Introduction
The hard-working Milanese run their busy metropolis with efficiency
and aplomb. It is the country's economic engine room, home to
Italy's stock market and business centers. This stylish city is
also the world's design capital and rivals Paris as a leading
fashion center.
It is distinctly sophisticated. Shopping,
whether of the window variety or - for those who can afford it
- the real thing, is of almost a religious significance. Theater
and cinema flourish in this fashionable milieu, while top international
artists always include Milan while on tour. The club scene is
hopping. Food is another one of Milan's joys. Immigrants dish
up eclectic cuisines to the delight of denizens and visitors alike.
When you're tired of exquisite Lombard, Sicilian and Tuscan dishes,
here you'll be able to find a fragrant bowl of pho or a spicy
curry. Milan is certainly a Renaissance city.
Milan is a sprawling metropolis, but most of its attractions are
concentrated in the city center, between the duomo (cathedral)
and the Castello Sforzesco. The duomo is best place to begin exploring
the city and is within strolling distance of dozens of historic
sites. The city's efficient underground railway, the Metropolitana
Milanesa (MM) has a stop here.
Apart from the city
center, another area deserving your attention is the Brera, immediately
north of the duomo, with its posh galleries and fashionable shopping
streets. Also check out Navigli to the south. |
| Milan
Italy Attraction Guide |
Duomo
Milano's navel, Piazza
del Duomo, has the atmosphere of London's Piccadilly Circus and
much more interesting architecture. The cathedral was commissioned
in 1386 and is the world's fourth-largest church. The late-Gothic
wonder features a forest of spires and statuary, marble pinnacles
and pillars, all woven together with a web of flying buttresses.
A gilded copper statue of the Madonna rises above the myriad vertices,
distracting awed observers from the church's most interesting
omission: The duomo has no bell tower.
The duomo's finest relic
is a nail purportedly used to pin Jesus to a cross all those years
ago. Every September, the Archbishop of Milan retrieves the sacred
bit of metal from its perch high above the nave and presents it
to an adoring (or at least curious) congregation.
The neighboring Museo
del Duomo chronicles the church's six centuries and displays
an interesting collection of art and artifacts.
Cenacolo Vinciano
Leonardo da Vinci captured the Bible's
most poignant moment, The Last Supper, in an experimental
mix of tempera and oil. The paint has been steadily peeling from
the walls of this convent since 1498. Waves of restoration have
removed all but an echo of the master's brushstrokes, but that's
enough. It's a powerful piece of work.
To visit the refectory of the Convento
di Santa Maria delle Grazie, where the painting was most recently
restored in 1999, you'll need to plan ahead. To join a group of
25 (sluiced through every 15 minutes), book weeks in advance by
phone and get ready to give your credit card a workout. There
are tales of travelers who managed to get in without making
prior arrangements, but such miracles seem reserved for the truly
faithful.
Castello Sforzesco
At the northeastern end of the lovely Via Dante, which intersects
the Piazza del Duomo, looms the imposing Castello Sforzesco. Originally
a military fortress, it was completely remodeled by more comfort-minded
Francesco Sforza. The new and improved defenses were designed
by Leonardo da Vinci.
The castle houses a collection of modern museums that are well-stocked
with impressive antiquities. The excellent sculpture collection
includes Michelangelo's Pietá Rondanini. There are
also paintings by Bellini, Tiepolo, Mantegna, Correggio, Titian
and Van Dyck. If you get bored with Italian masters, the collection
of Egyptian artifacts should prove distracting.
Behind the castle, Parco Sempione is a 47-hectare (116-acre)
park with plenty of places to stroll and an interesting (if a
bit dilapidated) arena that was inaugurated by Napoleon.
Teatro alla Scala
Rising above Piazza della Scala (itself dominated by a monument
dedicated to da Vinci) is the renowned Teatro alla Scala. La Scala,
as it is commonly known, first raised its curtain in 1778 and
has treated generations of opera aficionados to arias aplenty
over the years.
The theater was heavily damaged by bombs during WWII, but reopened
in 1946 under the baton of famed composer Arturo Toscanini, who
had returned to Milan after an eight-year stint as director of
the New York Philharmonic.
The adjoining Museo Teatrale alla Scala boasts such curiosities
as Verdi's death mask (complete with the maestro's facial hairs). |
| Milan
Italy Transportation |
Getting There & Away
Milan has long been a crossroads for travel between the Continent
and the peninsula, and there are plenty option for getting in
and out of town.
The Malpensa airport handles almost all international flights.
It's about 50km northwest of the city. Most domestic and some
European flights use Linate airport, about 7km east of the city
center. Public transportation links both airports to the city
center. The bus system is rather difficult to negotiate; bus stations
are scattered across town, so you'll need to know which line runs
to your destination and go from there. A better option might be
the train; lines from Stazione Central in the city center run
to all parts of Italy and Europe. There are two other stations,
Nord and Porte Garibaldi, that may offer better deals.
Many of Italy's main motorways converge
at Milan's ring road, known as the Tangenziale Est and Tangenziale
Ovest. Prepare to deal with unexpected traffic on your way into
and out of Milan, particularly on the busy A4 west to Torino.
Getting Around
Milan's public transportation system is efficient. There are four
underground lines, with a fifth being considered, as well as buses
and trams. Tickets are available at Metropolitana Milanesa (MM)
stations and some newspaper stands. You can sometimes get a free
public transport map from ATM offices at the Duomo metro station
and Stazione Central.
Don't bother trying to hail taxis
as they generally won't stop. Head for one of the ubiquitous taxi
ranks, which have telephones. Driving through central Milan is
a hassle. One-way streets seem designed to keep cars out, you'll
need to pay to park (if you can find a space) and the limit is
two hours during the day. Illegally parked cars are gleefully
fined or towed. A better plan is to leave your car at an outlying
MM station. |
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