Milan was a pleasant surprise, such a stylish city full of things to see and cool cafes to try.
I have to admit, initially, Milan wasn’t high on my list of Italian places to visit. I had heard it’s great if you like shopping, but as I don’t have a lot of cash to splash, it was low on my itinerary. Milan was to be our base while visiting several Northern Italian destinations, such as Lake Como, Cinque Terre and Venice.
Our visit didn’t start well with taxis going on strike just as we landed. It took us a while to understand what was happening and to work out the best alternative, which ended up being the trains. Lugging suitcases down escalators as well as on and off crowded trains was not fun. Neither was having to walk from the train station to our accommodation with suitcases in tow. Once we checked in however, all of that was forgotten!
Where to Stay in Milan
We chose to stay in The Charming Milan Apartments, in the lovely Brera district, and charming it was! Close enough to walk to the big-ticket tourist destinations. A little dangerous for my wallet though…..gorgeous shops in my line of sight as I exited our building. Yes, we did buy some very expensive shoes from said shop…..but in fairness, we shopped around and waited until our last day in Milan to finally purchase them!
If Milan is one of the fashion capitals of the world, then you know the shopping is going to be great. For me, the best shopping was finding the hidden bargains in the second-hand & thrift shops. In some stores, the pre-loved designer clothes have price tags that are still ridiculously expensive, but spend some time combing through thrift shops, and you might find a gem.
Things to See in Milan
Duomo di Milano
The first day in Milan was spent exploring the magnificent Duomo di Milano and surrounds. Book ahead and make sure you include a visit to the rooftop. As an optional extra you can pay to get a lift to the roof or if you want to get your steps up, take the stairs like we did. The view from the top is spectacular and you get a very unique perspective of the flying buttresses.
The inside of the cathedral surprised me too. There were the usual marble pillars and altars, but what was unique, was the solar calendar. The sundial was inserted in the floor in 1786, with a long brass strip running along the floor, broken up by twelve zodiac signs. Sunlight enters through a hole in the ceiling, which projects onto the line, indicating solar noon. The plaque indicating Capricorn, is mounted on the wall and corresponds to the winter solstice. The installation of the solar calendar marked an important change in the method of measuring time, which until then had been calculated starting from sunset. Fascinating! The statue of the flayed St Bartholemew carrying around his own skin was a bit ewww, but the magnificent stained-glass windows were jaw dropping.
Iginio’s Cafe
Walking around all that marble in summer can be exhausting! Luckily, there is no shortage of amazing places to eat. One of my favourites, was a little patisserie right near the Duomo. It is run by an award-winning (I know because all the awards were on display!) pastry chef, Iginio Massari. The sweet selections were so divine, we went there twice!
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Right next to the Duomo is the impressive Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Full of designer shops, mosaic floors and topped with a glass domed ceiling, it is Italy’s oldest active shopping gallery. It is so pretty, it’s hard not to walk into somebody, as your eyes are constantly pointed skyward, taking in all the grandeur.
Da Vinci’s The Last Supper
My one must-see when coming to Milan, was Da Vinci’s The Last Supper. I highly recommend seeing it, but you need to book ahead…..I mean way ahead! I booked directly through Last Supper tickets . They only open small windows of booking opportunities, so keep an eye on the booking site for when your travel dates become available to book.
When we arrived, there were several disappointed people outside the Santa Maria delle Grazie, hoping to buy tickets to go inside. No chance! There are timed group entrances, and strict time allocations given to each group to view the masterpiece, so don’t be late!
It really was amazing to see and what astonished me, was how close we came to losing it. Photos inside show the precautions taken to try and protect the mural during WWII. Using scaffolding and sandbagging, the painting managed to escape destruction from bombing, while the adjacent wall became a pile of rubble.
Other Highlights
Another afternoon was spent wandering through the Brera art gallery and my favourite piece was a painting called The Kiss. A lady in a blue silk gown is being kissed to celebrate the end of the second war of Independence. I just love the way Hayez painted the light reflecting on her gown. Beautiful!
We strolled around the sizable Castello Sforzesco, which is a 15th-century medieval fortification, with a large water fountain in front. This seems to be a local meeting place, with lots of people just relaxing and talking.
By the end of our 3 days in Milan, my opinion of the city had changed, and I would highly recommend it as a base to then explore further afield, as it is well connected by trains to everywhere in the North of Italy.
