Continuing from our Russian adventure.. If you haven't read the previous post, here is Part I

Day 5: Saint Petersburg- Milano No surprises on the road to the airport unlike Moscow, just like our reliable Aeroflot flight.. Milan's first impression was great, nice & warm weather with a laid back atmosphere. Our lunch pizza at Spontini was great, highly recommend. They only serve one type of pizza and the only choice we had was how many slices..trust me, one is more than enough. After visiting some tourist places in the city, tonight was the time for our first laundry break. The local guy there (seems like a regular customer) was very nice to give us a good lecture about how to use an Italian coin laundry machine, cheers! The dinner we had at Mauro was fantastic! Great homie ambience, friendly services, good food & great wine (my most favorite €14 wine ever). 

Take away: Milano card is a joke, get a day pass, it will be way cheaper.

Notable Sight: Da Vinci's The Last Supper is unrivaled. Booking directly from the official website will cost you close to nothing but you need to book a century in advance. We ended up paying heaps to go with a guided tour. But no matter what the cost is, it's really worth it! What a brilliant work. Everyone gets only 15 mins to appreciate this masterpiece.

Day 6: Milano- Venezia

Besides the unfortunate drama caused by the hotel in Milan which we almost missed the chance to go to Venice; the journey there was just great. I have to admit that I didn't expect much from Venice prior to the trip. You know, everyone's been there..it's a tourist city..you might have heard it all before. But, well, It really lives up to the reputation, I mean it feels so good to be there. The whole city is an attraction by itself. Although the cuisine of Veneto doesn't have the same reputation as the rest of Italy, we really enjoy cicheti (small dishes like tapas) which goes well with wine :)

Take Away:

• Cafe Florian is a great place for a tea/ coffee break. There is a music charge (kind of table charge), the place is gorgeously fairy tale like.
• Hotel Danieli, one of those legacy places in Venice. Besides the fancy decoration, it's way overpriced for what we got. However, the rooftop restaurant is definitely the best in town for a romantic dinner. Great selection of wine, fresh-air terrace with a bird's-eye view of Venice at night.
• Prices of everything around San Macro are outrageous. Look around for those hidden gems around the city, they are not that bad.

Notable Sight: I enjoy those small, hidden streets around Venice. Really refreshing to observe the local's way of life.

Photography: A true photographer's paradise, every corner can turn into a dramatic image.

Day 7: Venezia- Milano

I got up early and wandered around the city before the tourist army's arrival, Venice is actually a much better place when not crowded. I visited a local market, residential area, etc. Ran into a couple from Turkey who were trying to take engagement photos by themselves, so I offered to snap a few shots of them.

The quiet area around Dorsoduro on the other side of the canal offers a much peaceful atmosphere and walking opportunity. Prices of things on this side are always way cheaper than those around Rialto Bridge/ San Macro areas. After an afternoon stroll, it was time to catch our train back to Milano. I wish we had extra time to visit Burano, an island nearby where houses are painted in different colors.

— The Journey Shall Continue —

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