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Sujan Sher Bagh
I’d followed the Sujan brand for a while and I liked the quiet luxury and the few rooms they had , hence for #ParentTrap we decided on Sujan Sher Bagh.
Sujan Sher Bagh is part of Relaix and Chateau. Sujan is about 2.5 -3 hrs from the nearest airport which is Jaipur. We drove there on 4 x 4’s and the car and the ride was comfortable. The team and the butler had been made aware of the madness of #ParentTrap and they were there to greet us as we entered.
The Jungle Suite was very comfortable and beautifully decorated. The jungle theme and tiger accents are all over the room. The luxury tent is comfortable, warm and cosy. Aditya and I chose the Royal Sher Suite which a similar room but had a beautiful , heated plunge pool which was perfect to jump in to in the cold weather of Ranthambore.
Your room costs include all your meals , so as we arrived and checked in, we went straight to lunch. There was a nice mix of continental and Indian foods on the menu, but they were happy to create off menu dishes as well just to make sure we were happy!
In the afternoon we were off for a game drive. The drive was comfortable in the Sujan jeep and we had each were given blankets, binoculars and water to make sure we were very comfortable. We were not very lucky with the tiger, but we saw several other animals and enjoyed the drive and the sunset. We returned for a nice cup of coffee and a wash to get ready for dinner.
The trip was all about the game drives and I interspersed it with spa treatments for all so that they could properly relax. The property is lovely and we enjoyed touring the property and seeing their organic garden and spotting animal tracks and checking camera views of the animals who traversed the property at night.
Post the walk, a beautiful bath had been arranged in the outdoor gold tub and I relaxed and enjoyed the bath getting ready for dinner.
A special dinner was arranged for the family and the table was gloriously decorated with candles. Though they were at full occupancy, our butler never made us feel there was anyone else except for us. The dinner was a perfect Indian meal, that I’d asked for and the cold of Ranthambore was warmed by the heat of the delicious Indian food we were served!
The next morning we were off on a drive again with a warm brandy in some coffee to warm us up and we searched the forest for the elusive tiger. We didn’t see the tiger at all on this trip. It did happen and we did get to see a tiger quite literally at arm’s length ;however, more on that later.
Watching the sun rise in the forest and the birds wake the world up is a glorious feeling. As we returned and post lunch, we enjoyed a visit to the local Dastkaar and a nice dip in the pool before cocktails and dinner in front of a glorious fire, where we caught up with other guests, shared forest stories, laughed and relaxed.
Sujan was a truly special experience. The hotel is designed with personality and thought. The only lapse is that their guide was not very good and we were not advised of game drives and sections of the park so unfortunately we missed the tiger. Had they told us and guided us on what drives to do and for how long, we’d have definitely spotted the tiger at least once. The service however was impeccable and our butler went through my idea of #Parent Trap and ensured he made every moment with our parents a special one.
I’m looking forward to visiting the Sujan in Jaisalmer too !
Cost-:Approximately $1200- $2000 approximately per night for a package which is inclusive of meals but not of game drives.
Best times to Travel-:April to June just before the rains…but then it is very, very warm so be prepared. Personally I enjoyed the winter but animals were few and far between and with our guide often nowhere to be found 🙂 .
Zighy Bay
It was a surprise for the parents and we decided to go to our first (now of many) Six Senses resorts- Zighy Bay. Zighy bay is a 2 Hr drive from Dubai Airport and the resort sends comfortable 4×4’s to pick you up. You could also do a 15-minute speedboat trip from a nearby port or enjoy the ultimate thrill strapped to a professional paraglider. Since we had the parents and since these new arrival weren’t available to us (else I would have paraglided!) we went to the resort by 4 x4.
The mountain entrance was spectacular and dramatic and we were welcomed with a welcoming drink and wet towel to Zighy Bay!
All the rooms are Pool suites and we had taken a Beach front Pool suite, so ours became the hang out spot for the family! The rooms were large, cool and comfortable. Considering the sweltering heat outside, the cool stone floors of the room made for a welcome change from the hot sun outside!
