Travel from Barcelona: Weekend trip - Milan

As much as I love living in Barcelona, I must say it does feel good to escape every now and then and the price of  travel from Barcelona to other places in Europe is often very cheap. Sometimes I forget just how small Europe actually is and how easy it is to travel from Barcelona cheaply! Or if you want to stay in the country, check out our tips for a trip to Madrid. Last weekend I had a weekend escape to Milan. After a short hour and a half flight, I was transported to a new country with a new language, people, and scenery. I purchased a round trip weekend flight with Iberia Air for only 120 Euros. I booked a cheap hotel outside of the city and enjoyed inexpensive food and cheap bus rides. I had the chance to enjoy traditional Italian cuisine, gawk at all of the Lamborghinis driving by and wished for nothing more than exploring Milan's incredible fashion scene.
While I travelled the tight Italian streets like the backpacking adventurer I am, I felt as if I had travelled into another time and world. The language spoken all around me sounded so much like Spanish, but was at the same time so different with new accents and phrases that I couldn't hope to decipher! The smells and the food were so different, from pizzerias to the pasta and strange breads in the bakeries. I had truly left Barcelona behind and seen a new world of Italian style and sophistication!
The side streets were very narrow, winding and many were their original cobblestone whilst the main streets where sprinkled with the latest sports cars. Walking around the shops was like being in a fairytale, with clothes sparkling and shining like royal treasures. So many of the elite shops had queues out of the door, all lining up to get their hands on the latest fashions. Never in my life had I seen so many shopping bags! There was a constant rustle which seemed to flow me around as people scurried, bags in hand, from shop to shop looking for their latest fashion conquest. It sometimes seemed like a race with those with the most designer bags set to win. It was a race I didn't dare to take part in, being an intern on a budget and all, but somehow I still arrived home penniless and exhausted...but in a good way! I had survived the streets of Milan, treated myself to Italian food, and learned more about a world that I had forgotten was so nearby. I came back to Barcelona wanting more from Italy but there is so much of Europe still to see! I've already booked my next adventure for Berlin in February and I'll keep you in the know about my next exciting experience. Every week I try to explore something new that Barcelona has to offer us, but its worth remembering that the world nowadays is so small and you can find adventure anwhere, even on the other side of the mediterranean! Please share any exciting weekend getaways you've had - we would love to hear about your adventures! - Jade