Paris, The Louvre

Paris is a global symbol of romance, elegance and cultural richness, and it attracts millions of visitors from around the world each year. Finally, I have decided to join the group of the city's admirers. So, this is my first visit to this charming place. 

Through the heart of Paris The Seine River is flowing. Many of the iconic landmarks are situated along the Seine, including  Notre-Dame Cathedral, which was the first landmark I have seen upon arrival to the city centre.

Unfortunately, Notre Dame suffered a devastating fire on April 15, 2019, which caused the significant damage to its roof and spire. Nowadays it is under the extensive restoration, so I could not see the whole splendor of this masterpiece of French Gothic architecture.

After a short walk and before checking-in the hotel, I am in search of some good food.

I really wanted to try something from local food here. So, in some decent place I have ordered the escargot (or snails), which is perhaps the most famously associated with French cuisine.

So, the most common method of preparing escargot involves cooking the snails with garlic, parsley, butter, and sometimes wine. The mixture is then placed back into the shells or served in special escargot plates. It was very delicious to my taste!

After checking-in, I headed to the Louvre museum, the largest museum in the world, where I already have booked my first excursion...

Actually, the Louvre began as a royal palace in the late 12th century and served various purposes over the centuries. It was transformed into a public museum during the French Revolution in 1793.

The Louvre's architecture is a blend of medieval, Renaissance, and modern styles. The glass pyramid in the main courtyard, designed by architect I. M. Pei, is a modern addition that has become an iconic symbol of the museum.

Nowadays The Louvre houses an extensive and diverse collection of art and artifacts spanning from ancient civilizations to the 19th century. It boasts over 35000 objects, which are placed into eight departments, including Near Eastern Antiquities, Egyptian Antiquities, Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities, Islamic Art, Sculptures, Decorative Arts, Paintings, and Prints and Drawings.

Undoubtedly, the Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, is one of the most famous and celebrated artworks in the Louvre. Visitors from around the world come to see the enigmatic smile of this masterpiece. And to get access to this rather small painting you would need to stay in the long queue.

Of course, the Louvre is not only about Mona Lisa. Very often people do not pay attention to other masterpieces, which are more accessible but not less genius, such as this portrait "La Belle Ferronniere" by Leonardo Da Vinci, with the same enigmatic smile, which we can see in Mona Lisa's.

The excursion is over, but during two hours it is physically impossible to see the whole exposition in the Louvre. Probably, it is better to plan several visits to avoid fatigue and fully appreciate the vast array of artworks located there.

After such a good food for mind I also need some food for my body. I have found a good place nearby my hotel, where I could order some traditional food, including the delicious French fries :)

Tomorrow I will have the full day in Paris with more excursions and visiting the public places.

The Swiss Alps

Early in the morning I have started my excursion to the Alps. Once, I have already been in Switzerland, but it was a Russian-style Switzerland, but now I have the opportunity to see the real one.

Waking up so early is another opportunity to see the empty Cathedral square and admire the interiors of deserted Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, but I was still sleepy.

So, the part of our journey was a 3-hour trip on a bus to the town St.Moritz in Switzerland, where the red train should be awaiting for us.

The city of St. Moritz, surrounded by Alps peaks towering 3000 meters, is located at 1822 meters above sea level. And with a population of 5000 it is considered to be one of the world’s richest places. Another interesting fact about the city is that it has twice hosted the Winter Olympics, in 1928 and 1948.

After a break for lunch at St.Moritz we finally boarded the train. And our marvelous journey through the mountains has started...

During our trip we were allowed to open the windows to make our pictures more clear. It was freezing cold in the carriage, but nobody complained.

We had a 2.5 hour trip on a train, which delivered us to the Italian city of Tirano, where we continued our journey back to Milano by bus.

In short, it was amazing experience. I have never been in the Alps before, but now I have a strong desire to come back here and enjoy the scenery during the different seasons. Hope, I can do it very soon.

The City of Milano

Another weekend trip. This time I am traveling to Milano. Actually, it is one of the cheapest destinations from Prague. It is a good opportunity to get familiar with the city more closely, because usually I have stayed here just for a half of a day, as a transition place on the way to other Italian cities.

There is no train which would deliver you from the Malpensa airport. So, the bus is an affordable option for the budget tourists...

I already have booked the excursion in Milan to see the most significant sights here. But a have several free hours to observe the surroundings on my own.

The part of my independent excursion also included visiting the Castello Sforzesco, one of the symbols of Milano. Nowadays this imposing red-brick castle is the home to one of the city’s most extensive art collections, which I would like to see during my next trip to Milano. But there is also something to see outside. You may discover and admire the large courtyards, walls, moats and towers here.

Now it is the time for the excursion. We have started with a short walking in the direction to Piazza del Duomo. The guide was telling us some stories about the city, and surprisingly it was not boring for me.

So, Milan, the capital of the Lombardy region in Northern Italy, is the wealthiest and most expensive city in Italy to live in. And it is the second largest city in Italy. But we all know that Milan is a major fashion and design capital, the part of the prestigious “Big Four” alongside Paris, London, and New York. People travel from around the world to shop at Milan’s luxury temples. The city’s reputation for style and fashion makes it a shopping paradise. I also would love to go for a shopping spree, but currently I am more interested in cultural events.

So, our first stop is at Milan Cathedral, which is the third largest catholic church in Europe. It is also the biggest in Italy, and the fifth biggest in the world. It took over 500 years to build The Duomo Cathedral of Milan. The construction began in 1386 and the last details were only completed in 1965. Another striking figure about the cathedral is that more than 3 400 statues are resting inside!

Then we moved to La Scala (The Teatro alla Scala), one of the leading Opera house in the world, which was built in 1778. Many of the greatest opera artists of the past two centuries have performed at this opera house. And attending an opera performance at this iconic concert hall could be a memorable Milan experience.

Our final stop was connected with the greatest masterpiece of Leonardo Da Vinci. "The Last Supper" is probably one of the most famous paintings in the world. And it was actually painted on the wall of what once was the monastery’s dining room, and it has a massive size of  4m60 by 8m80. You can find it in the Santa Maria delle Grazie church, but you should book your visit in very advance. Be aware of the fact, that you have only 15 minutes to observe this amazing fresco.

After all today's walks I feel extremely tired, but at the same time I feel very inspired. So many masterpieces in one day... Still, tomorrow I am having absolutely different type of activity, a breathtaking trip into mountains. It starts early in the morning, and I need to go to bed earlier today.