Milan – What An Awesome City!
I’ve heard it said that Milan is all business and not a travel destination. Not so. While Milan is a mecca for the fashion industry worldwide, and the main financial center of Italy, don’t let that steer you away! There’s plenty to see and do. It’s certainly worth a few days in your Italy itinerary. We enjoyed a long weekend there and absolutely loved it.
We stayed at the Residence Aramis Downtown in a small studio that was perfect for our stay! The owner, Luigi, was attentive and caring. He thought of everything. Our room had a beautiful fruit basket, teas, several magazines and fresh flowers. Awesome! The rate was better than most similar hotels as it’s location is just outside the city. Luigi was quick to run out when we arrived and tell us we had an unbelievable parking spot, ‘keep it’! It was just a short walk into the heart of the city so the car never moved the entire time we were there. Everything we were looking for was within walking distance. Want to go further? It’s a 5 minute walk to the metro station.
What’s To See in Milan
Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele is magnificent! It’s their shopping mall. What?! It’s so incredibly beautiful, I went back a few times. Unfortunately you can’t really ‘get it’ from the pictures. I’ve been blessed to visit many places, but this is the most magnificent structure I have seen thus far! The prices at the restaurants inside the Galleria were ridiculously high, but we were happy to pay the steep price for a glass of wine just to have the opportunity to gaze in awe at this amazing building. (On a side note, in Italy, you cannot be served alcohol without some type of food… so at least snacks are included! A nice stop for your apertivo.) If you’re into shopping and not afraid of the prices, this is THE place to go.
Outside of the Galleria is the gorgeous Duomo di Milano. I am not a huge fan of gothic architecture, but this Duomo is sure to take your breath away. The lighted gold cherub at the very top of the church seems to follow you wherever you go. A little creepy, but very cool! The Sforza Castle, with its many museums, lies just behind it. If you exit through the back, you’ll walk into Sempione Park, a pretty green park in the middle of the city. At the other end of the park is the Arch of Peace. Some other sites to see are Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper”, which is in the Santa Maria della Grazie (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) as well as the LaScala Opera House. While walking from place to place, don’t miss out on the street performers along the way!
Nightlife
For nightlife, head to the Navigli District. What an incredible area. It lights up like a beacon at night! There are many cafes, great restaurants, art galleries and boutique shops with two small foot bridges at each end of the canal, as storefronts line both sides. If you happen to be there on the last Sunday of the month, check out the Naviglio Grande Antiques Market!
The restaurant Sabbia d’Oro on Via Vigevano was a great place for lunch! For dinner in the Navigli District, I can recommend the Posto di Conversazione. Attentive service and great food! One night, while on our way back from the city, we decided we had enough of restaurant dining and stopped at “Eat Me and Go”. (Gotta love the name!) This cafe is chock full of well-made prepared foods to eat in or take out. We were able to take it back to our lovely little kitchenette and take a time out.
And What Could Be Better…?!
Location, location, location! Just a short train ride from Milan is the gorgeous Lake Como. If you’re close by, this is a must see. Cruising along the lake, you’ll be enthralled with the beauty of the luxury lakeside villas, shadowed by the beautiful backdrop of the snow-peaked Swiss Alps. Wow! More on that in an upcoming post… There are also day trips to Cinque Terre, Florence and Pisa. Check out some of the trips available on Viator.com.
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