Visiting Milan, Italy- The Fashion Capital
Milan- The Fashion Capital
Salve (Greeting in Italian)
The fashion capital of Italy, the city of Milan oozes fashion and luxury. This city is a shopper’s paradise that is world renowned for its various flagship brand stores and boutiques. The fashion shows held during spring and autumn brings the world’s best supermodels, fashion designers and paparazzi to Milan .It is also the financial and business capital of Italy. Despite being known as a fashionista’s city, Milan has numerous historical buildings and churches that beautifully showcase its rich heritage. It is also well known for its art galleries. Milan brings out a beautiful blend of the modern lifestyle and the medieval culture and heritage attracting numerous travellers throughout the year. It is also home to A.C.Milan, the famous Italian football club.
Best season to visit Milan
Milan experiences moderately hot summers and cold humid winters. During winters from November to February, average temperatures can fall below freezing point and snow fall is quite common. Summers are sultry and humidity levels are high. However the skies are clear and the months from July to September is recommended as the ideal time to visit Milan.
Highlights (Things to do and experience in Milan)
Stroll through the fashion streets of Milan to experience the upscale fashion world and trendiest clothing.
Enjoy a fashion show where the latest fashion styles and designs are showcased.
Watch a football match featuring the local club A.C.Milan at the famous Giuseppe Meazza stadium.
Enjoy the aerial view of Milan from Duomo roof which offers a spectacular panoramic vista of the city.
Explore the electric nightlife of Milan at any of the numerous clubs, pubs and restaurants.
Relish the traditional Italian preparations like Pizza, pasta, macaroni, etc. at any of the authentic Italian restaurants or cafes. Also popular are the numerous Italian ice cream shops.
Hotspots of Milan (Things to see)
Zona Centro Storico-
Duomo/ Milan Cathedral– Situated at the heart of Milan at Dumo square, this majestic cathedral is the 3rd largest in the world and the biggest tourist attraction in Milan. The spectacular roof, outer facade, spires and statues leave most visitors awed. One can also climb up the spires to enjoy the lovely views of Milan. Museo Del Duomo showcases the construction details of the majestic Cathedral.
Piazza Del Duomo– Located in the center of Milan, this is the most well-known and beautiful square in the city. It houses the 18thcentury royal palace, the cathedral, galleria, statues and numerous other historical structures.
Museo Del Novecento– Situated in Duomo square, the museum displays 20thcentury art.
La Scala theatre– This 18thcentury opera house is one of the world’s most famous ones which has had many popular artists perform.
Bagatti Valsecchi museum– Converted from a 19thcentury mansion, this museum houses a massive art collection of Italian renaissance.
Piazza Mercanti– This medieval square also known as Merchant’s square is quite captivating and has numerous buildings and houses in gothic style architecture.
Pinacoteca Ambrosiana– This museum houses some of the fantastic works by popular Italian painters like Da Vinci, Raphael and Cravaggio, and is definitely a must visit during your Milan holidays.
Ca Granda Old Hospital– With captivating pathways, this is one of the most prominent buildings in Europe from the renaissance era.
Piazza Castello-
Castello Sforzesco– It is a large castle where the rulers of Milan lived during the renaissance period. It presently houses many museums.
Parco Sempione– This large landscape garden is quite popular and houses a lake, a tower and an arch. Museo Della Triennale, which is located here, is a famous design museum.
Galleria Vittorio Emmanuele– Built in the late 19thcentury, it is considered to be the oldest shopping mall in the world. In addition to the shopping experience, its architecture and designs would leave even the non-shoppers delighted.
Cimitero monumentale– This massive cemetery is arguably the world’s most beautiful one with fabulous sculptures and tombs.
Pinacoteca di Brera– This museum showcases a wide range of art collections and Italian paintings. The iconic painting “The Kiss” by Francesco Hayez is displayed here.
Santa Maria delle Grazie-
Chiesa Di Santa Maria delle Grazie– A UNESCO world heritage site, this basilica is one of the spectacular creations of the renaissance era. Both its exterior and its interior works are absolutely stunning.
The Last Supper– The very famous painting by Leonardo Da Vinci is exhibited here. Tickets are sold pretty fast and it is best advised to book itbeforehand.
Basilica di Sant Ambrogio– Built in the 11th century in Lombard Romanesque style, this basilica is well known for its exquisite architecture, altar and pulpit. It was partially destroyed during World War II.
Chiesa Di San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore– Another UNESCO world heritage site with numerous paintings, this church is a tribute to the renaissance era.
Cinque Vie historical district– This is the ancient Milan! With numerous ancient roman sites, buildings and churches this must visit place in Milan takes you back to a bygone era.
