Milan: Uncovering Italy’s Fashion Capital for First Timers
Milan, Italy
I was so excited to be able to travel for this 4 day weekend. Italy was one of the places that is open currently for tourism with no mandatory quarantine so we decided to venture to one of the most famous Italian cities: Milan. While I have never been a fashion gal, (seriously my sense of style is embarrassing) I still was very excited to visit this bustling city I grew up watching in so many movies and reading about in magazines.
To be honest though, if I had to describe Milan in one word after our trip it might be….. underwhelming. I’m not sure if this is a fair assessment, many people would probably have my head for saying that but personally we just found it to be nothing overly special. We tend to like cities with a lot of attractions and lots of sites and things to see, but Milan wasn’t that for us. This is not to say that there weren’t things we absolutely did love about Milan such as the major attractions like the Duomo and of course the food…. I mean how can you not love the food in Italy.
For anyone who is very into fashion, has plenty of money to spend or has a long list of recommendations from locals, I’m sure Milan has the potential to be a whole different experience for you. But for us bargain travelers, I think one or two days in Milan is enough to cross it off your list. With that being said I would like to share all the things we did enjoy about our trip and would recommend to anyone traveling to this famous city for a few days. Lets look at what we cover:
QUICK GUIDE:
Language: Italian
Currency: Euro
Dress Code: Milan is high fashion and you can expect some people to be dressed to the 9’s but you can go more casual here as well
ACCOMMODATION:
Milan has a wide variety of options for accommodation and you can start your search here:
Hostels:
If you are more interested in parties, nightlife and having automatic meet ups then maybe a hostel is for you! Check out the options here.
TRANSPORTATION :
Public transportation in Milan is definitely the top recommendation from me. It is 1 hour by train to central station from the airport MXP and cost €13 for one way ticket into the city. Once you are in the city you can buy a 3 day ticket that covers 3 districts for €12. This allows you to access the trams, buses, trains and underground which can take you everywhere you need to go. If you are looking for something alternative to the normal public transportation Car2Go and bird scooters are also available.
SITES in Milan:
Duomo:
There’s no sight more synonymous with Milan than its stunningly breath taking Duomo. It is the largest church in Italy which took six centuries to complete. Naturally one of the first things you should do in Milan is stop by here and admire its stunning details up close. The architecture will just blow your mind at the amount of detail you can see one every single part of the Duomo. Morning is THE time to come, before the masses arrive and the crowds take over the square. A climb (or elevator ride) to the top is an absolute must for the best panoramic 360 degree views over the city.
Address: Piazza del Duomo
Galleria Vittorio Emmanuele II:
Another one of the best-known Milan landmarks can be found just to the side of the Duomo. The Galleria Vittorio Emmanuele II, one of the most luxurious shopping malls in the entire world. Built in the late 19th century, its elegant double arcades connect the Duomo to La Scala, another one of Milan’s starring attractions. It happens to be the oldest active shopping mall in the country. The name brand stores attract everyone to flock inside (even if only to window shop and try to snap that coveted photo)
Address: Piazza del Duomo
Castello Sforzesco:
The Sforza Castle is a beautiful moat-lined castle in the heart of Milan. Built in the 15th century, this dashing landmark has worn countless hats over the years. It acted as a defence fortress, private residence, military barracks, was once the seat of the Duke of Milan and now, home to various museums and exhibitions. Even if you don’t pay to visit the inside, the castle courtyards are a scenic treat to explore, and totally free. Address: Piazza Castello
Parco Sempione:
Right behind the Sforza Castle, you will find the Parco Sempione. It’s the largest park in the city center of Milan and a local’s favorite. If you are looking for a little respite from the hectic tourist madness, or a place to find some shade to escape the summer heat, then this is where you’ll find it. I recommend to bring some food and drinks for a picnic!
Arco della Pace – The Arch of Peace:
The Arco della Pace, made of marble and topped with horse drawn statues, is an impressive arch. It’s part of Porta Sempione, one of Milan’s old city gates. The arch was built under Napoleon’s rule to echo the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
L.O.V.E:
The official name of the statue is L.O.V.E. which stands for Libertà, Odio, Vendetta, Eternità (Freedom, Hate, Vengeance, Eternity). Provocative as it may be, you’ll find an actual marble statue of a giant middle finger in the heart of Piazza Affari, home to Milan’s Stock Exchange. Originally installed in 2010 as a “temporary installation” of a few weeks, it still stands today 8 years later as a dramatic “eff you” to the bankers, CEOs and corporate cats who work in the area. Address: Piazza degli Affari
What to Eat in Milan:
As you can imagine, we did not hold back when it came to eating in Milan. There’s a reason Julia Roberts traveled to Italy for the “Eat” portion in Eat Pray Love. I have another post (linked below) reviewing all of the places we visited during this trip and highlighting the top 9 places to eat but for now I only want to highlight a few.
Bar Rubin :
We stumbled upon this place while looking for another restaurant actually but it was closed. So we decided to try Rubin because we were so hungry. Im so glad we did! Pizza, pasta, white wine +2 bottles of water for €29.50. Most of the pastas on the menu were very heavy so the chef came out to ask exactly what we liked and made it to order.
I ordered “naked” pasta and added oil, salt and Parmesan. So happy we did it this way, it was as cooked perfectly. The noodles were tender and soft and paired with the oil and parmesan was amazing. My partner got the pizza margarita and it was also splendid. The cheese was thick and the crust was the perfect crunchiness and thin. The high point for me however was the tomato sauce, this is how I tell if a pizza is just good or something special. And this sauce made it great! €29.50 Address: Via Santa Maria Segreta, 7/9, 20123 Milano MI, Italy
Fancy Toast:
This was the one place I knew I wanted to try before we came to Milan. I was so excited and boy did it deliver in every way possible. We went right at opening time and didn’t realize that they have a limited menu for the first two hours. However the wonderful woman said if we could give her 20-30 mins to get set up she would be happy to make our order for us early.
I ordered a fancy coffee which was a Moroccan coffee with milk foam, coco powder, cinnamon and hazelnuts (€2). My partner ordered a peach ice tea (€3), and we decided to split the rainbow pancakes …. these were straight out of heaven. I cannot recommend these enough! The custard paired with the fresh food and the fluffy as cloud pancakes was just perfection (€6). I ordered the hangover open toast, which is soft bread covered in avocado spread, fresh grilled chicken, delicious crunchy bacon and a fried egg (€11). My partner ordered a closed BLT and he said it was wonderful (€8) Address: Piazza della Trivulziana, 5, 20126 Milano MI, Italy
Fatto con Amore:
This adorable family run gelato shop is a must! The guy was so friendly and gave us basically a sample of every kind of gelato they had. He was wonderful with recommendations on how to pair them as well. We had 6 scoops (4 in a cup and 2 in cone) for €6.80 . My partner had Greek yogurt, lemon, raspberry and peach , while I also had the Greek yogurt and peach. If I have to recommend one…. GET THE PEACH….WOW!! Address: Corso Magenta, 30, 20121 Milano MI, Italy
For more food recommendations don’t forget to check out my Milan food blog post!
So as you can see, we still quite enjoyed our long weekend in this famous city. I think it’s a great weekend trip because honestly who doesn’t want to visit Milan at least once. I hope these tips can help you on your next trip! Ciao for now Bella’s x
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Trip: June 2021
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