Milan is famous for its fashion and you can check out the designer creations on your Milan city breaks. Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada and Armani all have flagship stores on the Quadrilatero d’Oro (Golden Quad). There’s more shopping to be done on the streets of Milan in small boutiques, arts and crafts shops and homeware stores. Antiques fairs and weekend markets are also popular in Milan. And don’t forget to visit the Vittorio Emanuele Gallery on your Milan holidays, a double-vaulted arcade with glass roofs and a covered walkway connecting Via Silvio Pellico, Via Ugo Foscolo, Piazza della Scala and Piazza Duomo. This four-storey arcade boasts elegant shops, cafes and bars and is said to be one of the most beautiful shopping galleries in Europe. Milan is a city built for strolling. Milan city breaks are ideal for exploring the city and its many historic buildings on foot. Walk through the Piazza della Scala and discover the Palazzo Marino with its paintings, monuments and statues, which is now home to the Town Hall. Or stroll to the Palazzo Isimbardi for a look at this 15th-century building with famous paintings inside.Take a look around Parco Sempione on Milan holidays and check out the Torre Branca (Branca Tower) which is the second-highest structure in Milan. You can climb the tower for views across the city and beyond. Parco Sempione also features an aquarium, the Art Theatre and the City Library along with children’s playgrounds, ponds and bridges. For a view of the traditional music scene in Italy, La Scala Opera House is one of the most famous in the world. You can take a look around La Scala Theatre Museum which is focused on the history of opera and Italian theatre. Art lovers should visit the Brera Art Gallery, a large art gallery home to masterpieces such as Raphael’s ‘Marriage of the Virgin’, Bellini’s ‘Pieta’ and Caravaggio’s ‘Supper at Emmaus’. Sforza Castle also has an art gallery with a collection of art, antiques and musical instruments. The also museum holds a collection from ancient
Egypt and some Italian masterpieces. The Ambrosian Art Gallery is the oldest museum in Milan and holds some important Italian works. For a more modern view of Italian and European art, visit the Modern Art Gallery which hosts works in the Neoclassicism, Italian Romanticism and Italian Impressionism schools. For those interested in history, the Municipal Archaeological Museum contains Greek and Roman bronzes and pottery and a section of relics from recent excavations in Milan. The Leonardo da Vinci Science and Technology museum is concerned with the genius of Leonardo da Vinci, showcasing his achievements and documents.
About
Milan
Football fans will be interested in San Siro stadium, home to both AC Milan and Inter Milan – two top European teams. The Inter and Milan A.C. Museum is home to more than 3,000 items of football memorabilia and visitors can also take a guided tour around the stadium. Food in Milan is varied and you can find small eateries serving traditional Italian delicacies and ice cream alongside restaurants serving gourmet food from around the world. Hotels in Milan are similarly varied. Find upscale hotels in Milan as well as economical options that put you close to the action. Nightlife in Milan is lively and can be exclusive and luxurious – Milan is home to numerous upscale bars and clubs as well as down-to-earth pubs with food and live music. Attractions: One of the most famous landmarks in Milan is the elaborate cathedral, situated on Piazza del Duomo and boasting an elaborate façade and impressive interior. The cathedral is the largest church in the world following St Peter’s in Rome. The terraces on the roof of the cathedral are of particular interest, covered with marble and decorated with impressive arches. You can climb the steps to reach the top of the cathedral for a view of the city and the cathedral’s statues including the golden Madonnina. The interior of the cathedral features numerous works of art and some interesting stained glass windows. Piazza Mercanti is close to Piazza Duomo and home to many palaces and interesting buildings. Sforza Castle is another famous Milan landmark. Close to the castle is the Arena, which was once used as a theatre.
Santa Maria delle Grazie, a 15th-century church, is the home of the famous mural painting ‘The Last Supper’ by Leonardo da Vinci. Tour the Monumental Cemetery to view the historic monuments by a large variety of artists and visit the graves of important Italian citizens. The Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace) was home to the Visconti and also past Spanish and Austrian governors. The Villa Reale (Royal Villa) is another important Milan building, built in the neo-classical style in 1790. The building is surrounded by an English-style garden and the interior is decorated with candelabras, frescoes, sculpture and paintings.
When to go
Milan has a Mediterranean climate but its summers can be especially hot – temperatures in the summer in Milan reach above 30 degrees C. There’s really no bad time to visit Milan but August tends to be the hottest month and in the summer many residents escape the city for cooler climates further from the urban centre. Winter can be cold, with the temperature sometimes dropping below freezing. You’ll see more rain and fog in winter. Spring and autumn are good times to visit Milan, when the weather is pleasant and the streets, hotels and museums are less crowded.