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July 25, 2026 · Adventure & the Culinary Life · Quality 6/10

Milan is basically a gigantic outdoor mall.

Day 2 of a 22 day Adventure in Italy

Val, Lori and I settled in for a lovely second day in Milan. We managed to sleep in all the way till 9:30 AM which is pretty rare for us. Feeling super rested I went and searched for the best specialty coffee house in Milan.

Based on my experiences in Paris, I think I did a very good job of finding the spot. In case you find yourself here it’s called Orsonero Coffee. Sooooo good!

After my caffeine buzz, I grabbed the ladies, and we went shopping by the Duomo. Val and I then broke away for some culture visiting the Leonardo da Vinci museum. We met up with Lori afterwards to enjoy a couple aperol spritz at our new favorite outdoor dive bar. The ladies continued to shop while I resuscitated with some downtime at our hotel. Milan is basically a gigantic outdoor mall.

We regrouped and headed out for some fine dining at Alta Ristorante. It was voted the best skyline restaurant on all of Milan. We have to agree that the view was spectacular. You could see the Duomo in the distance and the rest of Milan as well. The food was very well done. Not Michelin level, but still very very tasty. Two thumbs up!

That’s all she wrote folks. Tomorrow we’re off to Lake Como, which I consider the most beautiful place in the world.

Key lesson: Even travel logistics days can hold magic.

Summary: Day 2: a long layover day in Milan with rooftop drinks overlooking the Duomo.