One day in Milan, Italy

I am Italian, I think you all got that by now. But the point is, where am I from in Italy? That's a good question because I don't even know where exactly I come from. I was born in the province of Milan, but my mom was born in Calabria and my dad was born in Brescia, although my dad's family is originally from Puglia. I'm very confused. But I consider myself "Milanese" because I was born and raised in the city that centuries ago was called Mediolanum.

Milan is one of the biggest cities in Italy, yet it is quite small. Let's face it, European cities like London and Paris are way bigger. Even so, Milan has a lot to offer and today I am here to share with you the itinerary that I'd follow if I were not a local but a tourist instead.

1. Tre Torri

Tre Torri literally means Three Towers but right at this moment there are only two, the third one is still under construction. It is still nice to go there and see the square. Everything around is fairly new, even the apartments in the buildings shaped like vessels. These flats are really modern but also really expensive. Among the architects that worked in the CityLife neighborhood, there’s Zaha Hadid.

2. Arco Della Pace

The Arch of Peace is dedicated to the peaceful relationships between European nations achieved in 1815 with the Congress of Vienna. It was inaugurated only on the 10th of September 1838. On one side of the Arch, there’s Corso Sempione, which is a long street with lots of clubs, restaurants, and pubs. In fact, this is one of the major points for Milan’s Night Life. On the other side, there’s the big Sempione Park, called by me “The Central Park of Milan” (compared to NY’s park this is super small, but for Milan’s size this is fairly big).

3. Castello Sforzesco

On the other edge of the park, there’s The Sforza Castle, whose construction lasted almost 140 years. It started in 1360 and finished only in 1499. It is one of the biggest castles in Europe. It is currently home to museums, exhibitions and summer concerts.

4. Duomo Di Milano & Galleria Vittorio Emanuele

The Duomo is very easy to reach from The Castle, all you have to do is walk through Via Dante, full of shops and restaurants. The Cathedral is Milan’s symbol but also the third biggest Catholic Church, after San Pietro (the Vatican) and Seville’s cathedral. Its construction started in 1386 but was completed only in 1932. In order to enter the church and see its statues and paintings, you need to pay an entrance fee. The same applies if you want to go all the way up to the terrace and admire Milan from there. In the Duomo Square, you can find shops, restaurants but also museums like Museo Del Novecento, Palazzo Reale, and Museo Duomo. From here, walk towards Corso Vittorio Emanuele if you want to shop. Once that is done, walk through Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. Its construction lasted 12 years, but what’s particular to this is that it is one of the world’s oldest shopping malls. At the end of the tunnel, there’s Piazza Alla Scala. The Scala is the Opera House and it is possible to visit it and it costs 5 euros.

5. Quadrilatero Della Moda (Fashion District).

If you are done admiring La Scala, walk towards Via Alessandro Manzoni and turn right into Via Monte Napoleone. Here you can find jewelry shops and boutiques. Among the big names Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Chanel, Armani and Gucci. As I am not really into fashion (and I can’t really afford this stuff) I only love the area during Christmas because there are lights everywhere and the atmosphere is really enjoyable.

6. Brera

Brera is an artist’s district of Milan. It is referred to as the Montmartre of Milan. It houses Brera Academy of Fine Arts and Brera Art Gallery. Both of these are located in Palazzo Brera, where there is also the Milan’s Botanic Garden and the Astronomical Observatory. What makes Brera unique is also the presence of bars, clubs, antique shops and fortune teller’s booths. I personally like the area because it is also very colorful and the streets are very small, giving me an idea of what Italy used to be like back in the days.

7. Garibaldi & Isola

This area of Milan is one of the modern ones. In Porta Garibaldi, you can find Eataly but also gelato shops. Walk through Corso Como and you will arrive in Piazza Gae Aulenti. It is a new square full of shops and restaurants but among all the Unicredit Tower. If it’s Sunday, go to Palazzo Lombardia because you can observe Milan from its thirty-ninth floor for free. If you have the time, swing by the Central Station of Milan. The area might not be the nicest, but the building is ancient and worth a look.

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8. Porta Ticinese & Darsena (Navigli)

Your tour of Milan is almost over, and there’s no better way than ending it in Navigli. It is one of the best Night Life spots of the city. You can reach it from Garibaldi with the green line of the underground (Porta Genova stop). If you are at the Duomo, you can simply walk through Via Torino (and do some shopping) and then Porta Ticinese. Darsena is new, you can buy your drinks somewhere and then sit to have a chat with your friends. If you want to have dinner there instead, there are tons of unique places that you can choose from both in Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavese.

Well, I hope this little itinerary will be helpful for your next visit to Milan. I’m sure that this is not all there’s to see but I had to narrow it down to the most interesting things of the city to be able to visit it in only one day. Also, I started it in Tre Torri because that’s more or less close to where I live. You can basically start anywhere you want and go in a circle.

If you stay longer in the city, make sure you have some time for:

• Piazza Affari for the Italian Stock Exchange (there's a funny middle-finger statue).
• Piazza Cadorna and its needle & the thread sculpture.
• Via Lincoln (a narrow and colorful street).

Cristian

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