Category Archives: Italy travel

Milan: A Shopping Guide for Teens

^ The sun never sets on Benetton

Last Christmas season (Dec 2004) our teen expert, Ross, took me out to see where the cool young people shop in Milan.

MM Shoes, in via Torino near the Duomo – trendy shoes and boots at very reasonable prices
Calzedonia window, Milan<

The Calzedonia chain features socks, stockings, lingerie, and swimwear. All over the city.
Fornarina shop, Milan

Fornarina – very in, but also expensive (even their graffiti matches).

Porta Ticinese, Milan<

We continued down via Torino, past the Colonne di San Lorenzo, to Porta Ticinese (the big archway you see in this photo – one of the gates to the medieval city).

Beyond is Corso di Porta Ticinese, full of interesting, funky boutiques as well as chain stores. Some of our favorites are the shops featuring hand-made clothing and accessories of bright Asian silks.
AJ Caffe, Milan

Armani Jeans, also in Corso di Porta Ticinese

Milan

Later, we met up with Ross’ friends Ilaria and Filippo in front of the H&M in San Babila…

…and strolled over to the “Golden Quadrilateral” – bounded by via della Spiga and via Montenapoleone, this is the high-end shopping district. It’s fun to look at the gorgeous window displays, even when you can’t afford anything!

Valentino shop, Milan

Valentino
Aprica baby stroller decorated with candies, Milan

Even baby strollers get the star treatment. (The Aprica shop on via Montenapoleone does seasonally-themed displays, you can see another onehere.)

Corteo Manzoniano: A Travelling Show of Italian Classic I Promessi Sposi

This year’s Corteo Manzoniano featured many of the same actors and costumes as last year, but added a new twist, winding through the streets of Lecco at night, by torchlight.

In this video: Renzo and Lucia, lanzechenecchi, Cardinale Federigo Borromeo, i Promessi Sposi, Lecco, torchlight parade, horses

Sadly, the longer version planned for the next afternoon was rained out. But the evening was a success – they’ll be doing it again next year, and I may be able to get better footage then.

Transport Surprises

My dad and Paul were visiting, so we took a boat ride up the lake to Bellagio. Along the way we ran into a brief storm, and a vehicle of a type we don’t normally see in Lake Como. Then, in Bellagio, I was very surprised to see this vehicle coming off the car ferry. It turned out to be the annual mail coach tour from Lindau (Bavaria) to Como.