Shopping in luxury

There is a reason why they call Milan the city of fashion, and if you know when to go, you won’t clean out your bank account. You can actually buy a ticket from CZK 500 on a good day. For people who love designer clothes there are three luxury outlets in the area around Milan – Serravelle, Foxtown and Vicolungo. There are buses every day from the centre of the city, which will take you to the outlet. And you can also expect enormous discounts in the holiday period!

Enjoy the holidays “Milan” style

If you decide to spend a few days in this deluxe capital city of Lombardy and the second city after Rome, this is one of the nicest times to do so. The luxurious lights and the traditional tree in the beautiful Cathedral of the Birth of our Lady give Milan a luxurious and enthralling ambiance. The biggest market in Milan on Piazza Affari, which offers an infinite range of items, is also worth visiting. You can truly buy anything you wish here.

Pronájem mezonetu Josefov 2+kk, Praha, Praha 1

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Editor’s recommendations

Four airlines offer direct flights between Prague and Milan, which last approximately an hour and a half. Flights from Václav Havel airport to Bergamo Orio al Serio are offered by the budget Ryanair and Wizz Air. Easyjet and ČSA fly to Malpensa airport.

You can easily travel to the centre of Bergamo by bus from Bergamo Orio al Serio airport. It is better to buy a luxury return ticket, which costs EUR 9, immediately after arriving at the airport. The journey to Milan subsequently takes approximately an hour. Malpensa airport, like Bergamo, is quite far from the centre. The quickest way to the centre of Milan is by deluxe train, which takes about 45 minutes. The train ticket is quite expensive – approx. EUR 12. The bus is a cheaper alternative and costs EUR 8.

The climate in Milan is damp, which affects the weather and winter can be very cold with morning temperatures of around -5°C. The time in Milan is the same as in Prague.

Riga or Tallinn

Estonia and Latvia have been debating where the Christmas tree originated for many years now. The capital cities of these countries both believe that they started this tradition. The predecessor of a Christmas tree reputedly stood in front of the town hall in Tallinn in Estonia in 1441. A tree was erected in front of the town hall in Riga in Latvia, which is located on Rātslaukums (Town Hall Square), in 1510. There is also a memorial plaque and memorial here stating “Shining eternally”, which depicts a symbolic Christmas tree made from small mirrors. It is immediately clear from the dates who the pioneer of this tradition is, but each city insists on its version. According to experts, this is a sort of legend similar to the story of Santa Claus. Fortunately this is a friendly dispute.

Little Prague

On the other hand Riga is registered as a UNESCO heritage site and it reminds one of a little Prague with its deluxe historic centre. And in spite of the fact that the Christmas holidays are upon us, it is not as busy as it is here. The Christmas tree is lit at the beginning of December, accompanied by carol singing, when the Christmas markets take place on each square. Traditional knitted socks, the famous Riga Black Balsam and deluxe jewellery made from amber in red, green and black, are the most frequent items sold here.

Pronájem bytu 3+kk - Praha 1 - 108, Praha 1

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The Christmas tree in the Czech Republic

Whatever the legend says, the Christmas tree came to the Czech Republic in 1812. This was no lavish tree erected on Old Town Square, but simply a private act by the Director of Stavov Theatre, Karel Leibich, who had a deluxe Christmas tree erected for his friends at Libeň château. Several decades later this tradition was also assumed by Czech families, who started decorating a tree with gingerbread, fruit and straw ornaments.

Editor’s recommendations: take a trip to Riga!

You can reach Riga from Prague by direct flight by airBaltic and you only need a valid passport or identification card. The time difference between Prague and Riga is + 1 hour.

You can travel to Václav Havel airport from the centre of Prague by public transport, by metro, or bus. Another option is the express bus from Hlavní nádraží in Prague or by taxi. You can also travel to the airport by car, but you have to pay for parking.

A number 22 bus, or number 241 minibus, will take you from the airport in Riga to the centre of the city. The ticket costs approximately EUR 1, and you will pay EUR 5 for a day ticket.

Winter is usually freezing in Latvia and there are frequent snow calamities. Prices for accommodation, restaurants and transport are similar to those in Prague.