Magical Daydream in Como and Milan
For those who have been following our whirlwind trip through Italy in 10 days, I have saved the best for last—but not for the reason you might think. The last leg of our trip took us back to Milan to catch our flight home to the States. My husband decided to redeem his two free nights at the Hyatt (a credit card sign-up bonus) for a stay at the ultra-luxurious Park Hyatt Milan. A night there can cost upwards of $800 (I kid you not; that’s a month’s rent in most cities!). Before our trip, he informed the hotel that we were celebrating our long-delayed honeymoon. Upon our arrival, we were pleasantly surprised to find a bottle of champagne, a scrumptious fruit plate, and a gorgeous bouquet of fresh roses waiting for us in an upgraded room. This lovely gesture epitomized the understated, upscale elegance of the brand.
With a few hours to spare before dinner, we crossed the street to the Duomo di Milano (the Park Hyatt is located just steps from the famed Gothic cathedral). We spent some time walking around the square and people-watching at the nearby shopping center, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. While Rome was historic and epic, Milan felt modern and chic, as evidenced by the beautifully dressed Milanese strolling through the Piazza. Continuing our quest for fine gelato, we stopped at Grom Gelateria, which offered the best gelato we had in Italy, before returning to our hotel.
No concrete plans had been made for our last full day in Italy, and we debated the merits of staying in Milan versus taking a day trip somewhere by train. In the end, our lack of interest in fashion and shopping led us to opt for a day trip to nearby Como, despite predictions of intermittent showers. Bright and early the next day—consistent with the early starts of our travels—we caught the morning train from Milan to Como, grabbing a quick breakfast along the way before settling in for a comfortable hour-long ride. I must have dosed off (traveling with Mr. Travelbypoints can be exhausting at times), and when nudged awake, I was met with my husband’s slight nod towards the large picture windows. I gasped at the sight—morning sunlight streaming in over a glistening jewel. We had arrived in Como.
Words cannot fully convey what I felt during the hours we spent in Como. We approached it with little expectation, having decided at the last minute on a whim. We knew very little about the town other than the fact that George Clooney owned a villa there and that it inspired several Las Vegas resorts, including the Five Star Bellagio and Gorgeous Lake Las Vegas. The town was just waking up, and only a handful of people shared the cobblestone streets with us. The ambiance was reminiscent of the quiet streets of Siena but entirely different. The air was imbued with a calmer, more ethereal energy, which I couldn’t seem to breathe enough of as we wandered from one postcard-perfect vista to another. Leaning against the railing of the boat ferrying us across the majestic deep lake, I couldn’t help but marvel at how we had ended up in that moment, together. It was the first time I had truly grasped what it felt like to witness something so beautiful that it brought me to the brink of tears, simply out of joy.
The rest of the day—like our entire trip to Italy—felt like a dream. The before and after, along with everything in between, blurred into a vortex of detail, leaving only one thing at the center: pure, unadulterated joy. We can’t wait to go back.