For the first evening, we had a wonderful meal at Sense on the Edge to celebrate our first meal of what we now call #ParentTrap together. The food was contemporary, fresh and modern and was light and beautifully plated.
The first night was hard for me as I had the most incredible migraine. The heat in summer is unforgiving and this is something one must think about. The next morning though, I felt a lot better and was happy to jump in to the sea. The sea is incredible… The water was warm and inviting. The sea was almost like a gigantic swimming pool and the family and I spent the next few days blissfully swimming in the glorious sea!
Through Zighy Bay we also decided to do a snorkelling session. They took us by boat and at a few reefs we were told we could snorkel and swim around. The reefs were lovely and colourful. The reefs in the Maldives are a lot nice though, I felt however I am told the diving is quite spectacular around Oman. We swam a bit but this was exhausting as the currents were quite strong. The water was refreshing, the fish colourful and the outing was nice as we got to see the rock formations at Zighy Bay.
What I loved most about this trip , was the sense of privacy we felt. It was like the whole resort just had our family. Though we knew there were other guests and families, the space that this resort has is beautiful and the distance between the villas allows for a completely secluded area for you and your family.
For breakfast we were given the option to eat in the room or at the Spice market. And where my Dad loved wandering around and eating at the restaurant, Aditya and I lazed in bed and sat out near our pool and ate there and soon after rushed to the sea.
Zighy Bay is an oasis of calm. It is a spectacular hotel to escape to to just escape. For those who love sun, sand and picturesque views this is it. There is this gorgeous line with the white sand, the blue ocean and the brown rugged mountains that is absolutely postcard perfect.
Cost-:Approximately $2400 per night in season for a beachfront pool villa.
Best times to Travel-: October to April when it’s not to hot!
The Golden Triangle!
And so we made the trip to Chiang Rai. It’d been a long few months and I really felt Aditya and I needed the break. We booked the all inclusive Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort. We flew in to Chiang Rai and then a short car ride to a river where we were taken by long tail boat to the resort. These are special services we had booked to truly enjoy the experience. Enroute we were so lucky to see the gorgeous Golden Buddha glistening in the sunlight.- truly an unforgettable sight! Then as we approached the resort we were greeted by two gorgeous elephants who would now take us to our room. All the sleep vanished from our eyes as we sat on the elephants and manoeuvred through bushes and trees to get to our rooms. The elephants were lovely, though naughty. My elephant chose to stop on the way to meet a friend at the camp and we got waylaid a bit. He then proceeded to almost bring down a tree… just because he was hungry. We did make it to the room eventually but honestly the journey was what made it so fun!
The fun part at Anantara was that there were tons of activities for us to do. So after a short nap, we were ready to go bathe the elephants. We were given overalls to wear and we figured that made sense as our clothes may get dirty… Little did we know what was going to happen. We first visited the camp and saw the elephants and a new baby as well. And then we were shown the showers. Throwing water and showering the elephants was a laugh riot. But this became even more fun when we were asked to mount an elephant each while he headed off to bathe… The elephants were so fun and relaxed and took us for a merry jaunt while heading to their bath. They stopped to eat, they turned around and seemed to chat with other friends. Then they headed to what can only be seen as a muddy lake. I saw it from the corner and didn’t think much of it. Suddenly my elephant mad e a quick turn to the ‘lake’ and walked right in! As he enjoyed the coolness of the water, I was most grateful for the overalls which were now covered in mud. Laughing at how fun this was, the elephant used his trunk to bathe himself and me! Now I was covered with mud but super happy! At the end of his bath, he took me back to my room and I had a bath in cold water (not mud!).
Watermelon , the cutest elephant was at breakfast the next day and enjoyed bananas and quick kisses while she blushed and basked in all the attention the guests gave her!
