Milan: Renaissance Past Meets Modern Marvel
Milan is where Renaissance architecture meets modern masterpiece, a city where the old and the new beautifully blend into each other. The beauty of Milan goes beyond the opera houses and grandiose buildings. Milan is a microcosm of Italian history and culture, a place where the best attractions are often hidden beneath layers of the modern. The area is rich in theatres, galleries, restaurants and venues throughout the year. Milan is never short of art and cultural events, expositions, shows and concerts. With the walkable streets, world-class dining, and beautiful setting, Milan is a place where urban explorers will find something new to enjoy every single day.
Here’s a list of attractions and experiences to help you with building a Milan itinerary:
MonteNapoleone Suites on Via Santa Cecilia
We stayed at the MonteNapoleone Suites, a modern and chic hotel located in the heart of Milan on Via Santa Cecilia, a very strategic location. A bus stopping at nearby Piazza San Babila provides regular transport to/from Milano Linate Airport, located just four miles away. It is also a short 2-mile cab ride from the Milano Centrale Railway Station. It is in close proximity to Via Monte Napoleone, the playground of the rich and famous, a well-known shopping street home to the most prestigious brands.
It is a pleasant walk to the city center along Corso Vittorio Emanuele II that takes you to the iconic Duomo (Milan Cathedral), Galleria di Vittorio Emanuele II, the renowned La Scala opera house, the financial district and Piazza Affari, and the Brera Picture Gallery, where it is possible to admire the works of masters such as Caravaggio, Titian, Bellini, and van Dyck.
MonteNapoleone Suites’ edifice looks unassuming at first glance, and then pleasantly surprises its guests when they get to their rooms. Our suite was very spacious, clean and quite modern. The shower room we had was huge and came with the usual creature comforts we like to have such as towel rack warmer, hair dyer and hair straightener, and Molton Brown toiletries, one of London’s upmarket brands. Lovely, fluffy spa robes and slippers were also provided. To top it off, our room also had a mini bar, snacks, and coffee and tea station, which were free of charge and stocked daily, something I have yet to see in America. Staff was very attentive and helpful. All in all, MonteNapoleone spared no expense toward its guests’ comfort. I highly recommend MonteNapoleone Suites and would stay there again on my next visit to Milan.
The Duomo (Milan Cathedral) – Of Spires, Saints, Gargoyles, and the Madonnina
One of the first stops I had in mind when getting to Milan was the Duomo (also known as Milan Cathedral or Church of Santa Maria Nascente). Construction began in 1386 but didn’t finish until 1965, meaning that all the effort past architects and builders put into the Duomo truly paid off. Napoleon Bonaparte is credited for finishing the impressive façade and spearheading construction in the 19th century. No wonder he thought it appropriate that he be crowned King of Italy in the Duomo. Restorations and cleaning continue to this day. With 600 years in the making, the Duomo is the longest constructed church in the world.
As always when visiting a famous site, it is highly recommended to sign up for a local tour, not only to see what you need to see but also learn as much information and history about the place. Unless you are a history buff and pre-read everything about a site, going the way of a tour beats winging it on your own. The other obvious reason is to skip the long lines of tourists and not waste precious time.
The cathedral is Gothic architecture, and while somber and impossibly intricate in design, is also indescribably beautiful. There are no words for how detailed everything is - the spectacular stained glass windows that tell the stories of the Bible, the beautiful Candoglia marble floors, impressive artwork, and statues.
One’s tour is not complete without walking up to the rooftop of the Duomo. Small groups of people are brought to the rooftop via an equally small elevator escorted by an armed security. It is an incredible experience to actually step out and have a complete panoramic view of the entire city and more so to come face to face with the fine details of the intricate, pointy spires, the statues of the saints that look like they are in suspended animation, and the hideous gargoyle water spouts. Looking down from the rooftop, the people in the square appear like busy ants. Looking up, you find yourself marveling at the famous Madonnina, the golden statue of Mary that stands on top of the cathedral’s highest spire. No question – the Duomo rooftop walk is a must. If you have acrophobia like I do, get out of your comfort zone and just do it. You will not regret it!
