I knew disturbingly little about Milan prior to this trip. Let’s see. Fashion capital. A famous football team? (Just don’t ask me to name an actual player.) And… La Scala opera house. That’s pretty much it. My only other point of reference is Edna Mode in The Incredibles saying the line ‘Milan, dahling, Milan’ when asked about a recent headlinemaking runway show.
A bit of research revealed that yes, it is a shopping haven. If you have the euros to spend on designer brands. And there are, of course, great cocktails and food to be had. (Duh, it’s Italy.) But it also has some hidden gems in terms of art, incredibly picturesque spaces, and loads of culture to soak up – preferably with a Negroni in hand.
Because I went in the dead of winter (February), Milan was quiet and atmospheric. Wrapped up against the cold, you can discover the city on foot, unencumbered by the summertime crowds. And if you are on a time limit like I was, here’s what you have to see.
DUOMO DI MILANO
This Gothic landmark is in the centre of the city – if you walk around long enough, you’ll inevitably end up here. And it really is a sight to behold, towering over the central Piazza Duomo. Or, as Mark Twain enthused: ‘What a wonder it is! So grand, so solemn, so vast! And yet so delicate, so airy, so graceful! A very world of solid weight, and yet it seems… a delusion of frostwork that might vanish with a breath.’
The Duomo is the largest cathedral in Europe (and the secondlargest church, outdone only by Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican), and took almost six centuries to finish – construction began in 1386 and the finishing touches were only added in 1965. The famous 4.16 m golden statue of the ‘Madonnina’, built in gilded copper, has been standing atop the highest spire since 1774, a representation of the heart and soul of the city. During World War II, she was covered with a grey-green cloth so as not to provide an easy target for bombers, and five years afterwards she was ceremoniously unveiled by the then-archbishop of Milan.
Take the lift (or 165 steps) up to the rooftop terraces for panoramic views of the city and a close-up look at the 3 400 statues, 150 gargoyles, flying buttresses, falconature, and silent saints and martyrs carved into the Candoglia marble. It’s particularly photogenic when it’s all lit up at night.
PARCO SEMPIONE
Known as Milan’s ‘green lung’, this is one of the most beautiful parks in the city – although it has a distinct Sleepy Hollow vibe in winter. It was originally a wooded area where the Sforza family (who ruled the Duchy of Milan for almost a century) went hunting, and was later transformed into a garden by Napoleon. In 1893 it became Parco Sempione, and was landscaped to include paths and woods, artificial lakes and sports areas.
Originally commissioned by Napoleon, the 25 m-tall Arco della Pace (Arch of Peace) towers over the northwestern edge of the park. It was meant to be a triumphal entrance to Milan, celebrating his victories, but by the time it was completed Napoleon’s winning streak had ended, so it was re-dedicated to peace between European nations. (Embarrassingly enough, it depicts the Battle of Leipzig, where Napoleon was defeated.)
In the heart of Parco Sempione, tucked away between the trees, you’ll find the romantic Ponte delle Sirenette (aka the Bridge of the Little Mermaids), where four Art Nouveau mermaids stand sentry on either side of a small cast-iron bridge. Locals believe that anyone who crosses the bridge is allowed to make a wish, and that kissing beneath the statues will bring couples luck, prosperity and fertility.
PINACOTECA DI BRERA
It’s been called ‘the best art museum you’ve never heard of’: The Pinacoteca di Brera, or Brera Art Gallery, houses more than 400 works from the 14th to the 20th century, by artists such as Piero della Francesca, Raphael and Caravaggio. Some of the most well-known pieces in the collection include The Marriage of the Virgin by Raphael, Lamentation of Christ by Andrea Mantegna, Supper at Emmaus by Caravaggio, The Kiss by Francesco Hayez and Last Supper by Rubens. Entry is €15 (about R315).
