Milan is off the radar screen when many people think of visiting Italy. It doesn’t have the same collection of historical sites as Rome, it isn’t as picturesque as Florence and Tuscany, and it doesn’t have the same elegance and novelty factor as Venice.
In my mind, these reasons not to visit Milan can be flipped and become reasons to visit Milan. If you’ve seen the major sites and everything you’re “supposed” to see, and you’re ready for a different kind of Italian experience, then why not give Milan a try (especially if you are a city lover). The history of the city doesn’t dominate the lives and mindsets of citizens or tourists. It’s a real Italian city with real people living modern lives, and this is one the reasons I like it so much. I lived in Milan for nine months, and I think it is a great city that gets overlooked too often.
Milan is in the north of Italy, and you can tell the difference, as the city has more of a northern Europe feel to it. Popular attractions include Leonardo da Vinvi’s The Last Supper (for you art aficionados and Da Vinci Code / Dan Brown fans), the La Scala operahouse, and the classic gothic architecture of the Duomo. The city features great food, nightlife, and shopping, and it is also the commercial and banking center of Italy.
The Duomo on a rainy day
On a clear day, you can also take an elevator to the roof of the Duomo to get a great view of the city.
The roof of the Duomo
The Duomo is located in the center of town, also known as the centro (pronounced CHEN-troh). In the same square is the Galleria, a covered shopping area built in the late 1800s and considered by some to be the oldest shopping mall in the world. Some of the restaurants here were mentioned in Hemingway’s A Farewell To Arms. The La Scala operahouse is located on the other side of the Galleria.
La Galleria
Inside the Galleria
Milan is also a great place to go if you are interested in fashion, as this is pretty much the fashion capital of Italy. The quadrilatero della moda (quadrilateral of fashion) houses the flagship stores of Valentino, Gucci, Versace, Prada, Armani, and Dolce & Gabbana. This area is a “quadrilateral” contained within the streets of Via Montenapoleone, Via della Spiga, Via Sant’Andrea, Via Mazoni, and Corso Venezia. Other shopping areas include the Galleria, Piazza del Duomo, Via Dante, Corso Buenos Aires, and Via Torino.
Similar to Venice, Milan used to be surrounded by a series of canals and was a major maritime shipping hub. Many of the canals have now been filled in and made into streets, but this maritime legacy of canals lives on in the Navigli area (pronounced nah-VEE-yee), which has a great collection of restaurants, bars, and small shops. The Navigli is a great place to try out the Milanese nightlife tradition of aperitivo. When a bar has an aperitivo, it means that you can go in and enjoy a selection of food (similar to a tapas bar) for the price of a glass of wine or cocktail. Instead of spending a lot of money in a restaurant, many Milanese will meet up with friends to enjoy an inexpensive aperitivo. If you go to Milan, be sure to give this a try!
The Navigli
Instead of taking a cab everywhere, try out Milan’s subway system (called la metropolitano or la metro for short). It’s cheap, easy to use, and can get you to most areas of the city. I rode la metro every day when I lived in Milan, and it always felt safe and was a great way to get around. But it definitely gets crowded during the morning and late afternoon rush hours.
Also, if you are a soccer/football/calcio fan, I would definitely recommend checking out a AC Milan or Inter game at San Siro stadium. I’m an Inter fan, and watching them live at San Siro was one of the highlights of my time in Milan.
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