We then decided to explore the bordering countries. The Anantara team was amazing. It was unbelievable how you could go by boat and then a car ride and in a few minutes reach Myanamar. There we were taken to a beautiful temple where we prayed and watched locals pray and observe their traditions and customs. Walking through their local markets we were able to shop for trinkets while the aromas of food wafted through the air. We were then taken to a picnic ground where we were given a basket for lunch and sometime to unwind and relax!
Next it was time to cross the border to Laos and once again see how close this country was and how similar all 3 countries were at least in their border towns! In Laos we also saw an alcohol speciality in vodka with a scorpion inside! While I thought about whether I’d be brave enough to try it; in the end I decided against it! As the sun set in Laos, we headed across the water and back to our beautiful hotel.
Love, laughter and adventure… this has been my favourite Thai Hotel because the location and the hotel gave me as a tourist so much to see and do.
Cost-:Approximately $1200 approximately per night for a package which is all inclusive incl transfers.
Best times to Travel-: October to February when the weather is cool and not too muggy!
Pass Go- to the Langham London!
We all have our favourites and I too have mine. May in London has been a constant and our home away from home has been the Langham.
The Langham was a hotel we found quite by chance on a booking engine. It was close to all that we loved, walking distance from the theatre district and steps away from the busy shopping of Regent street and Oxford Circus.
What I loved about the hotel and what I still come back to is the level of personal service they provide. We always choose the Executive rooms. This gets you access to the Club Lounge level. This is absolutely fabulous. The guest relations mangers there will go out of their way to ensure a perfect stay. For example, when I’m there since I don’t eat pork as I arrive, they quickly move the chicken sausages out of cold storage and make a separate plate for me at breakfast. This is a very small example, but it shows a level of care!
The Langham is perfectly placed for all that you want to do in London. Add to that the Executive rooms offer breakfast at the lounge and then they leave muffins/scones/biscuits for the rest of the day which you can pair with hot coffees. They have a tea service from about 2-4 p.m. and then cocktails and canapĂ©s from about 5-7 p.m. This works perfectly if you need a short break in between the day or a quick bite before an evening’s performance. Add to that it’s a few minutes from the station, it works perfectly for your choice of holiday!
The Langham also has a beautiful tea service. The sitting area of the lobby is full in the afternoon with tea trollies and scones. With guests dressed up for tea, the Langham really goes the extra mile in the white gloved high tea service!
Cost-:Approximately GBP 800 upwards and approx GBP 1200 for the Executive room during peak season (July on)
Best times to Travel-:Â June to October but we are there every May and the weather is just right!
Of Distilleries and Whiskies!
And so off to Dublin we went on the annual May birthday trip. Whisky tasting was top of mind for us and were better than the beautiful Dublin! Enroute to the hotel a chatty cab driver was like a quick dose of coffee. He pointed on sights and even Bono’s Clarence Hotel.
A drive across the gorgeous Samuel Beckett bridge and more information on the famous Temple Bar we were at our hotel-The Westbury.
The Westbury was a bustling hotel right in the centre of all the bustle of Dublin. A gorgeous old hotel it had the charm that I absolutely love. The room was spacious and comfortable with a pretty city view and after a much needed nap we set out to explore.
Whiskies were everywhere and we found a small shop just outside the hotel. While others are scanning and choosing, we did what we knew which was to ask the owner for help. We had no idea which whiskies were good and which weren’t, so we just asked him. The gentleman was happily surprised and recommended his favourites, but told us we should try a few. In Brusssels we’d had the most incredible degustation menu of beer. Would there be some thing like that in Dublin? He said he had a favourite bar in the Temple Bar district.. we should go there and then come back. That seemed fair and now we knew a local bar.
Walking around Dublin what we loved most were the many , many friendly locals. ‘Try this,’ ‘ don’t do that.’ This takes too long,’ you have to do this!’ Like in India what we loved everyone had an opinion and they were definitely not afraid to share!
