🇮🇹 Milan: more than fashion – top 15 attractions
Most people associate Milan with branded bags, fashion shows and the Duomo. I was unlucky, the first impression was not so great: slow service, heaps of replicas on cardboard in the passages and a bidet behind the screen by the bed in the hotel room. Yes, booking.com can also surprise you.
However, Milan is a frantic emotion, you will feel it as soon as you set foot on the soil of the former capital of the Roman Empire. So where should you go right away?
Duomo Cathedral
Let's start with the classics, all roads and guidebooks will lead to the Duomo. The sooner you get there, the better. I'm serious. Some particularly desperate tourists and bloggers come to the cathedral at dawn so that other people do not appear in their photos. But the pigeons will almost certainly appear in the photographs. The facade and interior of the building are decorated with thousands of statues – about 3,400 of them. The door of the cathedral can be read like the Bible, because it depicts the chronology of the life of Jesus.
The Duomo is gorgeous and majestic; you can return to it more than once. Walk around it, go inside, go up to the terraces of the cathedral – an incomparable observation deck, see the statue of the Madonna at the top, look into the service and listen to organ music.
Also take a walk in Piazza Duomo and buy some ice cream. The main thing is not to be fooled by annoying sellers who will literally push “the entire world range” into your hands, from bird food to selfie sticks.
La Scala Opera House
World famous center of opera culture. 18 century. The theater was built on the site of a former church, after which it was named. The opera is performed in the neoclassical style. The acoustics inside are amazing, all due to the design of the hall in the shape of a horseshoe; the sound is evenly distributed throughout the entire territory. Even in remote places, audibility will be excellent.
Unfortunately, I was not able to test this in practice. Getting to performances is expensive and difficult, although they say there is a loophole like in Vienna. Every day, except when there is a premiere at the theater, you can get a ticket for only 10 euros, but you need to sign up for the list at the box office at 13:00 and confirm your entry at 17:00 (there are only 140 such free tickets). But even without performances, the theater is worth a look; it has a thematic museum for 9 euros.
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Gallery of Victor Emmanuel II
If shopping is not your thing, but you still want to experience high fashion, be sure to go to the cross-shaped gallery in the neo-Renaissance style, decorated with mosaics and sculptures. It is located next to the Duomo, so don't miss it. Some boutique windows are designed like art installations; you want to look into each one.
In fact, the Victor Emmanuel II Gallery is a tunnel that connects Cathedral Square and La Scala Theater Square. Named after the first king of Italy, who was at the opening of the passage in the 19th century. And in the shopping center on the mosaic floor you will find the Bull of Turin. There is a local belief that if you stand on the drawing and turn around your axis, you will have a lot of happiness and your wish will come true. Yes, yes, what city doesn’t have this? But it was still interesting to look at the floor, it’s a pity I don’t remember what I wished for on it.
Sforza Castle
The famous palace of the 15th century, the Kremlin was later built in its likeness. Inside the castle there is a real treasury: ancient and rare musical instruments, statues, sculptures, paintings (even works by Leonardo da Vinci).
Santa Maria delle Grazie
The medieval church of the Dominican monastery, which houses the famous “Last Supper” – the legendary fresco by da Vinci, 4.5 by 9 meters. Christ and the apostles are depicted in full height. The temple is a cross between Gothic and Renaissance in architectural terms.
Basilica of Saint Ambrose
4th century for a minute! There is a creepy theory that the basilica was built on the spot where the first followers of Christ once died in torture and agony. Of course, over so many centuries, the architectural appearance of the building has changed more than once, the basilica was destroyed many times, and it received its current appearance only in the 11th century.
Sempione Park
I am an ambassador for the parks, so I always write about them. Sempione is a huge beautiful park in the English style with an area of almost 400 thousand square meters. Ideal lawns, a lake, fountains, an abundance of flowers – a great place for relaxation and a picnic. Check out the Mermaid Bridge, a popular photo spot. The park is located near the center.
A little Venetian vibe in Milan: a romantic and sophisticated area of the city. Navigli are canals that were used as transport routes from ancient times until the 20th century. There are dozens of restaurants and bars around – a great place for a classic Italian dinner.
You can take a boat ride and discover the city from a new side. And the walk along the embankment itself will certainly be memorable. The nightlife there is in full swing. The area was chosen by young people and representatives of creative bohemia.
Bosco Verticale
“Vertical forest” is a new generation of architecture. Skyscrapers with an extremely interesting concept, praising the union of man and nature. The residential complex consists of two buildings, 80 and 112 meters high, with hundreds of trees and thousands of shrubs and plants growing from it. Looks amazing!
If you have enough time for a date with a Milanese fashionista, go to the San Siro football stadium, the gallery of modern art, the botanical garden, and the Da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology.
No matter what you're into, Milan can surprise you (even if it's unpleasant in places). Because it is a luxurious city with a powerful Italian temperament. Next time I’ll tell you how to deal with this very temperament and what life hacks there are for getting to know the country as a whole. Viva l'Italia!