2019-10-14 Hasdrubal Thalassa & Spa, Yasmine Hammamet, Tunisia, Africa to Uptown Palace Hotel, Milan, Italy

After 8 relaxing days staying at the Hasdrubal Thalassa & Spa Hotel this morning we finally depart for Milan

An hour after our departure from the hotel we arrive by taxi at the Tunis Airport

On time our flight boarded at 10.30am

At 11am we were in the air flying north to Milan

As we flew over north west Corsica we looked down over the neat farming land east of Saint Florent where we have visited a few times in the past

Soon we were landing at Milan Malpensa Airport after a 2 hour and 50 minute flight from Tunisia

On our way to the city we spotted this fabulous eco friendly green apartment block

We decided to have a night in Milan before leaving Europe and flying to the Philippines

Accommodation for the night was booked at the Uptown Palace Hotel which appeared to be well situated in central Milan

The rooms were modern and well appointed

After briefly freshening up we decide to make the most of our limited time in Milan

As we prepare to leave, a hop on hop off bus arrives at the entrance to our hotel. To save time we decide to hop aboard

Although we have spent quite a bit of time in Milan in previous visits to Italy, it was nice to be driven around some of the many sights again

A controversial statue of Giuseppe Missori with his unusually tired looking horse in Piazza Missori

Arriving at the magnificent Duomo di Milano we decide to get off the bus

We are getting better with the selfies on my big camera!!

In Piazza del Duomo, opposite the magnificent Duomo di Milano stands a large monument dedicated to King Victor Emmanuel 11, the first king of the Kingdom of Italy

Duomo di Milano, the massive Gothic Cathedral is 108 m high and holds a capacity of 40,000 people

Situated nearby is the very busy Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II Shopping Mall which was built in the late 1800’s (1865-1877)

The Galleria Vittorio Emmanuele II is Italy’s oldest active shopping mall and a major landmark of Milan. Housed within a four-story double arcade in the center of town, the Galleria is named after Victor Emmanuel II

There are a lot of tourists and visitors to the stunning Cathedral today

On foot we leave the busy Piazza

We enter the Palazzo di Brera which was built on the remains of a 14^th century monastery. It is home to well-known institutions such as the Academy of Fine Arts and the Pinacoteca di Brera

Unfortunately because of our late arrival to Milan the Palazzo di Brera was closing as we arrived

One of the many fine delicatessens in Milan

We return to the Duomo to capture the fading afternoon light

We were lucky enough to get a table with one of the most spectacular vistas in Milan

It had been a long day so far, travelling from Tunisia and then doing some sightseeing. We decide it was time to have a glass of wine and a snack before dinner