Next it was off to the distilleries and are first stop was Teelings. The beautiful grey entrance matched the gloomy day and made for a cinematic entry. Once you’re in, tours are something you must must do. And they take small groups on a very proud tour of the distillery. Post a walk and explanations its whisky tasting time. That they are aged in Bourbon casts gave it a sweeter taste. And then of course there’s the Teeling’s shop. Now that you have favourites , there were whiskies you could buy!
Back on the road (no we weren’t driving) it was now time to just take in the sights of Dublin. Buildings with the most incredible facades stood out in the gloomy grey weather. The cheery locals also made for fun conversations. Walking towards Trinity College we saw the magnificent Bank which had been converted into a beautiful restaurant. A nice , comfortable warm meal kept us in good spirits as we headed to Trinity College. Going into the college was beautiful. Both Aditya and I had our Trinity College stories- Aditya had done Drama grades from Trinity and I , the piano. The college had its glorious history which was contrasted by the young students all rushing around. The library was glorious and Aditya and I spent a fair bit of time there.
The next day Guinness was on our list. Entering almost a Hard Rock Cafe with music and lights and sound is what Guinness is all about. There are photo booths, Instagram walls, fun coloured contraptions, bars on every level , sights , sounds and something for everyone! I’m not even a beer drinker and even I was photographing, doing the games and buying trinkets at Guinness!
Our final tour was to Kilminhaim Gaol- the jail. For this you must book in advance as entrance only allows small groups. This is a former jail and now a museum. It talks of Ireland’s violent past. Walking through tunnels and through the jail cells, you are given a sense of history. The gaol is a definite must see and is a sobering experience especially after all the whiskies.
In the evening , we went to the bar recommended by the shop owner. In the middle of Temple Bar, this local bar was filled with regulars and we both stood out like complete newbs! When he heard where we came from and our idea of a degustation menu; he did his best to give us a small shot of his favourites on a tray and watched us carefully as we tried to differentiate between them. Now we knew what we loved and we were ready to go back to the store and make our choice.
It’s been a while since Dublin and a while since I’ve blogged about travel but this was a birthday trip that was really special and a place I’d love to go back to because of how friendly everyone was.
Cost-:Approximately $600 upwards… The Westbury is lovely and a definite recommendation!
Best times to Travel-:Â June to October but we were there in May and the weather was glorious!
The Tranquility of Kumarakom
From Vivanta by Taj Malabar to Vivanta by Taj Kumarakom you can take a boat. Close to an hour either way, we decided to opt for a drive considering we were doing a backwaters boat trip the same evening.I’m glad we took the drive because it was wonderful to see Aditya’s photograph featured on one of the small shops we passed. Part of an old Peter England campaign, he was smiling down at us! Super cool!
Great start to the day , the day was going to get even better. In the midst of a slice of green heaven the Vivanta by Taj Kumarakom almost merges in with the surroundings. Small quaint cottages banks of Vembanad Lake , private sit outs, bicycles to get you around the property…this property bring s you back to nature but still keeps in mind the luxury needs of it’s guests.We were welcomed in by Prince the F & B Director who we’d previously met when we had stayed at the Vivanta by Taj Maldives. We were famished , so grabbed a quick bite and headed to our rooms. The property is enormous so I’d recommend borrowing a bicycle from their bicycle shed and traveling around the property whenever you need to. It’s fun, it’s relaxing and you get to explore the entire property.
Our cottage was beautifully furnished and tastefully decorated. With  a massive bedroom, lovely sit out and even an outdoor shower- ‘luxury rustic’ became the way I defined the hotel and my room.
A quick nap later we were off on a gorgeous cruise amidst the backwater. The mangrove plants had made it difficult for the boat to come to the hotel so we took the boat from just across the hotel and marveled at the expanse of the lake which merged into the sea while the sun set.
Prince knows me and penchant for romantic dinners and so a table was set with a special menu created just for Aditya and I on the banks of the lake where we could listen to some live music and eat undisturbed surrounded by just gorgeous swaying palms and listening to the fish as they leapt about in the lake below… The dinner was superb. The chef here is EXCELLENT so definitely come prepared with an appetite! The food is marvelous!
