Shoptur with almost no shop. All the pleasures of Italy without haste.
The wife's friends persuaded her to follow the trends and hit the road for shopping in Milan. I was asked to accompany them as a driver, a porter and a hoarder about new purchases.
By the time of departure, the ardor of the friends had disappeared and, as a result, we had to go together on a classic shop ticket. (Thanks to my friends anyway. If not for them, we would not have gathered anywhere at all. ) The tour involved 8 days of killer shopping with visits to all possible places for this business. But it turned out that on the basis of this tour you can build quite a nice trip.
Arrival at Rimini airport (it is cheaper for airlines than Milan) at 8 am. It is clear that the night was not, but figs with her. Everyone is immediately put on a bus and taken to San Marino. They let you wander for 6 hours, and this is quite enough for wandering through the streets, visiting local antique dealers and getting drunk. (Separate respect to the residents of Sanmarin. Everything in life is calm and clear for the guys, but, nevertheless, a monument to the dead children of Beslan was erected on one of the squares. A terrible monument. Stsuko, I remember - my eyes are wet again) Okay. I'm not writing about that.
In Rimini, they settle in a very modest hotel opposite the station. For people with experience living in Asian 5 * - a shock. But there was nothing terrible about her. Moreover, at 3 am, the receptionist made coffee for me without question, and on the day of departure, breakfast was served at 4 am. It costs a lot. Half day walking around Rimini. Morning train to Milan. There is something in this. Rolling around the country, staring, remembering the forgotten railway smell, running out to smoke at stops, afraid to fall behind the train . .
In Milan, they settled in a hotel of an unexpectedly high class for such tours. Solid, imposing 4 *. But this is Milan, not Antalya. Half day walking around Milan. Cathedral, fortress, etc. In the morning, when my wife and I announced that we would not go together with everyone to Seravalle's shop paradise, a sigh of horror and pity for unreasonable psychos swept through the group. Like, at a party meeting in 39, stand up and say Stalin is a donkey. The reaction is the same....... We took a car (45 per day) and drove to the Alps.
Bormio. The city is the closest of those where there are mountains. 320 km. A very scenic road. Bridges. A total of 80 kilometers of first-class tunnels. Trees, cows.
Descents in Bormio for all tastes. From very childish to black. Ski rental is understandable and inexpensive. The city itself is very medieval, so in the evenings there is where to wander, and this is its main difference from the Austrian mountain villages with their one shopping street. I rented a hotel without looking at the price (90s per person per night with breakfast). I really liked it. But it could have been much cheaper.... 2 days of skiing.
Then Venice. Kilometers 120 serpentine, then paid autobahn. (The limit of 130 is not indicated anywhere. Per 180. Damn, I'm waiting for fines) Half a day in Venice. Parking on the mainland is inexpensive. The monorail takes 10 minutes to the islands. ( 2 e) . I got to Milan in 3 hours.
Milan. Upon arrival, the ladies from our group first of all asked about our purchases. There was almost nothing to brag about. An embroidered tablecloth, an antique cup holder, and a couple of fridge magnets. The opinion of the ladies was divided. Half considered us both suckers, the other half saw me as a domestic despot who did not allow the poor girl to have fun. But a conversation with already experienced shop aunts gave us the opportunity, without wasting time, to make a hajj shopping quickly, smoothly with benefit and pleasure. Here's what I learned from conversations with experienced and not very shoppers - It makes sense to go to Serravalle if you need clothes for children, teenagers or sportswear. It makes no sense to go to Swiss shopping malls. If you do not have experience, then you can not be afraid to buy things that are sky-high in Moscow. Tods, Balli, Balanciaga, Zegna, etc. The price gain will be significant. In order to win when buying medium brands, you need to either work very hard or sit on the tail of a pro. Things without a name are worth buying. it's just quality stuff with no name. The main thing is not to fall into shop psychosis. This is scary. I myself saw how one lady, having spent everything and everything, found an exchanger in Milan, where she exchanged rubles for euros in order to continue buying.
Friday - train to Rimini. Warm. Lovely walks. Even tried to take a heroic bath. The swing was beautiful. The Japanese took pictures. Overnight at the same hotel. Among its bonuses, one can add the fact that there were scales at the station, to which the aunts dragged their suitcases, fearing an overweight. Departure to the airport at 4.30 am. Getting a taxi and waiting for a broken (not much. The water supply in the toilets was cut off) of the plane. What is good - in the extraterritorial zone of the airport was a hefty (300 meters) balcony where you could smoke. What is terrible - two women from the group downloaded ALL my photos from the trip to their media in order to look at the country where they spent 8 days at home. They didn't even have time to visit Milan Cathedral. This is beyond understanding. And further. Despite the fact that it was Ural Airlines, a free lunch and an apology for the delay brightened up the wait.
This is such a trip. San Marino, Rimini, Milan, Venice, shopping, skiing. And there is no vanity that gives a tour like CLASSIC ITALY. No hopeless skis to calluses, no shopping to psychosis. A little bit of everything. For the price - 1000 e for two plus all sorts of fees, visas, railway. tickets for another 240 e per person.
