My mom’s flight landed in the morning so by the time she arrived at the hotel we were both ready for breakfast. We started walking in the direction of the Duomo and stopped off at a cute little sidewalk café for a brunch of tea, a shared veggie panino and a café gourmand, which was a coffee that came with a teeny tiny ice cream bar that came in foil like butter. Delicious!
As we approached the Duomo, the sky started to open and luckily the line was short so we got inside the massive cathedral before getting soaked. Entry was free, but it costs two Euros for a wristband if you want to take pictures inside. It was beautiful with detailed stained glass windows throughout, but to be honest, I thought many of the cathedrals in Spain (particularly in Malaga and Sevilla) were even more stunning.
Aperitivo (the Italian version of happy hour) is common throughout much of Italy, but only in Milan is it customary to have a free buffet with your drink. Kind of like ordering a drink in Granada, Spain and receiving a free tapa, except more food to choose from! We enjoyed a sampling of all kinds of Italian food and drink while looking out at the canal and people going in and out of bars and restaurants.