The city of Milan instantly calls to mind images of designer duds, the catwalk and the fashion elite. For those reasons, many travellers overlook Milan, favoring the more historical Rome or charming Florence. Since I had already visited many other cities in Italy, I decided to check Milan off my travel list. As an added bonus, the World Expo 2015 was being held there. Maybe it was having no expectations that I was pleasantly surprised by Milan’s down-to-earth side.
Here’s Why Milan Makes the Perfect City Break
Milan is in a Central Location
Located in the Lombardy region in Northern Italy, Milan is the perfect gateway to other cities if you’re travelling through Europe. Its Central train station means that other cities are only a few hours within reach. This summer, I rented an Airbnb apartment for 1 week near the Duomo in the heart of the city. With Milan acting as my home base, I travelled to Cinque Terre, Siena, Venice, and Lake Como by train.
Milan has Canals
Venice isn’t the only Italian city with interconnected canals. Milan once had a system of 5 canals built for the purpose of transporting marble from the Lake Maggiore quarries to the Duomo construction site (I learned this fun fact from my walking tour guide). Three of those canals have since been covered and the remaining canals make up the Navigli District – a scenic area ripe with restaurants, cafes, bars and shops.
Though the Navigli District appears in every tourist guidebook, I found the area to be frequented by locals and on a Saturday night, you could feel the party vibes on the streets. If you can tolerate crowds and loud music, it’s fun to grab a drink and be part of the energetic crowds down by the canals!
Milan has DaVinci’s Last Supper Painting
Much of Da Vinci’s early life was spent in Milan, and his iconic Last Supper is located at Basilica di Santa Maria Delle Grazie. Even if you’re not religious, seeing the painting in its original glory will render you speechless. Getting tickets requires some planning, as there is only a limited number each day that gets snatched up on the official website. Beware of unofficial websites selling tickets with hefty surcharges. You can also try your luck at the ticket counter for same-day tickets.
To secure tickets during the sold-out summer season, I joined a Dark Rome tour that included guaranteed tickets. The 3 hour tour was called “Best of Milan and Last Supper”.
Milan is for Art Buffs
That’s stating the obvious! You may come across numerous galleries and museums in guidebooks but my favourite is the Pinocoteca di Brera for classical Italian art. It’s heavy on the religious theme, with many big names in its permanent collection including Montegna, Bellini, della Francesca, and Tintoretto. I’ve studied art history in Siena in my college days but was unaware of this gem of a place in Milan. To get your fix of contemporary twentieth-century art, I recommend visiting Museo del Novecentro, which also offers a magnificent view of the duomo – right up close.
You Can See Milan’s Major Sights in a Day
If you plan on a fly-by visit of Milan, the great thing is that all of its major attractions can be seen in one day. It helps that the sights are within walking distance. Download an offline map to your phone or go old school with a foldable map and off you go! The tram and metro are very easy to navigate and inexpensive. This summer, I was lucky enough to plan my visit around the time of the World Expo. Read about my experiences here.
Milan Cathedral
Teatro alla Scala
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Sforza Castle
Needle, Thread and Knot Sculpture
Milan Shopping Isn’t Just For Ballers
It’s no surprise that Milan is a great city for shopping. But besides high-end designer fashion, there’s actually a ton of shops for the “regular” shopper. There are international brands including Zara, H&M, Bershka and Pimkie but I also loved la Rinascente, Corso Vittorio Emanuele I & Other Stories and Calliope Italia. In July, I ended up hitting some serious sales and picked up a lace dress at Calliope Italia for 8€!
Milan is a Foodie Heaven
Worth mentioning is the Mercato Metropolitano – Milan’s pop-up urban farmer’s market that took place in the Navigli District during Expo 2015. There were local food vendors, al fresco eating areas, bars, movie under the stars and the vibe was so laid back. Though the market is now closed, it will pop-up in other Italian cities so follow it’s path on Facebook.
Looking for a quick, authentic snack in Milan? Luini Panzerotti has a rich history and long lines at its’ location near the Duomo. Don’t be discouraged by the long lines, as the fast and efficient service helps to move the lines along. There are a ton of reviews on Luini Panzerotti online and in guidebooks and I just had to sample the panzerotti.
Did you enjoy this post? Let me know in the comments below or by sharing it using the social media links!
Safe Travels!
xx Deb
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Rosie @Eco-Gites of Lenault says
I have a confession to make. We arrived at Milan Central Station after a few days elsewhere in Italy and loved it but walked outside and promptly decided we had had enough of cities so headed up to The Italian Lakes for our last few days. They were wonderful but it does look like we missed a treat not getting further than Milan’s railway station! #CityTripping
Wander Mum says
I’m totally with you on! I went to Milan with quite low expectations and was pleasantly surprised. We were only there for a night but really enjoyed exploring the city, checking out the cathedral and we ate some very excellent food…before heading to Lake Como. Thanks for linking to #citytripping
Deb Che says
It’s the best way to travel when your experience exceeds your expectations! Milan is a great gateway to Lake Como – the train station and trains are so accessible. Thanks for reading 🙂
beatravelling says
For a while I wasn’t sure about Milan, but have realised I need to put it on my to-do list 🙂
Deb Che says
Thanks for reading 🙂
Ruth says
I had a brief stay in Milan many years ago. I keep reading a lot of good things about the city. I really want to go back. Thanks for fueling my wanderlust ;0)
Deb Che says
Hi Ruth, you should really consider it even if it’s for a brief stay. Thanks for reading 🙂
MummyTravels says
What a great intro – it’s so long since I visited Milan, I really only remember the Last Supper and the Duomo (and the fact it was incredibly hot). Great tip about the Dark Rome tour if tickets are sold out too. Thanks for joining up with #citytripping
Deb Che says
I was also surprised by how hot Milan was and thought it was a heat wave that occurred this summer only! There were also a lot of mosquitos brought on by the heat – best to go prepared with bug spray in the summer 🙂 Thanks for the #citytripping link!