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Jan
10
Milan Travel & Sightseeing Guide
Filed Under Italy
A trip to Milan
A bustling nexus of modern trends, powerful financial companies and world-renowned fashion gurus, Milan has managed to embrace the modern world without forfeiting its ancient roots. Italy’s stock exchange operates out of Milan, as do many of the world’s best-known clothing designers. Interspersed with all of this is some of the finest art in the world, showcasing Renaissance powerhouses in ultra-modern buildings. It is a truly unique destination.
Flights to Milan
Two airports handle traffic to and from Milan. Linate airport is the closest (at a mere eight kilometres from the city centre) though it deals primarily in domestic and European routes. International flights from afar usually land at Milan Malpensa Airport, which is approximately 50kms outside of town. Both airports operate shuttle services that will take to Milan Centrael or Milan Gallarate Stations if not directly into town. If you are looking for a cheap flight to Milan try lastminute.com.
Trains depart daily for multiple destinations across Italy including Venice, Naples, Rome and Florence. It is also possible to catch the train to France and Switzerland. Buses are generally slower and more expensive than trains, making them a rare choice for visitors. Milan is highly accessible by car, with multiple motorways passing through the city.
Milan
Sightseeing in Milan
If you are interested in historical architecture, you should find somewhere to stay near the city centre and do all of your sightseeing on foot. The Milan Duomo is an enormous cathedral, the third largest in the world, with work beginning on it in the 14th century and finishing four centuries later. The Opera House, Teatro alla Scala and the Castello Sforzeco are equally historical and popular sites.
High on the list of most visitors is the 15th century Santa Maria delle Grazie church. Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper’ is on display here, but be warned the viewing area is consistently packed. There’s plenty of additional art on display all over town, be it in small-time galleries or large-scale museums. It’s all here in Milan.
Fun by night – eating drinking and partying
What would a holiday in Italy be without pastas, pizzas, fresh cheese and Italian sausages? Outstanding local cuisine is available all over town in restaurants that cater for a variety of budgets. There are quite a few restaurants in the areas surrounding Giadrini Pubblici and Stazione Centrale.
While Milan may not carry a strong reputation with the party crowd, there is still a full supply of bars and clubs to pass the midnight hours. Most of these establishments are found in the Brera quarter, including several café-style bars with outdoor seating. The Navigli neighbourhood is another popular place for the night crowd.
The Giuseppe Verdi Symphony Orchestra puts on concerts at the Auditorium di Milano, and the Teatro alla Scala is a good place to catch a live performance. Jazz clubs are a hit in Milan, too.
Fun by day - shopping and activities
As a city with so much fashion clout, you can rest assured that Milan has more designer clothing retailers than you’ll have time to have time to peruse. Most of these shops can be found in the area marked off by via della Spiga, via Sant’Andrea, via Montenapoleone and via Manzoni. The best bargains can be found in January and then again in July. Keep in mind that most shops close for lunch between 13:00 and 15:30 and they may not open at all on Sunday/Monday mornings.
Daytrips
Milan presents its visitors with a plethora of things to do and see making it not easy to schedule a daytrip to the surrounding highlights. A must-see, however, is the Certosa di Pavia situated 16 miles south of Milan. Built between 1396 and 1465, this Carthusian monastery complex is famous for the exuberance of both its Gothic and Renaissance-style architecture as well as for its compilation of regional artworks.
A second landmark not to be missed is Chiaravalle Abbey, just outside Milan, which was founded in 1135 and is an outstanding magnum opus of Cistercian architecture. A further two-hour trip takes you to the extraordinary museum of wine making history in Pessione, which features a wonderful assortment of corresponding equipment, including imperial glass receptacles and Apuleian and Etruscan ceramics.
Only half an hour from bustling Milan lies Lake Como, an oasis of tranquillity and an exquisite mix of verdant Mediterranean flora and snow-topped alpine summits. Piazza Cavour in the town of Como provides breathtaking views from the banks of the lake, while the cathedral here is often mentioned as the best example of transitional architectural design.
Must-see attractions
Milan’s main highlights are undoubtedly the Duomo, the Opera House, the Teatro alla Scala, the Castello Sforzeco and the Santa Maria delle Grazie church, and none of these should be missed. Connecting the Duomo with the Teatro alla Scala is the 19th century Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, an extravagant glass-covered shopping mall. This four-storey arcade is home to numerous elegant shops as well as trendy cafés, bars and restaurants.
One of the city’s most fascinating spots is Piazza Sant’Ambrogio which features the striking Romanesque Basilica di Sant’Ambrogio, dedicated to Milan’s patron saint. Close-by is the Catholic University, earlier a monastery of the abbey. You can start a walking tour from here along Via San Vittore where you will locate the Museo della Scienza e della Tecnica-Leonardo Da Vinci, which is devoted to the genius and exhibits his designs of architecture, flying and war machines as fundamental signs of human technological progress.
Another exciting tour leads from Via Manzoni to Via della Spiga, a busy street which is lined with Victorian buildings, posh cafés and boutiques, and is considered one of the best addresses for elegance and shopping. When arriving in the middle of Brera, a hangout for artists with its locals and pubs, go to see the Pinacoteca, a major museum in Milan set in a historical palace.
Best time to go
Except for the cool winter months (November to February), Milan’s average temperatures do not change much throughout the year. Summer (May to September) sees temperatures hover around 27°C and is considered pleasant by most visitors. Spring is comfortably cool; however, this is also the rainy period, and many travellers prefer to wait until the early summer months to start their Milan holidays.
Rainy day suggestions
In case the weather does not cooperate, you will find uncountable indoor options in Milan, including museums, galleries and shopping venues. Situated next to the cathedral, the Museo del Duomo presents various masterpieces of craftworks and art which belong to the enormous cathedral treasure.
Art lovers will not want to miss the city’s outstanding collections of Renaissance artworks with the Pinacoteca di Brera, the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, the Poldi Pezzoli Museum, and the Bagatti Valsecchi Museum being just a few of Milan’s unmissable art museums.
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