Sweater dress // Similar ring // OTK Boots // Faux leather skirt // Cape I’m wearing in small and Similar Cape // Fendi Bag // Tissue turtleneck //
We were all set to go to New York Fashion Week, but a work thing came up and we ended up canceling our trip. As a creative, NYFW totally inspires me and I was disappointed missed it. It’s funny how things turn on you though. NYFW came and I had major FOMO, but then a couple friends suggested I go to Fashion Week in Milan. I had thought about going last year but was 8 month pregnant with Levi, so that wasn’t going to happen. Reid and I discussed the possibility and we decided to go for it.
I’ll post about the shows and presentations I attended during Milan Fashion Week, but for this post I’m sharing international travel tips. Yes we took Levi. Yes we booked with little planning. Yes we had a great time!
We found direct flights from LAX to MXP on Air Italia. We found the price to be the best and the direct flight made the journey a little less stressful. Flying with an 11 month old is hard. I wish I had advice to make it better, but honestly, it’s hard. Grin and bear it. Nurse like crazy. He actually did great! Resolving the sleep schedule was another issue.
We researched shortly where to stay and eventually landed at a really cool apartment in a great location. The place we rented was called Brera Apartments. Here’s the exact link. We stayed in the San Fermo Apartment that slept 4 adults. We slept in the master, and Atalie slept in the pullout bed in the living room area. It was perfect! Here are Reid’s three tips on finding a great place to stay.
- Look on a map for the sites you really want to see. From that center point, search the surrounding area that is about a 15-20 minute walk. The places near the center of the action were pricey and we found places further out yet still walkable to be half the price. So while it may be more expensive than places even further out, what we saved in cab fare more than made up for the cost.
- When traveling with kids a kitchen is a huge benefit, therefore we always pick something more like a home, than a hotel. We brought oatmeal packets for breakfast and ate small meals from the grocery store for lunch. The best lunch was when we discovered the San Marco Farmer’s Market right around the corner. We bought fresh mozzarella, prosciutto and olives. Seriously the best meal for only 7 euro’s and fed all of us. We saved our big meals for dinner as the Italian’s typically do.
- When booking a place make sure the neighborhood has the three basics. Café, Gelato and Market. We could not get enough of the Fioraio Bianchi Caffe ,on the corner of our street. We felt part of the community as we drank our cappuccino’s every morning among our neighbors. Truly a great local experience.
We decided to leave Milan for the day and take the train to Florence. We caught the 10:25am train to Florence that arrived at 11:50am. The train ride was fast and we were able to do some great shopping (Fendi!….check my post!!!) We also saw all the beautiful cathedrals and walked an amazing amount of steps before we caught the train back to Milan at 6:25pm. It was well worth the effort. Florence is beautiful, we suggest you find a day when it is not as crowded.
Traveling with a babe:
Traveling with a baby isn’t easy. It is important to stay flexible, lower your expectations, and bring snacks. I found some organic baby biscuits at a small Milan grocery store that literally SAVED us. He loved gnawing on them. A good travel stroller is worth is weight in gold! Levi loved the cozy Colugo stroller and we liked how lightweight and easy it was to pack.
Long story short, the 12 hour flight was long, the trip was AMAZING. I would do it again and yes we are already looking to bring the family back for a couple of months.
How about you, where in Italy is your favorite place? Do share! As always, my SHOP PAGE is open 24/7. Happy weekend!
