A double decker certainly does not pass unnoticed in the streets of Milan, especially during an event. It travels audaciously and feistily in its red coat, attracting the attention of passers-by with that vintage and outstandingly British appearance. Milan or London?
It is the only authentic and original 1960s’ London double-decker in circulation in Milan, the symbolic vehicle of British tradition that has come directly from London to successfully compete with the other vintage and more typically Milanese means of transport par excellence, the yellow tram.
On board this unique specimen in Milan, reserved exclusively for the participants of the guided tour, there is a fizzy atmosphere of internationalism, which goes very well with the traditional London ritual of afternoon tea, possibly accompanied by delicious sweet and savoury snacks. In the evening, for those who cannot give up their Italian aperitif, a toast of bubbles on the go with savoury titbits makes it party time straight away!
V for Vintage
It is impossible not to be charmed by the most traditional London double-decker that there is in Milan!
It will be the characteristic shapes of the period in exquisite old-fashioned taste; it will be the red that turns to orange, showing the passing of the decades; it will be the original interior furnishings preserved over the years and the typical English carpet. The rarity of this lived-in place belonging to the recent past of the 1960s conveys to the context a touch of personality and originality, but also of romantic nostalgia.
The participants seem to get younger: enjoying the panorama of the City from the top deck of the red Routemaster, they are transported on a journey in the journey: a journey that is tangible in the present and past history of Milan, in the busy streets, the buildings and historic monuments that are the symbol of the centre of Milan, and at the same time a dream-like journey in the memory, which evokes styles, ways of being and thinking, symbols and suggestions of another age: on the one hand nearby Milan, on the other distant London, but not only that.
Traditions on the move
Above all there are traditions, timeless ones.
In the afternoon, the London Bus is transformed into a travelling Tea Room: in this exclusive tea room on wheels wholly dedicated to the small group of participants, guests find the intimacy and conviviality that brings Russians around the samovar, the ritual of enjoyable relaxation of the famous afternoon tea which has marked the pace of English life for centuries: steaming tea, orange juice, American coffee, mouth-watering pastries and cakes and savoury snacks; the ceremonial nature of the Japanese tea tradition, which invites contemplation and the quest for the beauty in every single thing, even the smallest ones.
“Milanese” bubbles
When the shadows begin to get longer, there is a return to the lightness and party atmosphere of the more typical Italian and Milanese tradition: it is the perfect time for a sparkling toast on board the London Bus with a fine prosecco, to the health of being together and the city of Milan.
The participants can then, after a ride on this marvellous double decker, pout the final touch to the event with a traditional Milanese dinner in one of the many typical restaurants in the centre of Milan, possibly in the peace of the porticoed cloister of an old mansion.
As International as Milan
The international London double-decker is also a privileged vintage means of transport to venture outside the oldest part of the city and admire from the top deck of the Routemaster the scintillating skyscrapers with their curious shapes by world famous Starchitects which now reach into the sky of the new parts of Milan (Porta Nuova and CityLife), the most futuristic and avant-garde areas of the Milan that is climbing skywards.
Celebrations and birthdays on the road
The uniqueness of the only 1960s London Bus in circulation in Milan also makes the double-decker a characteristic location for every type of private celebration, from birthdays to parties with toasts for adults and with sweet surprises for children, or an original setting to organize educational activities in foreign languages marked by culture and entertainment.
