For those of you that might have missed the first part to my Italian travel post, you can find it hereexplaining why I was in Milan and what I got up to. For this section I wanted to get into more detail about getting around and things to do from the perspective of an outsider, as this was my first visit to Milan. Of course there is lots of shopping information and not forgetting outfit ideas at the bottom of this post 🙂 Things to do: Whether you have a few days or just 24 hours to take in what this city has to offer, then the Duomo also known as ‘Duomo di Milano’ is a must see hailing as the 5th largest cathedral in the world. The Duomo took nearly six centuries to complete and after seeing it first hand it is something that photos alone cannot do it justice. A visit is highly recommended!
The entrance inside of the Cathedral is free but to go up the staircase is around €7 euro which is around 250 steps. Here you will feel like you are stepping back into history, from the narrow winding staircases to the incredible carvings and details but specifically, the incredible view of the city when you reach the top. The location is ideal as you are in the central part of Milan where train stations, trams, shopping to restaurants are all within seconds walks from one another.
Other things to see: – Go see Da Vinci’s Last Supper – as this is one of the most popular attractions in Milan you have to purchase a ticket before hand. Tours run every 15 minutes but in high season you might have to book the day before to guarantee a place. – Visit Parca Sempione which is a really popular park in Milan with beautiful views from Gio Ponti’s spindly ( steel tower). – Explore Castello Sforzesco – 12 mini museums which display work from Da Vinci, The Renaissance works of Bellini and Mentega, a sculpture gallery and much more. – Go to the Bulgari Hotel spa in Milan – I heard so much about it while I was there unfortunately I didn’t have time to check it out, supposedly the surroundings itself are to die for. – Indulge in some real italian coffee around Piazza del Duomo at Trussardi Cafe or Cafe Miani. A great place for fashion bloggers and people to absorb some great Italian street style from fashionistas! Shopping :
When it comes to shopping in Milan one of the the more impressive areas which is adjacent to the cathedral is Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. It’s actually one of the oldest shopping malls in the world built in the 19th Century and would literally be a 60 second walk from the Duomo. The construction is incredibly beautiful for a shopping centre with a glass dome roof and stunning mosaics to be found everywhere. Here you will find restaurants to high end designer stores which make window shopping all the more interesting given the unique setting.
For more high street European stores to various Italian brands you will find everything from H&M, Zara, Intimissimi and some beautiful boutique stores around the Piazza Del Duomo street, two minutes walk from the Galleria. If you wanted more choice, Piazza Della Scalla, just a short walk away, will bring you huge selection of italian designer fashion with the likes of MaxMara to the Miroglio store housings their brands such as Elena Miro, Florella Rubino, Oltre and Motivi. Transport:
There are three airports for Milan – Malpensa, Linate and Bergamo. I flew into Linate airport and from here to the city centre of Milan there is a bus which is just €5/£4 that takes roughly 20 minutes. If you are traveling around daily then you can purchase a travel day pass at small newsagents or at train stations. It’s only €4.50/£3.20 and covers you for all trains, trams and bus around the city for 24 hours which is brilliant. Across all their public transport from my experience everything was well organised and reliable with frequent trains and buses every nearly every 5 minutes. What to wear? The most important part of any trip of course! 🙂 At the time when I was there it was around 25 degrees. Being in a city it can be extremely hot during the day but can easily fluctuate in the evenings. Definitely pack some light tops to have for cool days or evenings. See below some ideas for now to across the summer which is pretty warm.
Teaser from my latest piece for Elena Miro’s ‘Stories of Friendship’ online here, which was exactly what I wore on one of the days because it was so humid.
Bag, jacket, shoes and top : All River Island sizes 6-18. Shorts: Dorothy Perkins sizes 8-22. Sun cream – La Roche Posay Anthelios factor 30 Have you been to Milan before? If so let me know some of your favourite places! Lou x
