The fashion capital of Italy, and easily accessible to France and Switzerland!
Milan was our first stop in Italy, on our three month (that turned into six months…) world expedition. We flew through Amsterdam from north England (though there are many direct flights from tons of places in Europe). Milan is also easily accessible by train from France and Switzerland, and from other parts of Italy. Once you arrive at the airport, take the MXP express train to Milan Cadorna station where you can take the metro to a local stop close to your hotel.
We stayed at Hotel Milano Sant’Ambrogio, and we highly recommend it! The interior of the rooms were small and relatively basic, but the AC was icy which was a major plus as we were traveling during a heat wave. The stand out was the massive balcony overlooking the beautiful Basilica di San Vittore al Corpo, decorated with succulent blooms and patio furniture.
The number one thing you have to do in Milan is visit the Piazza del Duomo cathedral and terraces. We purchased our passes online and received tickets via email – definitely splurge on the Fast Track pass if possible, as you take the elevator right to the top and skip a lot of the foot traffic. It will save you a lot of time and frustration, and leave you free to enjoy these stunning views across the rooftops of Milan! Once you’re done exploring the rooftops, you take the stairs down and can wander around the inside of the cathedral enjoying the architecture and stained glass windows. Try to do this earlier in the day – we went around 11 am and it was PACKED.
We also really enjoyed walking around the Sforzesco Castle and park and grabbed a bite at the cafe. The Braidense library is free to visit as well, but is closed on Sundays. Consider visiting the San Bernardino alle Ossa bone chapel as well – we thought this was an extremely unique experience. There is a small ossuary which is decorated with human skulls. It’s not for everyone, but we appreciated the singular experience.
If you’re not visiting on a Monday like we were, try to check out the Cenacolo Vinciano where you can visit the famous Last Supper painting..sadly it is closed on Mondays and you should definitely book your tickets in advance. A couple of other fun things to do in Milan include visiting the La Rinascente shopping center – go all the way to the 7th floor for an awesome view of the Duomo. There are a few restaurants up there as well, but we thought they were pricey and busy, so we opted for the McD’s across the street. Afterwards we wandered through the iconic Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle II shopping center which is insta-famous. There is also a Starbucks Reserve in Milan, but we didn’t visit.
We really enjoyed visiting the Milan canals, and had a great aperitif moment at the Grapes enjoying the sinking sun and watching tourists and locals alike walk by the canals. The Roof is also a well-known spot to take in the sunset. Warning – it is pricey, but the view is pretty spectacular. We did make advance reservations for this.
And that’s it for a quick trip to Milan! Anything we missed? Comment below on what we should do next time we’re in the area!
