Italy. Aosta and Milan

After completing my alpine trek, I returned to civilization, with the city of Aosta as my final destination. Arriving in the city in the afternoon, I took a stroll through its cozy center, enjoyed some pizza, and in the evening headed to a campsite on the outskirts of the city. The next morning, I planned to take a bus to Milan...

The town of Aosta is nestled among Alpine mountains, reaching heights of up to 3000 meters... 

  The historic city center greets visitors with the Calvin Cross, erected in 1541 in memory of the expelled Calvinist Protestants... 

  This charming mountain town is completely deserted in the early morning...

 The rocky peaks of the Alpine mountains juxtaposed against medieval buildings create a unique and enchanting atmosphere, blending natural and human history...  

  Aosta ranks second only to Rome in the number of "Roman era" monuments...

   The Roman theater, built in the 20s BC...

  The Tour Fromage tower from the 12th century...

  Electric cars that help keep the city clean...

  The Praetorian Gates, built in the 20s BC, served as the eastern gate of the Roman city Augusta Praetoria Salassorum (today's Aosta) and are one of the main attractions of the city...

  The main facade of the gates. The central arch was used for transporting goods, while the side gates were for pedestrian passage...

  The stone bridge, another example of Roman architecture from the 20s BC...

  During Emperor Augustus' reign, in 25 BC, the Roman troops defeated the Celtic tribe Salassi and quickly built the fortress city Augusta Praetoria Salassorum. According to tradition, one of the first structures, symbolizing the conquest, was the Arch of Augustus... 

   After visiting Aosta, the next morning, I took a bus to Milan...

  The construction of Milan Cathedral began in 1386 and was only completed in 1932...

 Although I have visited many major Catholic cathedrals, the Milan Cathedral impressed me the most...

   The famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, built in 1877, is probably the prime architectural example of shopping arcades...

  Inside the gallery, there are numerous fashionable shops without "shouting" signs and with exquisite architecture...

  The best place to try the finest Italian gelato...

 Italian pedicabs...

  The gallery connects the cathedral square with the square in front of the La Scala theater. Externally, the theater looks quite simple, but the main attraction is probably inside. This building was constructed in 1778 and was considered one of the most perfect in the world. Inside, there are over 2,000 seats, five tiers, and fantastic acoustics. The theater became iconic due to the world's best opera performers... 

  Milan is a picturesque and harmonious city - historical buildings, churches, and cathedrals create a unique atmosphere...  

  After checking into the hostel, I went out for an evening walk around the city. Street pizza in Milan is just amazing...

  

 The cathedral square in the evening...

  The next morning, I strolled through the modern part of the city, located very close to the central railway station, from which buses departed for the airport...

   The central train station...

 From the station, I went to the airport... Although visiting Aosta and Milan was not a primary goal or desire of the trip, these two cities added a sense of completeness to the adventure. After spending ten days in the mountains, returning to the city brings a different perspective...