The lake is lit at night thanks to the local Kerala women who are hired by the hotel to light up the lake at sunset…With gorgeous divas the lake looks so auspicious and divine in the night as you walk by the banks!
The following morning after cycling to breakfast we fed some of the ducks and watched as the turtles came to feed on the banks of the lake. I fed a few and I must confess I had never really thought of turtles as hungry or greedy! Cute, very greedy and very friendly…this was a wonderful experience.
Our trip to Kumarakom was short, romantic and an idyllic relaxing getaway. Far away from the madness and noise of the city we found peace, calm, cycles and ducks 🙂 and had the perfect short break!
Cost-:$300 onwards but remember with very limited rooms… book well in advance… They tend to ALWAYS be full up !
Best Times to Travel-:Â November to February has great weather… we did Valentines day at Kumarakom and we had a pleasant, slightly chilly evening! Perfect!
New Years @ the Vivanta by Taj President
So I’d always wanted to do a relaxed New Years Eve! Check in to a nice hotel, have a wonderful dinner, party and instead of worrying how to get home and having to hire a river to get you back safely…just take the elevator up and collapse on a plush, well made bed in a room that’s just the right temperature!
So that’s what we did! This last new years eve Aditya and I checked in to the Vivanta by Taj President with my pet cocker spaniel Cookie. Now this is important- because very few hotels in India are pet friendly and it’s absolutely vital for the both of us to not leave Cookie home alone on the loudest night of the year. So bags packed we headed off to the hotel. I must confess we were way more excited about this new year than poor lil Cookie.
We were checked in immediately and taken to our suite and Cookie , now slowly catching the excitement bug, smiled happily, found a new bed and then went to sleep…. A warm cup of coffee later, I was off to a relaxed tub bath and then had the time to do my hair and make up perfectly before our friends descended on us! We were all partying at Wink, the bar at the hotel and a table had been reserved for the group. As they reached, I headed downstairs, my feet in stilettos thanking me for the very short journey…:)
Wink was wonderful and the sushi perfect as usual and it got me to to thinking that the Vivanta by Taj President has some of the finest eateries in Mumbai. The Thai Pavillion is sublime. The Trattoria serves the most tasty pizzas and pastas and to get good food on New Years eve a long with some very interesting specially created cocktails was quite the treat!
I did keep checking on my lil Cookie though and tho the hotel has a pet-friendly policy, the staff are still getting used to pets… They are not sure how to react or what to do… but I guess the fact that hotels are learning to treat our furry babies like family is a huge step in the right direction!
The evening was fun, raucous, loud and exhausting but  have to say that on January 1, when all the rest of my friends looked miserable at the trudge across town back home…I was still beaming…After all I was just a quick elevator ride away from my bed, my puppy and sleep!
MUST TRY-:Â Thai Pavillion for authentic, tasty , light Thai food AND Trattoria for thin crust pizzas with incredible toppings!
COST-:Â $200- $1400 (all inclusive with spa treatments included) per night…! For New Years, spending the night over at the hotel as opposed to driving home tired, with tons of drunken revelers on the street- the greatest idea ever!
HongKong-ing to some fun sights!
It had been a while since my last trip (when I was a teenager) to Hong Kong. Aditya had visited HongKong last on July 1 , 1997 (his birthday )- the day where the hand over happened of HongKong from the UK to China. We had both had incredibly wonderful and memorable trips to Hong Kong (his more than mine :)) but we had never gone together! It was yet another birthday and we wanted to do HongKong and Macau so off we went on another adventure!
We arrived to the airport and took a train in to the city! They have a wonderful transport system and it was easy to take a quick and comfortable train to the city and then a quick cab ride later we were at the J.W. Marriott! The J.W. Marriott is a wonderful hotel. Calm, statuesque, luxurious and with one of the best Executive Clubs we have ever seen! Incredible views, fabulous food and impeccable service, the gloomy Hong Kong morning had a ray of sunshine for us as we checked in!
