Milan

Milan is known for it’s very fast pace of life and for also being one of the richest cities in Europe.

Milan is the business and fashion centre of Italy. It’s the place to come to shop till you drop. With its world famous opera house, La Scala, the Cattedral (Duomo) and the last supper, the Castello Sforzesco and the Pinacoteca di Brera (Art Museum), its definitely one of Italy’s best cities to visit. A popular thing to do is to rent a bike and experience Milan at your own leisure, taking in the Gothic architecture of the city. Also another great thing to do in summertime is to relax at Milan’s man made lake, Idroscalo. Originally carved out as a watery landing strip by Mussolini, who thought sea planes were the way forward.

Castello Sforzesco Milan

Make sure to visit the Sant-Ambrogio church, named after the cities patron saint. It may not be as beautiful to look at as the Duomo, but it’s more important to the locals and has shaped its history. Once a year the streets surrounding the church on December 7^th with religious celebrations and a street fair. The National Museum of Science and Technology is also a must. The museum has a vast collection showing the history of science and technology starting from Leonardo da Vinci’s machines. Pinacoteca di Brera is Milan’s famous art museum that was first started by Napolean, it holds over 600 works in 40 rooms.

Milan is known for being Italy’s fashion centre. It is easy to find what you are looking for. In Milan you’ll find fashions jump from catwalk to clothes rail within a week. Shopping in Milan isn’t cheap and can be stratospherically expensive, however if you love searching stalls on markets then you are sure to find a bargain. Only the big named stores open all day. Most shops close at 1pm for lunch and re-open at 3.30pm. The most popular places to shop are the Golden Quadrilateral and Corso Buenos Aires, which claims to be Europe’s largest shopping street. Other popular places to shop are Corso Vercelli, near Porta Magenta, which has some wonderful chic shops; Navigli is also a great place because it’s where you’ll find most of the wonderful markets take place. If you are in Milan for the art then Via Brera has a number of art shops and small slightly offbeat boutiques.

Milan has plenty of Michelin Starred restaurants like most Italian cities. Four of its best are II Luogo di Aimo e Nadia, Sadler Milano, Cracco, and II Ristorante Trussardi. However like most Michelin star restaurants they can be rather pricey. If you don’t have a huge budget and you are looking for cheap places to eat then a pizza in one of the thousands of pizzerias with a beer will cost around 15 Euros. Other great cheap options are a panino in one of the bars, a panzerotto at the famous Luini bakery, and also in less central area’s you’ll find Trattorias which offer a set menu for lunch at around 10 Euros.

Milan boasts a vibrant nightlife scene, with entertainment choices ranging from opera performances, art gallery events to laid-back pubs and glitzy nightclubs. If you are looking for upscale bars and nightclubs then Corso Como is the place to be. One of the best nightclubs is the Hollywood which has been around for several years. If you like quieter low-key pubs then head to Navigli where you will also find open air wine bars and late night café’s. If you enjoy Jazz then a visit to the Blue Note Club is a must. If you are a fan of opera then make sure to phone and book tickets for one of the shows at the famous La Scala. No matter what you are looking for you are sure to find it in Milan.

Milan Corso Como