Shopping in Milan
Milan is a world renowned fashion trendsetter and a fashion shopper’s paradise. The city boasts of a wide range of shopping avenues like designer’s emporia, retail outlets, unique boutiques and second hand shops. Major fashion brands like Armani, Gucci, Dolce Gabbana, Prdad and many more have their premier flagship stores in Milan. There is absolutely no dearth for shopping avenues in Milan.
Fashion Quadrangle– This fashion paradise situated between Duomo square, Cavour square and San Babila square has numerous streets with prime brand shops, prestigious boutiques and upscale showrooms. One can find a wide range of luxurious, glamorous, trendy and fashionable clothing. The most popular streets in this hopping area are Montenapoleone Street, Vittorio Emanuele Street, Manzoni Street, Sant Andea Street and Della Spiga Street. This is a must visit destination and one of the major Milan tourist attractions for shopaholics.
Buenos Aires– This Street has a wide range of shopping avenues, is a shopper’s paradise and is considered the longest in Europe.
Brera district– Along with numerous fashion stores, it also has many art galleries, cafes and restaurants. The open air markets here offer some wonderful merchandise.
Fiera Di Senigallia– This flea market in Porta Ticinese area opens up on Saturdays making it a great place to stroll around and shop.
Brand stores– Major brands have their flagship stores, boutiques and designer stores in Milan and have a cornucopia of fashion merchandise.
Other shopping avenues– Piazza Del Duomo, Via Dante, Piazza Dan Babila, Galleria Victor Emanule and Corso Giacomo Matteoti are the other wonderful places to shop in Milan.
How to reach Milan-
Milan has two international airports, Malpensa and Linate. Malpensa with two terminals is the main airport and has shuttle services between the terminals. Malpensa express trains link the airport to central Milan. There are also frequent buses which connect the airport to the city center. Taxis are easily available from Malpensa to central Milan, but are expensive. Linate airport is closer to the city and majorly serves the domestic flights and a few from other European cities. There are numerous bus and taxi services that run between Linate airport and Milan city. Trenitalia (state railways) trains connect Milan with almost all other Italian cities and with many European cities such as Barcelona, Zurich, Munich, Paris, Vienna, etc. Milan is well connected to other Italian cities by various motorways and one can easily drive into the city. Lampugnano, the main bus terminal of Milan provides numerous buses to and from Milan.
How to get around Milan
Metro– With three different lines (red, yellow and green), Metro is the best way to get around Milan.
Trams– Trams still play a big role in the transportation industry of Milan. Colored in green, yellow and orange, they are a true symbol of Milan and very convenient to commute across Milan.
Buses– Buses are comfortable, punctual and connect to various parts of the city.
Trains– Milan also has a suburban railway system connecting metro area towns with the city center. However, they are not as frequent as the metro.
Taxis– Taxis are expensive and can be either booked via phone calls or can be hailed on the street.
Cars– Driving cars around the city center during peak office hours is definitely not recommended as Milan is well known for its traffic congestions.
Walks– Many of the major tourist destinations are within a short walk away from each other. Also some of the tourist spots have been made pedestrian only making it all the more enjoyable.
Top areas of Milan
Centro Storico– The major tourist attractions revolve around this area, which is filled with museums, galleries and historical structures. The very popular Milan Cathedral is also situated in Centro Storico. As a result, there are numerous cafes, restaurants and hotels catering to the wide range of tourist requirements.
Stazione Centrale– Stazione Centrale is the main railway station of Milan. There are numerous shopping avenues, restaurants, cafes and some of the best Milan hotels in this area.
Porta Venezia– Porta Venezia is one of the historical gates of the medieval Milan. There are presently numerous shops, supermarkets and one of the ideal places for budget accommodation in Milan.
Centro- Brera– Located in the center of the city amidst all the historical buildings and numerous shops, Centro Brera is one of the top areas of Milan.
Navigli– With numerous bars and cafes, Navigli is well known as a pre- dinner drink area and frequented by both tourists and residents.
Citta Studi– Citta Studi is a popular area which houses numerous hotels. The various branches of University of Milan and a number of prominent hotels are also located here.
San siro- fiera Milano city– Stadio Giuseppe Miazza, a popular football stadium is located here and is a popular tourist spot.
Porta Romana– Well known for its former historical gate, Porta Romana has numerous buildings, shops and hotels.
Sempione– This area is well known for its Sempione Park and Piazza Castello which has numerous tourist attractions.
Bicocca- Zara– With numerous hotels, restaurants and shops, Bicoca Zara is a preferred area for accommodation by tourists.
Grazie (Thank you in Italian)
