Milan, a city to discover

What is it like to live in Milan? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Milan is an open, modern, international city. It's full of opportunities and it never stops. 2015 is the year of the Expo and Milan is getting ready as best as it can to welcome all the attendees, the tourists and the visitors of this great exposition. Therefore, I recommend you to pop in to be surrounded by a fresh and international environment.

Also, one must not forget that Milan is the Italian capital of fashion and design and... it's in Italy so food is great!

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What is the student lifestyle like in Milan

Milan is the ultimate student city! Here you find universities like the historic Università degli studi, the modern Università Bicocca, the first-class Università Bocconi, the renowned Università Cattolica, the prestigious Politecnico, the avant-garde academies of Art, Design and Fashion. Basically, any faculty you can think of, Milan has it! Furthermore, the development in design, fashion and lifestyle brought to Milan a number of institutes, firms and master degrees open to all the students who want to live an amazing experience in Italy.

How much does it cost to live in Milan?

Milan, just like any other European capital city, has various price ranges that comply with all the different budgets people can have. It all depends on the kind of lifestyle that one wants. Supermarkets are affordable for all of course, all in all public transport costs are contained compared to other cities (London, for example) and the cost of nightlife depends on what you are looking for as well. The range goes from 2€ beer to the Columns of San Lorenzo to the top clubs in Corso Como.

Was it hard to find accommodation in Milan? Can you give us some advice?

Being an ever-busy city, it is not that difficult to find a place to stay in Milan. Moreover, many universities provide student accommodation.

What's the food like in Milan? What are some of your favourite dishes?

It's Italy we are talking about! Food is great! Italian food is obviously top of the line, but in Milan you can also find many kinds of foreign food, thanks also to globalisation and the multi-ethnicity of the last 20 years. My favourite dishes are obviously the Italian ones (risotto, pasta, meat, bread and pizza), but I also like to change every once in a while and so I choose oriental food (Japanese and Indian cuisine).

What places would you recommend visiting in Milan

Once you get to Milan, Piazza del Duomo is definitely the first place to visit, together with the Galleria and the shops.

In the same square there are also the Royal Palace and the Museo del Novecento that houses the most important collecctions of classical and modern art.

Going through the gallery you get to the world-renowned Teatro alla Scala. Walking all the way down via Manzoni you get to the Quadrilatero della moda, the "fashion square" with Via della Spiga and Via Montenapoleone.

The Brera district is a little gem, full of art and culture. Many art galleries and the Pinacoteca are located there. Going back to the centre and towards Piazza Cairoli, you get to the Castello Sforzesco that dates back to the 15th century. Behind the castle there is the Parco Sempione, a park where you can find the Triennale and that terminates with the Arco della Pace and the Arena.

In the Basilica di Santa Maria delle Grazie you can find the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, a work that is magnificent and unmissable.

The historic Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio is the symbol of Romanesque art and of the Christian heritage in North Italy.

The Museum of Science and Technology houses some of the greatest scientific and engineering works of all time.

The Tortona area is the cradle of avant-garde, fashion and design.

The brand-new districts Garibaldi and Isola have been recently rebuilt using modern architectural techniques and are definitely a must-see.

Is it good to eat out in Milan? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

My favourite place is Antica Osteria del Ronchettino (in the Parco Sud area), characterised by typical Milanese cuisine and a unique atmosphere. Milan is full of restaurants, pizzerias, pubs, hamburger places, ethnic cuisine and so on and so forth.

The places I recommend are:

• 10 Corso Como
• Temakinho (in Brera and in Navigli)
• Izu (C. so Lodi)
• 202 Hamburger&Delicious
• Panini Durini
• La Pizza di Sorbillo

What are the places that you recommend for a night out in Milan?

The Navigli and the Porta Ticinese area are the ultimate meeting places for young people. They are the place where they drink beer, have aperitif and have fun.

If you prefer trendier places("pagante" style if you know the meaning of this expression), Corso Como has many of the most famous clubs in Milan.

If you are not that much of a party animal, there are also more intimate restaurants, cinemas, theatres and pubs. Basically there's something every 100 meters, so you can't go wrong.

What advice would you give future students heading to Milan?

I would definitely advise them to stay in Milan and have a look at everything, be curious about everything, every street, every shop, every gallery. Milan is full of things to see although people often boil down to Piazza Duomo or the High Fashion. The sunsets on the Navigli, the little lights in Brera, the exhibitions of the Museum del Novecento. Everything is worth visiting in Milan.

One last piece of advice: do not hole up in the underground to travel around. Hop on the tram! I discovered many more beautiful things taking the tram for a month than I did living in Milan for years. You can enjoy the city from a different perspective.

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