I watch the woman in the patterned dress and sunglasses as she strikes one pose after another. She has an appointment to take a selfie this Friday morning and has brought a tripod and her biggest smile with her. Apart from the two of us, the square in front of Milan Cathedral is almost deserted. I see a jogger, every now and then one of the old orange streetcars pushes its way through the boulevards. I won’t see Piazza del Duomo this quiet again in the next few days. When I return at midday, a huge crowd has formed in front of the monument, surrounded by at least the same number of pigeons.

But at this moment, at half past seven in the morning, the Lombardy metropolis still seems to be asleep. Satisfied, I drag my suitcase along the uneven cobblestones behind me. A positive side effect of my travel planning, as I only arrived in Italy an hour ago. I probably would never have managed to get out of bed so early.

Through four countries in my sleep

My plan: take the night bus from Munich to Milan and back so that I can save myself two overnight stays. In my case, starting the journey late in the evening also meant assuming I’d have enough time to pack the whole day. In the end, I sprint to Munich’s central bus station while imagining horror scenarios of the bus driving away before my eyes. Arriving at least 15 minutes before departure is the golden rule of every FlixBus journey. The bus finally leaves the ZOB on time just before midnight – with me on board.

On the way, we briefly touch the Austrian shore of Lake Constance and then cross Switzerland with stops in Chur and Lugano. Once we arrive in Italy, we pass the southern tip of Lake Como on our way to Milan. I didn’t notice much of the journey and spent most of the time dozing off. There was no loud music, no conversations around me and only a few LED strips lit up in the otherwise dark bus. The only eye-rolling moment: in the middle of the journey, a passenger’s alarm clock rang, but he was so deeply asleep that the ringing continued for several minutes. What felt like half an eternity is also the best proof that deep sleep is possible on a long bus journey.

Milan: culinary delights and culture

The seven-hour drive was definitely worth it. Milan has so much more to offer than the area around the cathedral and the early arrival and late departure meant I had three full days to explore the city. My favorite places:

• Brera: Picturesque district with numerous restaurants, cafés and the famous “Pinacoteca di Brera” gallery
• Naviglio Grande: Milan’s oldest canal, which is particularly lively in the evenings
• CityLife: Futuristic district with architecture by Zaha Hadid and others
• Fondazione Prada: Modern art in striking buildings on the site of a former distillery
• Chinatown: Via Paolo Sarpi as the central pedestrian zone of the district with many stores and food spot

70,000 steps later, I make my way exhausted to the bus station in north-west Milan on the last evening and sleep all the better on the return journey.

Getting to Milan: If you’re keen to visit the northern Italian city: For travelers from southern Germany, the FlixBus night lines to Milan are particularly practical. There are direct connections from Munich, Nuremberg, Regensburg, Stuttgart, Karlsruhe or Mannheim.

FlixBus: Night routes to many cities

In addition to Milan, the FlixBus night services travel to many other European destinations. Sleeping relaxed on the journey and waking up in a new country is also possible when traveling to the following cities:

Amsterdam

Canal cruises, vibrant nightlife or simply combine the two on a party boat. Amsterdam offers activities for every kind of vacation. From Berlin, Frankfurt, Paris or Luxembourg, Flixbus will take you to the city of 165 canals while you are sleeping.

Prague

The “golden city” on the Vltava River, known for its many historic towers, is best explored on a long walk. Prague Castle and the entire Old Town are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. With FlixBus you can reach Prague overnight from Munich, Kraków, Ljubljana or Zagreb.

Copenhagen

Copenhageners are particularly known for their good style and happiness. Copenhagen is one of the most liveable cities in the world. FlixBus takes anyone who wants to be inspired by the Danish way of life to the city on the Öresund with overnight services from Berlin, Oslo or Hamburg.

Paris

The view of the City of Lights from Montmartre quickly makes us forget all our worries. As Emily Cooper has already recognized: “Even when you have a bad day, the city is looking great.” You can reach Paris by night bus from Frankfurt, Amsterdam and London.

Budapest

Parisian vibes are not only to be found in the French capital itself: Budapest is known as the Paris of the East and a night-time boat trip on the Danube reveals why. Nevertheless, the Hungarian metropolis has a charm all of its own, which you can experience for yourself after traveling with FlixBus overnight services from Trieste, Krakow and Salzburg.