Milan Tourism - Travel to Milan
Milan is the financial capital of Italy, and together with Paris it is one of the fashion capitals of the world.
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Understand Milan Tourism
Historically Milan has been the most industrialized city in Italy, and now it is its foremost financial centre.
At first contact Milanese life can seem a bit hectic and Milanese people a bit brusque, especially in respect to the rest of Italy.
Get into Milan
Travel to Milan By Plane
The main international airport is Malpensa (Milan Malpensa, code MXP). It's a two runway airport, well connected to the center of the city by public transportation.
- SEA Aeroporti di Milano - official site of SEA, the firm operating Malpensa and Linate airports.
- Malpensa Express trains leave every 30 minutes from the Airport and arrive in Stazione Cadorna after a 40 minutes travel. Tickets are pretty cheap (about 9 euros).
- Buses leave every 20 minutes for Centrale Station, costing about 5 euros.
- Using a taxi to get from Malpensa to the city centre can be pretty expensive: it may cost 60-75 euros.
Many European or national flights arrive at Linate Airport (LIN). This small one runway airport is closer to the city centre than Malpensa but less well connected by public transport.
- There is a public transport bus stop for the 73 line outside the terminal building, linking to San Babila Square, in the city centre, which served by MM1, the first underground line. The bus runs every ten minutes and costs one euro. Get an ATM ticket from the newsagent or the ATM vending machines.
- Taxis from Linate to the City Centre cost 12-18 euros.
Travel to Milan By Train
The main railway station is Central Station, which is served by Trenitalia, the State Railways. Note that the station is not in a great part of town, though there are a number of decent budget hotels in the area (see "Sleep" below). Options for food and drink in the area a pretty much limited to the cafes inside the station. At night, parts of Centraal Station become a sleeping area for vagrants.
Central Station is served by MM1 and MM3 underground metro lines.
The main taxi companies are 063570 and 065551. There is a taxi stand directly infront of the station.
Another important railway station is Cadorna, served by Ferrovie Nord (North Railways), where the Malpensa Express stops and which is also a stop for MM1 and MM2.
Garibaldi station, is the stop for most commuter railway lines, and is served by the state railways. It is also a stop for the MM2 and for the Passante (see "Get Around").
Travel to Milan By car
The main highways linking Milan to the rest of Italy are:
- A1 , the Autostrada del Sole (Highway of the Sun), linking Milan to Bologna, Florence, Rome and Naples;
- A4, linking Milan to Turin, Brescia, Bergamo, Verona and Venice;
- A8, the Autostrada dei Laghi (Highway of the Lakes), linking Milan to Como Lake, Maggiore Lake and Switzerland.
- A7, linking Milan to Genova.
The main highway operating firm is Società Autostrade.
Travel to Milan By Bus
The main national bus lines are operated by Autostradale and stop near Garibald Station.
Get around in Milan
ATM operates a public transport network which is pretty efficient (especially the underground lines and the streetcars).
Taxis are pretty expensive and can be hard to find while walking around, since taxi drivers prefer waiting in long lines near major landmarks.
See Milan
Museums - Milan Tourism
- Pinacoteca di Brera, on Brera Street
- Poldi Pezzoli Museum, on Manzoni Street
Churches
Some of the most beautiful churches one can see in Milan are:
- The Duomo, in Duomo Square, is Milan's main Cathedral, a massive late gothic church in white marble, with hundres of spires and thousands of statues on its exterior.
- Saint Mary of the Graces, where the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci is housed. Make a reservation in advance to avoid waiting in line.
- Saint Ambrose, in Sant'Ambrogio Square, a beautiful early romanic church which was almost destroyed by allied bombing in World War 2.
Historic Monuments
- The Sforza Castle, where the Sforza-Visconti ruling families of Milan resided. Later it was the Austrian governor residence, when Lumbardy was part of the Hapsburg empire.
- La Scala Theatre, one of the most renowned opera house in the world, now under extensive renovations, slated to finish in 2005. While La Scala is close, all opera representations have been moved to the new Arcimboldi Theatre, in the Bovisa district.
Other sights
- Galeria Vicctore Emmanuelle, the mother of all shopping malls, upscale shops in splendid 19th century palace of a mall.
- Biblioteca Ambrosiana historical library with treasures such as drawings by Leonardo on display
Do Milan
Milan is a great city to walk around and see the sights and people.
Learn
Work
Buy
Milan is a fashion shoppers' paradise.
The main shopping area is the fashion quadrangle, roughly between Duomo Square, Scala Square and San Babila Square. Here, in Montenapoleone Street, Vittorio Emanuele Street and Manzoni Street, all major stylist have their main shops: Giorgio Armani, Prada, Gucci, Versace and so on.
For people wanting to spend a bit less, while still buying beautiful things, other areas are beeter. One of these is Vercelli Avenue, another one is Buenos Aires Avenue.
For hipsters there's the elongated Porta Ticinese area.
For artisanal male shoes, you can do much worse than going in Via Belfiore, near Vercelli Avenue.
Eating and drinking
Please, eat Italian food. It's great. Try one of the rissotto dishes, for example.
However if you're on a long tour of Italy and want a break, in Milan you can also find good Chinese, French, etc. food.
Breakfast
Cappucino
Pizza
Milan is full of pizzerias.
The two best areas for getting a pizza are near Marghera street, at the end of Vercelli Avenue, and on the Navigli.
In Milan pizza is eaten with a knife and fork, not with one's hands.
Snacks
Gelato, excellent Italian ice cream
Drinking
In the last several years Milan has established a local version of the Aperitivo or Happy Hour.
Roughly from 7pm to 9pm, many bars offer drinks and cocktails at a fixed price (5-8 euros each), offering also buffets with snacks, and pasta, rice, and many other appetizers.
It's not difficult to get a dinner's worth out an Happy Hour.
Some of the best places for the Happy Hour are:
- Exploit Cafè, near the San Lorenzo Columns, in Porta Ticinese Avenue;
- Bar Bianco inside the Sempione Park;
- Roialto, in Piero della Francesa Street, near Sempione Avenue;
- Honky Tonks, in Fratelli Induno Street, near Sempione Avenue;
- Bar Magenta, in Carducci Street
- Many others, especially near Vetra Square and on the Navigli (the navigable canals).
Seating down for coffee or for a drink in Duomo Square or in the Vittorio Emanuele Gallery can be nice, but it can also be very heavy on the wallett.
Milan by Night
Sleep - Milan Tourism
Cheap
IYHF hostel: Follow the signs from QT8 stop on the red line to Molino Dorino. Very relaxed curfew compared to most in Italy. Look out for the nightwalkers you pass on the way to the hostel.
Mid-range
Contact
Stay safe - Milan Tourism
Milan is a safe place, also for women travelling alone.
As in most big cities, it's better to watch out in crowded public places and in public transport: pickpockets can be lurking, so it's better to keep money and papers in a safe place.
Get out
External Links for Milan Tourism
- Comune di Milano - official site of the City (in Italian).
- Kub Foto Milano - photo gallery of the City.
- Wikipedia:Milan
