and bundles of fun! Here is a summary of our itinerary:

Day Location Accomodations Activity
 Redeye flight from Hong Kong to Milan
1 Milan Bulgari Milano Duomo, The Last Supper
 Morning train from Milan Centrale to Torino Portoa Nuova
2 Turin NH Torino Piazza Carlina Juventus game, Gianduiotti etc. 
 Morning train from Torino Portoa Nuova to La Spezia
3
4
Cinque Terre NH La Spezia The five fishing villages
Morning drive from La Spezia to Parma to Modena
5 Parma + Modena Best Western Premier Milano Palace Hotel Parma ham, balsamic vinegar, Osteria Francescana
Morning train from Modena to Bologna Centrale
6 Bologna UNA Bologna Tuscan cooking class, tagliatelle bolognese
Morning train from Bologna Centrale to Firenze Santa Maria Novella
7
8
9.0
Florence + Tuscany Ponte Vecchio Suites Uffizi Museum, David, Siena, San Gimignana, Shopping
Afternoon flight from Florence to Paris
9.5
10
11
Paris Chess Hotel LVMH Foundation, Musee Rodin, Les Invalides, Pont Des Art, Bresse Chicken, Shopping
Evening flight from Paris to Hong Kong

Instead of putting everything down in exhaustive detail all at once, I will be writing separate posts in the coming days and weeks to make it more reader friendly and organized. Links will be added to this table (Yes, I just learnt how to make tables via HTML!) as I go along, so keep checking back!

Tea with BG

A twenty something who loves having tea with scones and devonshire cream, while chatting with friends about fashion, love, life, finance and everything in between. And no, this is not a food blog.

See and be Seen

  • Australia
  • Cambodia
  • Indonesia
  • Italy
  • Korea
  • Peru
  • Thailand
  • United States

Tea Buddies

  • Cindiddy
  • Coffee with HG
  • DealBreaker
  • Fashion Prospectress
  • Girl on the Ave
  • Herb & Lace
  • Hong Kong Fashion Geek
  • Life as a Bon Vivant
  • Mille Feuille Fraise
  • Sassy Hong Kong
  • Sea of Shoes
  • Style Bubble
  • Superwowomg
  • The Bloggess

Categories

Archives

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Disclaimer

The images on this blog do not belong to me (except the ones I took myself). All photos are only used for commenting reasons and no photos are used for commercial reasons unless specified.
Site Meter

Blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Tea with BG
    • Join 65 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Tea with BG
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...