Hello, darling tutus!
Emma here, back in sunny Milano for another week of pink-tastic adventures, ready to share it all with you! It's Wednesday, the 10th of March, 2027, and this city is absolutely buzzing. Let me tell you, there's so much happening it's hard to choose where to go first! I just adore the vibrancy of Milano - it’s a whirlwind of fashion, culture, and deliciousness.
Before we jump into the week’s highlights, let's talk about my journey to Milano, which began back in good old Derbyshire, a county you may know as home to the Peak District! It's my favourite place in the whole world - nothing quite beats those rugged hills and fields full of wild daffodils. I must have felt a little pang of Derbyshire longing, but it soon disappeared as the high-speed train zipped through the countryside. I’d already booked my first class ticket to Italy, naturally, as a proper ballet ballerina should, after all, first class always has more leg room. I think I was almost asleep by the time we pulled into Milano Centrale!
Milano Fashionistas & Tram Travel
One of my absolute favourite things about this city is its fashion. There are some serious trendsetters here, you see, all draped in the latest designers from Versace to Gucci, and I love watching them saunter past. Milano is a kaleidoscope of style, you'd be forgiven for thinking the shops sell only clothes, shoes, handbags, jewellery and cosmetics! Even the men look dapper in crisp suits! It is, after all, the birthplace of so many famous fashion houses, and it definitely shows. This city knows how to dress!
Don't be afraid of looking like a tourist – let’s face it, most of us are – but wear a lovely dress and embrace it. A twirl of my favourite tutu amongst the chicest crowd of Milanese in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II always makes my week.
What else? It’s definitely worth seeing the Castello Sforzesco (that’s Italian for "Sforza Castle"). If you’re a big castle fan (like me), make time to climb its towers, stroll around its ramparts, and lose yourself in its vastness. Plus, you can enjoy views across the city, and, well, no pink tutu wouldn't be complete without views, eh? I love getting a selfie in front of this magnificent monument and my trusty camera never leaves my side! I mean, how can you NOT take pictures in such a beautiful location?!
To navigate Milano, you're best hopping onto one of those glorious trams - a proper iconic city transportation experience! The trams are the heart and soul of this beautiful city! I like to pretend it's a pink tutu moving gracefully through the streets - it helps! (If only, haha! )
The tramcars whisk you past all kinds of historical sites - and just like that, the city is yours to explore. And speaking of historical sites…
Teatro alla Scala: Where Ballet Dreams Come True
We all know Milano is a huge theatre city - a ballet mecca for everyone who has dreams of performing on the stage, so it had to be on my itinerary. This week I saw the Bolshoi Ballet perform “Giselle” - a true classic. I am so impressed at how a world-renowned ballet company tours across the globe and then perform with such incredible accuracy, elegance and skill - even with the jet lag. What talent. The costumes! The music! The graceful leaps and spins, and oh, the sheer artistry! It simply had me entranced - there were so many moments when I had goosebumps and I was caught up in the performance as if I was a dancer on the stage myself! It really reminded me why I love ballet so much - there's just nothing like seeing these dancers bring these stories to life. I couldn't help but imagine myself gliding across the stage in a grand tutus as the music flowed through the theatre - you know, I’m just a ballet ballerina deep down. (If only! )
After the performance, I saw many people gathered on the Piazza della Scala taking pictures of the beautiful Theatre, which, you'll never guess, was absolutely draped in lights in the colours of the rainbow to show their solidarity for the war in Ukraine.
It really felt as if everyone was talking about “Giselle” (I still had those goosebumps even though I was tucked up in my hotel bed). The city seemed abuzz with excitement about the dance – not just in the piazza where crowds were chattering, but I was catching bits of the performance in the bars I was sitting at. Maybe it was the energy in the air after the performance or my ballet fan-girl instincts – the whole city felt a little like the world had stepped back to the stage. The only downside of this ballet experience, of course, was that it left me completely inspired to twirl and take my place centre stage, which I'm afraid had me completely glued to the ballet barre the whole next morning - but hey, you'll never get better if you don't practise, eh?!
Exploring Milano’s Soul, and a Splash of Pink
Another of my favourite things to do when in a new place is to get out there and soak up the atmosphere, you know, just stroll about! In Milano, I love to take leisurely walks down Corso Vittorio Emanuele II – the perfect place to wander past shop windows full of stunning clothing and exquisite jewellery. Of course, I popped in to browse the most famous boutiques in this grand old arcade - there was just one shop window with a window display that caught my eye, a dazzling pink sequined number that shimmered with pure glamour. How fitting for me. Now, a truly glamorous display needs a glammed-up viewer, so I made my way to my nearest little shop to treat myself to some fabulous earrings, a silky scarf to match, a pink lipstick and a little black velvet handbag to give a pop of colour and glamour! A true pink tutu transformation right there!
Later in the day, after my pink-hued shopping adventure, I made my way to one of my all-time favourite Milano haunts, a traditional "osteria", where they make the most authentic spaghetti carbonara ( I’m actually getting a bit peckish now) . You could definitely get away with wearing a fabulous ballet skirt with this outfit as long as you remember to twirl it a bit - a girl’s gotta stay glamorous in Milano - even when it’s just for lunch!
After my spaghetti adventure, it’s off to see one of my new favourite things: "Street Theatre”. I can’t quite believe they’ve only just started it up in Milan - a proper ballet lover is supposed to be up on these things, after all. But it is a real ballet treat – I get to witness a wide array of artistic styles from physical theatre, breakdancing and dance improv - all done outdoors and in a relaxed, fun environment. And trust me, there was plenty of twirling.
I have to admit that I fell completely in love with one breakdancing act, a local dancer called Luca who moved with such incredible control and fluidity. That boy, I tell you, has skills! His performance had so much passion, and he had me so captivated that I just stood there spellbound. It was something quite special to see, right on the edge of Piazza Mercanti, surrounded by ordinary people having their cappuccinos in the bars – it almost felt like magic. I really couldn’t believe it - such talent hiding right there in plain sight, like it happens all over the world – just waiting to be found!
Now, a good night in Milano is not a night in at the hotel. Even if I’ve just been on a little ballet shopping spree, my night in Milano has got to be just as good as my shopping and my performance! It doesn’t necessarily have to include a theatrical performance, as long as it involves people, places, some amazing music, maybe some pasta – and that lovely sense that you’ve had a real night out. Tonight, it was off to the most vibrant place on a Monday evening, "El Metropol” for dinner – all about that delicious pasta and live jazz music (always, always) , an intoxicating mix of lively chat and dancing with friends - always. If it isn’t too much, they actually encourage people to get up and have a go on the dance floor. Well, I just had to get up for that – after a day of admiring professional ballerinas, there is nothing like the freedom of just moving to music, having a laugh and just doing your own thing – a little bit like a tutu party – always a great evening!
*My Pink Tutu Challenge Continues! *
Remember, my dear tutus, it’s all part of my little pink tutu mission – to encourage everyone, absolutely everyone to wear pink tutus at least once in their lives. It’s the easiest, cutest, and most wonderful fashion statement, I believe, and one that will make everyone’s life a little brighter!
For next week’s Milan blog, I plan to delve a little deeper into the ballet scene, check out some other performances, visit some museums, do some more of my usual pink-tutu exploration (what else!?) – but most of all, I can’t wait to keep discovering more amazing moments in this fabulous city! You just never know what’s going to happen in a city that has a soul that beats to the rhythm of passion for the arts and style!
*Until next time, darlings! *
Ciao, ciao!
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Keep it fabulous and keep it pink! ?