Grand Galleria Vittorio Emanuele
You might think you’re entering a museum or palace when you go in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, but at its core, the gallery is an opulent shopping experience that puts Milan aesthetic at the forefront. The structure is named after Italy’s first king, Victor Emmanuel II. It actually dates back to 1877 and is one of the world’s oldest active shopping malls. Even if you don’t spend money at this mall, you’re still in for an amazing walk through this beautiful building. The flooring is made of four mosaic emblems of the cities of Rome, Florence and Turin, the three capitals of the Kingdom of Italy, and Milan’s. Legend has it that if a person spins around three times with a heel on the testicles of the bull from the Turin coat of arms, this will bring good luck. Tourists take turns spinning on the bull’s testicles as they get a video or photo to memorialize their visit. Sadly, this tradition has caused damage to the bull’s nether regions. In fact, a hole has taken the place of his testicles. I have to say a mea culpa as I was one of those tourists who stepped on the bull’s testicles, even though I did not spin on my heel. So when you get to visit the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, I would advise to break with tradition and leave the bull alone, and do as I say and not as I did.
Church of Santa Maria Delle Grazie
Though the exterior of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie might not immediately seem astounding, take a step back and check it out in full. Especially the rear basilica. Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper, one of the most famous paintings in the entire world, can also be seen in the convent rectory of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Despite its fame, the Last Supper was not one of Da Vinci’s successful masterpieces. He had no previous experience with the scale of the project and had never painted a fresco. He then experimented on putting pigment on dry plaster unlike a fresco where pigment is applied to wet plaster. As a result, the painting started flaking and needed to be restored many times during its history. It was not expected to stand the test of time. Miraculously, it has survived total deterioration from environmental factors, vandalism by Bonaparte’s soldiers who used the rectory as a stable, and the bombing in World War II.
Though The Last Supper is one of Italy's must-see sites, the convent in which it is located was not built for big crowds. Only 20 to 25 people are allowed in at a time in visiting blocks of 15 minutes. It is recommended that visitors book tickets to see The Last Supper at least two months in advance. And be sure to dress conservatively, or you may be turned away from the convent.
Another feature in the church is the Cloister of the Frogs, a courtyard that connects the church to the sacristy decorated with spring magnolias in each quadrant and a fountain in the middle. The fountain is flanked by four frogs, thus deriving its odd name. The cloister is perfect for spending some quiet time reading or in meditation.
Castello Sforzesco (Sforza Castle)
I met Ludovico Sforza in the Netflix series, The Borgias, a historical-fiction drama of ecclesiastical and political maneuverings, betrayal, greed, lust and all the other capital sins. You name it, they committed it. So it was pretty mind-blowing to actually walk the bridge and enter the magnificent courtyard. If it were not for the tourists, you could easily think you had been transported in time. Though originally constructed in 1370, the imposing Castello Sforzesco has undergone a number of renovations but retains a powerful presence definitely fit for a king. I loved strolling amongst the landscaped gardens, along the central courtyard, and enormous guard towers. It’s in places like this where you realize how small modern day buildings can be! Aside from exploring the castle, you can also look at small museums that have a number of artefacts from the castle and old world Milan. There’s nothing like a restaurant by the entrance of the castle that brings you back from your time-travel musings. Here you can sit down and have some snack or rest your weary feet a while.
La Rinascente
Located on the Piazza del Duomo, near the Milan Cathedral, is a delightful shopping and dining area called La Rinascente. It features high-end stores with both Italian and international brands in fashion, accessories, beauty, home goods, design and food. The Milan flagship store was founded in 1865 and is the host of the Milano Food City festival and dozens of events going on during the year. With a beautiful Duomo as a backdrop, we enjoyed a nice dinner on the rooftop sampling scrumptious fares like Mozarella Mano Affumicata (smoked bufala mozzarella), Caponata alla Siciliana, N’duja di Spilinga (spicy sausage) and Acciughe di Cetara e Caperi (anchovy and capers) pizzas and some juicy rib-eye di Angus Argentina, washed down with our favorite aperitif, Aperol Spritz.
Some reminders for my next visit to Milan: See Palazzo Reale; visit the Navigli District; book an opera at La Scala; and bring an extra empty suitcase. With Milan being one of the fashion capitals, shopping is definitely on the itinerary. You never know when you would be lucky enough to score some haute couture for much, much less!