The one difference in the Hong Kong that we felt immediately was that Chinese was definitely more spoken and English was a little harder now among the smaller shop workers and in the bazaars. We were given Chinese addresses, for taxi drivers when we did travel and though there was definitely a basic understanding of English- we both felt that the last time we’d traveled to Hong Kong the knowledge of English just seemed a bit more widespread!
I am a Theme-Park junkie and so it was off to Disneyland straight away! The Disneyland though wonderfully colourful and alive is definitely quieter, smaller and milder than Disneylands the world over! There are fewer rides , smaller crowds and more restrained excitement! Not at all comparable to the adrenalin rush you get in California! Still I loved the few roller coasters and made it a point to enjoy every minute of the half day I had allocated for it!
Now if you think I was going to just do a half day theme park and be content- you don’t know me at all. I had people talk about some very scary roller coasters at Ocean Park and so that was where we decided to spend the second half of our day! The roller coasters were definitely more challenging and scary at Ocean Park but the atmosphere less festive and fun! But a mix of the colour of Disney and the adrenalin of Ocean Park made for a fun theme park day!
They should join the two and give us theme-park junkies one unforgettable day!
The next day it was on to the Peak Tram and a trip to the Peak. A misty morning made for a romantic tram ride  and a journey back in time in a wonderfully restored , beautifully kept tram to a cloud-kissed peak! Incredible photographs , warm cups of coffee and a view of a bustling city from an Eagle’s eye view made for a memory of Hong Kong that many do not see… From the top of the world, the frenetic activity melds away and all you see is a beautiful city with an incredible history!
More on Hong Kong (a musical experience,cable cars,restauranting and shopping!) and Macau next week… but now off to a flight (in 2 hours) and to more incredible adventures!
Best Times to Travel-:Â March- April and October- December- the weather is pleasant and warm though November and December will have a slight nip in the air by the evenings !
Cost-:$500-$600 and the choice is to stay in Hong Kong Island or Kowloon… The difference? Well log on next week and here my thoughts on both!
God’s Own Country!
It was the first birthday I started the ‘kidnapping!’ Well in this case the ‘husband-napping!’I told Aditya to take off from work, didn’t tell him where we were going and made all the bookings and payments myself and told him to pack ‘comfortable’ and whisked him away. Luckily airports have just 2 Premiere desks and none with flight destinations attached, and I kept the tickets in my hand so it was all the way till we boarded the bus taking us to the plane that the secret was safe. I was taking him for a quick birthday spa break to Kovalam!
My Father’s family is the Royal family of Cochin and Aditya had never been to Kerala with me. This was our first visit together! My family knows Captain Nair’s family well and Vivek Nair (his son) had helped me create the perfect birthday surprise for Aditya! We were staying at the fabulous Leela Kovalam. We arrived and were met at the runway. 5 suited men escorted my very shocked husband and me through to a car waiting for us! Now my husband who was dressed in shorts suddenly felt very overwhelmed- but Kerala hospitality is legendary and my Father’s family is very beloved and news had traveled- a Palat (me!) was coming home!
The hotel was a short drive away and esconced in palm trees and open space , it was a refreshing change to hear the waves instead of horns and honking and to be slowed down by a cart and people crossing and enjoy the change of pace. That’s what Kerala does. It calms you. In moments, you are allowed to forget the noise and stresses, the deadlines and worries and it allows you to breathe. And when you do breathe all that beautiful, rich, unspoiled air clears away years of pollution and hate and you just automatically relax. The Leela was beautiful. After a wonderfully warm welcome we were shown to our suite. Away from all the rest of the rooms, this little piece of heaven had little gifts for Aditya stashed everywhere!
While Aditya searched for his gifts , I booked some traditional Kerala massages and organised a romantic candle lit dinner for us. We were planning to eat at the beach but after a consultation with the chef and a visit to a very windy, very rainy beach; we decided to do the dinner in our dining area in our suite!
