Making Each Day Count

We just got back from our first big vacation of the year. Last May, D and I were in Europe to visit three countries, the first of which was Italy.

After a long day of flying, we arrived at Milan Malpensa Airport. Instead of rushing straight to the city, we decided to slow things down and spend the night somewhere nearby: in the charming Somma Lombardo.

Because we were arriving late at night, we coordinated with our host ahead of time. We were met promptly at the arrivals area by Francesco. He was friendly and welcomed us to Italy as we drove through the quiet streets to Alex Haus, where we would be staying. We booked this homey little guesthouse because of its location (it was walking distance to the train station) and because of good reviews. An icing on the cake was that it gave a direct view of the Castello Visconti di San Vito. This castle was built back in the 13th century. Since we would not have time the next day to visit the castle’s courtyard and towers, we were satisfied with just a view.

The next morning, I was woken up not by my alarm clock, but by the gentle sound of chirping birds outside our window. While D brewed us a cup of tea, I gazed out the window, captivated by the castle slowly getting bathed in morning light.

With the streets still sleepy and quiet, we decided to go for a morning stroll. Somma Lombardo’s narrow streets are lined with a mix of cobblestone paths, rustic homes, pastel-painted walls, and the occasional creeping ivy spilling over gates.

On our way to the local bakery for our coffee and cornetto, we stumbled upon two beautiful murals: The La Carita and L’Arcangelo Gabriele. Murales La Carita was created by Andrea Ravo Mattoni in 2019, when Somma Lombardo celebrated its 60th anniversary as a city. La Carita depicts the charity and generosity of St Elizabeth of Hungary. L’Archangelo Gabriele was created by Andrea Ravo Bricks in 2023. Both these murals were themed from works already displayed in the Castello Visconti di San Vito.

After breakfast, I sent a quick thank-you message to our host and we made our way to the Somma Lombardo train station. While waiting for our train to Milan, we found ourselves drawn to a cozy little cafe nearby, the La Patisserie. I ordered another coffee (because one is never enough in Italy), and decided to try something new: a pizzetta (bite-sized pizza). It was molto buono, exactly what we needed to power through the one-hour ride to Milano Centrale.

Somma Lombardo may not be a headline destination, but for D and I looking for a quiet moment between flights and big-city adventures, we found it as a perfect place to pause.