Italy Leg 4: Cappuccinos, Cathedrals, and 24,000 Steps

Travel has a funny way of humbling you. One minute you’re sipping a cappuccino in a beautiful piazza, and the next you’re walking thousands of steps in search of a restroom, a shirt that actually fits, or a grocery store checkout that makes sense. Our time in Milan turned out to be all of that and more with stunning architecture, tired feet, unexpected lessons, and a few laughs along the way. It wasn’t perfect or glamorous every moment, but it was real, and that’s what made it unforgettable.

Day 10 – Travel and Explore Milan

We started the morning with breakfast at the hotel and headed to the train just after 8 a.m. A train ride and subway later, we came up into the square and saw the Duomo di Milano for the first time.

Holy cow. It’s massive in a way that photos just don’t capture. We wandered the shopping area and stopped for cappuccinos while waiting for the shops to open, enjoying the energy of the square.

About an hour later, the cappuccinos did what cappuccinos do… and thus began the Great Restroom Quest of Milan, which took about 3,000 steps to complete. Man I had to pee!!! That should have been our first clue that this was going to be a day of walking our tails off.

By the end of the day, we logged 24,730 steps, and I can confirm that magnesium gel and ice packs were not optional at that point.

We explored for hours, stopping for an outdoor lunch before setting off on what seemed like a simple mission: find Dave a shirt.

This turned into an adventure.

Here’s the reality: they make clothing small in Italy. Not a little small. Truly small. The kind of small that makes you hold up something labeled 3XL and laugh.

A recommended big-and-tall store on the outskirts of town had closed, so we walked 1.8 miles to another shop that might have something. Along the way we found a beautiful garden and saw the Vertical Forest, an apartment complex covered in trees that almost looked unreal. It’s unbelievable what you stumble upon when you step off the path.

We stopped for a drink, rested our feet, and made the final push to the store, hoping it would still be open. Success. Shirts were found. Victory was declared.

For anyone traveling here, a quick reality check:
If you’re an XL+ woman or an XL–XLT man, especially if you’re tall, don’t plan on buying clothes in Italy. Women may have a bit more luck with flowy linen pieces, but overall sizing runs much smaller than in the U.S.

Afterward, we stopped at a grocery store near the train, which turned into its own adventure involving a required shopper’s card, a personal scanner, and a lot of smiling and guessing because no one spoke English. Forty-five minutes later, we finally checked out with snacks for the next couple of days.

Travel humbles you like that.

Back at the hotel, we discovered the bar was serving free evening appetizers. We made that dinner, then headed to our room, iced our feet, and officially declared the next day a recovery day. We were going to stay in all day, or so we thought…

One thing we began noticing in Milan, and really throughout Italy, was the social rhythm. People working in hotels, restaurants, and shops were friendly, but casual interactions on the street felt different from home. Smiling at strangers or saying hello didn’t usually get a response. No one was unkind; it’s simply a different cultural norm, and an interesting reminder that travel is as much about observing people as it is about seeing places.

Day 11 – Recovery and the Duomo

We took the morning slow with breakfast, lunch from the grocery store, and some much-needed rest. About noon we decided we’d rested enough, and went online and booked an evening Duomo tour. (best decision ever)

We headed out a couple hours early and found a casual place to have a drink and appetizers before heading to our Duomo tour around the corner. Inside, it was breathtaking. The scale, the detail, the stained glass…and then the organ began to play. The sound echoed through the cathedral and gave us chills. We both just stood there, looking at each other like, Did you feel that too? It’s hard to imagine what it must feel like during a full service.

A subway ride back ended the evening, followed by a walk through a campus housing area. Even on a “rest day,” we still logged 8,581 steps, which by then felt easy.

Day 12 – Slow Morning and Travel to Reggio

The morning was quiet and slow, reading, relaxing, and packing before our short walk to the train. Three trains and a fifteen-minute walk later, we arrived in Reggio, tired but happy and ready for the next chapter.

Travel days aren’t glamorous, but they’re part of the story too.

A Few Honest Travel Notes

If you’re traveling in late spring or summer, bring ibuprofen, plan to do laundry, and expect your body to get tired. Long walking days add up quickly.

Hotel fridges are often just cool enough to keep food from spoiling, not truly cold, and microwaves are rare.

And maybe most importantly, don’t expect travel to look like the movies. It won’t always be lively dinners and big welcoming moments. Sometimes it’s quiet streets, tired feet, and figuring out a grocery store scanner in a language you don’t speak.

And honestly, that’s part of what makes it real.