After the most relaxing of massages to have a dinner of traditional Malyalee food, a multi-course degustation menu and to sleep listening to the sound of the waves- it was the best birthday ever for my husband.It also started a tradition of surprising each other on birthdays!
The next few days involved breakfasts in bed, swimming in the eternity pool, quick dips in the sea and more massages- after our short escape to God’s Own Country and Aditya’s personal heaven- it took both of us a while to get our feet back to Ground Earth again!
Best Times to Travel-:Â September to March… else you might be caught in the very hot summers or the very rainy, but incredibly romantic rainy season!
Cost-:Â Approximately $300 a night but spend on the massages and definitely spend on the romantic dinner… They will be memories you’ll treasure forever!
Living, loving and breathing Milan!
Italy has always been on my MUST-VISIT list of destinations! I added it to my ‘Oprah-Visualisation Chart’ and romanticized it, dreamt of it, read about the hotels and the language and so when we finally decided to go to Italy- I was really, really excited! now I must confess, I always wanted to go to Rome and Venice ! They seemed glorious and romantic and that for me would’ve completed my Italian experience !Or so I thought! I was so wrong! I was able to schedule some work finally in Italy and schedule some meetings and theatre performances and 
this May was finally my chance to see Italy. Luckily my partner in crime, Aditya convinced me to see the whole country- from North to South …”Let’s really explore 1 country fully,” he said! And the excitement of doing the Multi city Euro Trip that I had longed to do since college but had never done took over and before we knew it we were off on ADITYA & DIVYA’S EURO TRIP 2012!!!! It was going to be fabulous!
And by God it was!
We arrived in Milan. We were staying at the glorious Grand Hotel et de Milan, a part of the Leading hotels of the World in Montenapoleone – the heart of the fashionable district  of what is arguably the most fashionable city in the world and a stones throw away from the glorious Duomo. Now the Duomo is a Cathedral and you will see many in Italy though none as glorious as the one in Milan. We arrived late in the evening at 5 p.m. and it took us 45 mins or so from Malpensa Airport to our hotel. The scenery changed from stark, to more modern and then to glorious , old heritage buildings and I was delighted to see our hotel was one of these fabulous, fashionable structures!
The hotel was beautiful, preserved and luxurious. We were quickly shown up to our suites and in true-blue Euro Luxury Trip fashion, we washed up and headed off to explore this gorgeous , fashionable city!
The hotel is walking distance from the Duomo so we decided to bundle up( it was pretty chilly) and walk to the Duomo. To get to the Duomo from our hotel, you walk by the historical Teatro alla Scala which had people getting out of their cars to see the Opera. I couldn’t believe we were so close to such incredible history. And then we saw it…the magnificent Galleria 
Vittorio Emanuele II a beautiful double arcade in the connecting Piazza del Duomo to Piazza della Scala. Piazzas are squares and the one in front of the Teatro alla Scala was naturally the Piazza della Scala. It joined the Duomo square. We walked through this magnificent, bustling arcade on a Sunday evening and witnessed sheer perfection- the Duomo! The square was being used to host a concert and people was sipping coffees and listening to beautiful music while basking in the splendor of the sun setting over the Duomo. This was my definition of the perfect life!
We ordered a pizza (I HAD TO!) and a cappuccino and relaxed in the glory of a beautiful, musical and mellow Milan.
It was off to Lake Como the next day and the train tickets had been booked!
The Milan train station is sensational. Milano Centrale , the central train station is a heritage building , has hundreds of trains coming in and thousands of passengers but also has shops like Armani Jeans, Zara, Guess, Berhka, Desigual…to name a few! Guess fashion starts in Milan as you arrive!!!We arrived a bit early to the train station as it was our first train of this trip and got so caught up with the shopping, we’re lucky we made it in time at all!
Lake Como is 33 minutes by train and can obviously be driven to as well, but being that we had just arrived we didn’t really want to start driving so soon! Lake Como is picturesque, calm and beautiful. It’s a wonderful place to grab lunch or coffee and just let life pass you by! You can walk to the lake from the train station and walk up to some lovely cafes by the edge of the lake and have a truly beautiful and memorable afternoon! The two hands installation was a photo op for every person who seemed to pass the wonderful park on the way to the lake!
