A happy rainy day in Milan - part 2

From the cathedral, we head to the gallery of Victor Emmanuel II, named after the first king of Italy. This place, symbolizing luxury and well-being, became one of the first shopping arcades in the world. Visitors in elegant suits came here to drink tea, to do business and to enjoy themselves. One day, a bar owner started offering guests an unusual bitter drink, serving it with salty snacks. The owner's name was Gaspare Campari, and the drink’s name as you can guess became internationally known.

Thanks to Pamela's knowledge of the city, we go to see the church of San Maurizio, hidden just a few steps from the Duomo. The church is a former convent, and its interior space is divided into a small front hall and a more spacious back hall, where the nuns lived at one time. The walls are decorated with the frescoes of the followers of Leonardo da Vinci. The unique church’s jewel is a medieval organ.

From the outside, the church doesn’t look particularly eye-catching, and it’s easy to pass it by in the rush for more well-known sights. Luckily, Pamela and I are in no hurry. After leaving the church, we wander through the streets of the Brera district, where the shop windows resemble little museums. Then we stop by a perfume shop, where visitors can create their own unique fragrance, and at the end of my tour, I invite my guide for a coffee with Sicilian cannoli. On my way back, I discover that all intercity trains have been cancelled, because of a strike, meaning I cannot go on my intended excursion to Lake Como. Milan always challenges me, but I will probably never stop loving it.