I was lucky enough to have a short stop over in Milan. Unfortunately due to the weather and a scheduling snafu, my original plan of taking a day trip Lake Como didn’t happen. But when things don’t work out as planned go to plan B.
It turned out to be a great plan B. While I’m a bit of a history nerd, I’m also a confirmed caffeine fiend, so when I saw a tour combining both I was sold. Maria our guide not only took us around the interesting historical areas of the city like the cathedral, royal palace, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele ll, La Scala opera house and the trendy Brera district, she interspersed these with stop offs for coffee in interesting coffee spots serving different styles of coffee (coffee is a big thing in Milan).
(Quick traveller tip, museums in Milan are free on the first Sunday of the month, but expect long lines). Leonardo Da Vini also moved to Milan when he was 30 and you can visit different museums to see his work. You can also try to book to view his Last Supper but this can be booked up months in advance so be prepared. If you feel like even more culture you can don your glad rags and visit the world famous La Scala opera house. Performances can book out months in advance as well but you can try your luck and visit the box office at 1.30pm to see if any tickets are available. You might be able to get a seat (with obstructed view) for €10. It was a great way to get a feel for the vibe of the city and not just haul around historic buildings.
Remember to pace yourself, I went all in and was pretty wired afterwards as I wasn’t used to having so many espressos in one morning (totally worth it though). I would definitely recommend doing this tour and you can find out more by visiting @cliotales on Instagram.
Milan is kind of like a European version of New York but with more history and better architecture. It’s famous not only as business and financial hub but as the fashion capital of Italy. The super elegant Galleria Vittorio Emanuele ll is right beside the Duomo and has gorgeous high end designer shops like Prada and Dior (many of these you have to visit by appointment, to keep the tourist riff-raff like myself out). If you feel the need for some refreshment you can visit the Camparinella bar just inside the Galleria.
Milan is the birthplace of Campari, so when in Milan! A Campiri and soda will set you back about €8 if you stand at the beautiful art deco bar being served by well appointed barmen in crisp white jackets. You’ll pay a little more if you want to sit at a table. (Quick traveller tip, you may incur a small surcharge if you take a table in a cafe or bar in Italy) . Instead many Italians prefer to eat and drink at a counter. This is really common if you’re going out for breakfast, don’t expect bacon and eggs, as a common Italian version of breakfast is a quick coffee/cappuccino and pastry eaten standing at a counter.)
The are any number of great places to eat ranging from super filling sandwiches to grab and go, to very posh fine dining restaurants. Milan is famous for its risotto (risotto Milanese). This is bright yellow, and coloured with saffron (although apparently less scrupulous restaurants will use turmeric or yellow food colouring because it’s cheaper). I had it for lunch one day and to be honest, while I enjoyed it, I wasn’t blown away (maybe I didn’t get a great version) . Milan also has some amazing bakeries and I tried pistachio coffee for the first time (Italians love pistachios so much so, you can even them on pizzas), and that for me was my favourite taste of Milan.
Milan is pretty cheap to fly to, as a couple of different low cost airlines fly there. I flew into Milan Bergemo airport and the bus transfer to the city centre dropping off at the central station was €10. The city also has great public transport links with buses, trams and metro service. €2.20 will get you to most parts of the city and is valid for 90 minutes. Day cards and multiple day passes are also very reasonably priced. If you’re not staying Milan for a long time I’d suggest staying by the central station. It also has metro stops and it’s a good base for seeing the city and the next leg of your trip. It also has an amazing food court (go to the mercato side of the station). You can get coffee and a pastry or select from pizza, sandwiches, aranccini, sushi or steak all while having a beer while waiting your train.
Seaneen's Sunnyside Kitchen 