But I needed to go back! I’d fallen in love with Milan and I wanted to explore! So off we went- back to explore and back to shop! I had a couple of meetings with actors and performers and some work with Creative directors and then it was back to walking the city !
The shopping is fabulous! I bought my first Giorgio Armani and I loved the Armani store and I loved the chic boutiques with fabulously coloured beautifully ,draped clothes! I shopped till my soles wore out and then bought new shoes! After that we did Apertivos at the uber stylish D&G Store.
Apertivo is something that happens thru all of Italy! Genrally Apertivo happens between 7 and 9 p.m. and roughly translated ‘Apertivo’ means a pre-dinner drink, meant to “open” the palate. It gives you a chance to relax, and nibble on some wonderful tapas as dinner is approaching. the tapas in each restaurant is different and you get a selection as you order a drink! And truly it is one of the most beautiful ways to unwind! We connected, talked, planned and laughed as the sun set on a busy yet thoroughly enjoyable day!
And the next day we opted for a walking tour of Italy. Walking from the Duomo, we listened to it;s history and sensed the excitement in our Guide’s voice as she talked about the impending Papal visit later this year. We walked down the Galleria to the Scala square where we posed in from the Leonardo da Vinci statue and listened to the guide wax eloquent about the operas at the Scala theatre. From there we walked to the Castlello Sforzeco which had children playing in the gardens, families walking and enjoying the history and tourists like us capturing some unforgettable images!
We also saw a poplar tree!
Now this is important because whenever I walked in Milan I’d see this white , cotton wooly substance floating in the air. at first I assumed it to be dandelions but when seeing this tree I was informed that the tree was the cause for this white billowy substance! Go to Milan , you’ll see what I’m talking about!
And then we walked to our final stop – to see the piece-de-resistance – The Last Supper painted by Leonardo da Vinci. Now, I had no idea what i was to expect.I assumed it to be small, preserved, protected and was sure I’d have to push thru crowds to barely get a glimpse of it. But I was wrong. The painting is 15 feet Ă— 29 ft (so huge!!!) and covers an entire wall of the dining hall at the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie. They only allow about 30 people into the room at a time and you can sit or stand any where…You just can’t miss it! It is spectacular!
I prayed fervently in the church and have a slight feeling God was right there listening…and then it was off via tram to Duomo square , some more incredible shopping and a quick change of outfit at our hotel! And then like a fashionable Milanese we strutted to the Bvlgari hotel for Apertivo and then topped off this delicious day with the most tasty sushi I have ever eaten at Nobu!
MUST DO’S
- A coffee at one of the oldest cafes in Milan The Caffè Cova – a wonderfully quaint pasticcerie founded in 1817.
- A walking tour of Milan…that truly is the best way to see the city!
- See the painting of the Last Supper. See Leornado da Vinci’s masterpiece with all it’s secrets and stories and be mesmerized!
- Splurge on shopping ! The Italian designers are more reasonable in Milan and the clothes don’t get cut better than here!
- Do an Apertivo or do a few apertivos! Travel the city. Scour the tastiest tapas and the most beautiful restaurants and enjoy the evening like the Italians do!
Fabulous fashion, incredible beauty and truly delicious- Milan was easily the most glorious city I have ever been to! She is a beautiful lady – fun , flirty, feminine and delightful- not in any way the industrial , boring city it’s described to be. It was by far the perfect start to a legendary trip!
Price Factor-:Â Expensive ! 500-800 Â Dollars a night , make sure you get something close to the Duomo and the Fashion District! My recommendations are Grand Hotel et de Milan and the beautiful Bvlgari Hotel!
Best times to travel-:Â May-September but remember as holiday season hits abroad (May end) expect the city to be filled with tourists. We went in the second week of May and tho there were some tourists , it was still largely empty, local and a lot more fun!
Travel with Divya 