Bernina Express
A Travelogue of Italy and Switzerland
Shariq Ali
Valueversity
The aircraft was slowly taxiing along the runway. The passengers had settled into their seats, their seatbelts securely fastened, and the cabin crew had completed the safety demonstration. Moments later, the pilot’s calm, confident voice echoed through the cabin:
“Ladies and gentlemen, we will shortly be departing from London Stansted Airport. Our flight time today will be approximately one hour and forty minutes. The weather is favourable, and we expect to land on schedule at Milan Malpensa
Airport in Italy.”
Mona and I looked out of the window. The airport buildings, the busy ground staff and the parked aircraft gradually drifted behind us. A familiar feeling of excitement began to grow inside me—the kind of quiet joy that every new journey brings, making one feel lighter, refreshed and full of anticipation.
This was our third visit to Italy. We had previously explored Rome and Venice in considerable detail, but this time our destination was Milan, Italy’s economic, cultural and fashion capital.
Yet Milan was not the true highlight of this journey.
Our real plan was to explore the beautiful towns and villages scattered like pearls around the shores of Lake Como.
After that, we would travel aboard the world-famous Bernina Express, one of the most spectacular railway journeys on Earth, crossing from Italy into the snow-covered mountains of Switzerland.
Italy occupies a unique position in southern Europe, its distinctive outline resembling a long boot. It shares borders with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia, while the sparkling blue waters of the Mediterranean surround it on three sides.
Home to around sixty million people, Italy is celebrated not only for its remarkable past but also for its enduring contributions to art, music, fashion, engineering, sport and some of the world’s most beloved cuisine.
Interestingly, Italy has one of the highest numbers of UNESCO World Heritage Sites anywhere in the world. Here, history is not confined to museums—it seems to breathe through everyday life.
The magnificent remains of the Roman Empire, the masterpieces of the Renaissance, the genius of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, world-famous brands such as Ferrari and Lamborghini, and countless historic cities combine to create a country where history, beauty and human creativity meet at every turn.
The aircraft gathered speed along the runway. Within moments the ground began to fall away beneath us, the buildings of Stansted Airport became smaller and smaller, and soon we were gliding peacefully above the clouds.
As the aircraft continued its journey south towards Italy, I had little idea that the coming days would offer not only breathtaking scenery but also memorable encounters and experiences that would remain with me long after the journey had ended.
Thanks to our British passports, immigration at Malpensa
Airport was completed within minutes through the automated e-passport gates. Before long, we found ourselves standing in the arrivals hall.
After the flight we felt slightly hungry, so before continuing our journey we decided to have lunch at the Pret A Manger restaurant inside the airport.
We enjoyed a simple meal of egg sandwiches, salad and green tea. The freshly prepared food and the peaceful surroundings quickly eased much of the fatigue of travelling.
Founded in London in 1986, Pret A Manger has since become one of the world’s most popular restaurant chains at major cities and international airports. It is particularly known for its freshly prepared food, which many travellers regard as a healthier alternative to conventional fast food.
While we were having lunch, our attention was drawn to a family seated at the neighbouring table.
An elderly gentleman, perhaps around seventy years old, was affectionately talking in Italian to a little boy of about three or four. Opposite them sat a young Italian man, who appeared to be the child’s father.
The elderly man’s facial features suggested that he might once have belonged to the Indian subcontinent—perhaps Karachi or somewhere in northern India. The little boy’s face reflected both Asian and Italian heritage, as though two civilizations had come together in a single smile.
Within moments my imagination had created an entire story.
Perhaps many decades earlier, a young man had left the Indian subcontinent in search of a better future in Italy. He had worked hard, built a new life, and eventually his daughter had married an Italian. Now, sitting before him was his grandson—a beautiful blend of two cultures, two languages and two histories.
Of course, all of this existed only in my imagination.
After lunch we walked towards the taxi rank. The fare quoted to us was considerably higher than we had expected—even more than the estimate shown on Google Maps.
We looked at each other and decided that perhaps our first real experience of Milan should begin on public transport.
We bought train tickets at the airport station and discovered that we would need to change trains once along the way.
Malpensa is one of Italy’s busiest international airports, situated about fifty kilometres northwest of Milan. Although Milan also has the older Linate Airport, the majority of international visitors arrive through Malpensa. Every year millions of travellers begin their Italian adventure here.
Our next destination was the Domina Milano Fiera Hotel.
We boarded the train and travelled to Saronno Station, where we were supposed to change trains.
Things turned out to be rather different from what we had expected.
Most of the station signs and announcements were in Italian.
After a long journey, carrying our luggage through unfamiliar surroundings, we found ourselves increasingly confused.
For several minutes we studied maps, signs and platform numbers, trying to work out the correct route. Eventually we realised that spending more time there was unlikely to help, so we decided to complete the remainder of the journey by taxi.
We took an official taxi from the station, loaded our luggage into the boot, and about thirty minutes later arrived at the entrance of the Domina Milano Fiera Hotel.
The hotel made an excellent first impression. It was spacious, modern and equipped with every comfort one could expect. Interestingly, there were very few guests at the time. Perhaps the tourist season had not yet reached its peak, or perhaps its quieter location away from the city centre kept it pleasantly uncrowded.
Whatever the reason, it worked in our favour.
Throughout our stay, the hotel staff remained exceptionally courteous, attentive and genuinely welcoming.
Our room, number 212 on the second floor, was immaculately clean, thoughtfully arranged and extremely comfortable.
Drawing back the curtains, we enjoyed a wide view stretching into the distance. A busy motorway ran nearby, with traffic flowing continuously, yet inside the room there was complete silence. The excellent soundproofing effectively shut out the noise of the outside world.
After unpacking and resting for a while, we decided to buy a few essentials for the coming days.
A large supermarket called Famila stood just a short walk from the hotel. It was a well-stocked grocery store where local residents did their everyday shopping.
We bought biscuits, our favourite fruits including cherries, apples, kiwis and bananas, along with bottled water, soft drinks and a few other light snacks for the week ahead. I also made sure to buy multigrain brown bread, which I particularly enjoy and which is not always easy to find while travelling.
Within a short time, our room had become well supplied with everything we might need over the next few days, saving us from making repeated shopping trips.
By now evening was approaching. Wanting to feel refreshed for the adventures awaiting us the following day, we brought our first day in Italy to a close and retired for the night…..
To be continued…