CASTELLO SFORZESCO
This medieval red-brick castle bordering Parco Sempione is home to seven specialised museums, and has an incredible collection of artworks by famed Italian artists like Mantegna, Bronzino, Correggio, Lotto, Tiziano (Titian) and Tintoretto – as well as antique weaponry, suits of armour, enormous tapestries, ornate décor pieces, stained-glass windows, musical instruments and sculptures. The most hyped piece on display is the Rondanini Pietà, Michelangelo’s last, unfinished sculpture. He was still working on it when he died, just a few weeks before his 89th birthday. Wandering around the castle’s courtyards is free; tickets to see the exhibits are €5 (about R105).
THE LAST SUPPER
Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic painting is not enshrined in a big gallery, as you would assume. It adorns a wall inside the Dominican convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Here’s the thing about The Last Supper: It’s not your conventional fresco. Painting in this traditional style would have forced Da Vinci to work quickly, so he used an experimental technique that didn’t dry quite as rapidly. This proved to be a terrible idea – the paint was already starting to flake off the wall just 20 years later. Records from 1582 state that, by then, it was ‘in a state of total ruin’. Keeping this delicate mural preserved has been an uphill battle stretching across centuries, with numerous disastrous attempts to restore it over the years. One restorer even attempted to remove it from the wall and transfer it onto canvas, permanently damaging it in the process.
Add to this ongoing damp issues, the addition of a doorway in the 1600s that cut off Jesus’ feet, and even a bombing of the church during World War II (the wall miraculously remained intact), and the real miracle is that there’s anything left of this incredible piece of history.
To see it for yourself, you have to book tickets online. You get a 15-minute viewing slot inside the climate-controlled room; admission is €15 (about R315).
TEATRO ALLA SCALA
Milan’s iconic opera house is famed for its ballet and opera performances – but be warned, those tickets don’t come cheap. There are seats going for €90 (about R1 860) with just a limited view of the stage, €70 (about R1 450) for ones with no view whatsoever, and €22 (about R455) for seats marked ‘column’ – I can only assume you’ll be sitting behind one. The nosebleeds go for up to €90, and the prime location seats are around €150–€180 (about R3 100–R3 725). You can buy lastminute tickets two hours before a show at a discount of up to 25% – but don’t bank on it if you’re really invested. Shows often sell out, which is why this one didn’t get ticked off my bucket list. *Sob*
It’s also worth seeing what’s on at Teatro degli Arcimboldi; it had an impressive lineup of theatre productions, bands and musical acts, ballet and comedians (none of which, unfortunately, coincided with my dates). Ticket prices look to be more reasonable – and as far as I can tell, every seat actually faces the stage.
RETAIL THERAPY
In Milan, dogs are very much part of everyday life. They browse shops alongside their owners, lie underneath café tables, and go for long rambling walks, often dressed in coats and knits if it’s cold. One was dressed in a coat unmistakably similar to her owner’s, waiting politely as the woman perused the rails inside a chic boutique.
In the fashion capital of Italy, shopping is a major pastime. Luxury boutiques and shopping arcades abound near the Duomo, with Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II a crowning jewel. Even if you’re just window-shopping, you have to visit Italy’s oldest active shopping arcade.
For more affordable high-street wares, head to Corso Buenos Aires, a 1.2 km-long shopping street populated with department stores, bars, restaurants, cafés, ice-cream parlours, bookstores and popular clothing brands.
If you’re on the hunt for a unique vintage find, Navigli is where it’s at: Humana Vintage Milano, Surplus and Sous Vintage Shop are bound to deliver. I was on the hunt for a Milanese keepsake and eventually stumbled across a tiny boho jewellery shop called LaPatty Gelosa Bijoux, where I bought a pair of earrings. (I later discovered that the designer is actually French, but I’m choosing to ignore that.) I also loved Tenoha, which specialises in Japanese homeware, books and stationery, but that seemed like a weird place to get a keepsake from Milan.
If you’re bringing home edible souvenirs, I can highly recommend ODStore, which has everything from fancy vintage chocolate and cookie tins to Milka, Bounty, Trix and pistachio spreads, Unicorn Froot Loops, biscotti and panforte. You can slip into a sugar coma just walking through the aisles.
If you’re planning a shopping day, keep in mind that the Italians close their shops around midday for riposo, the Italian version of a siesta. It can start as early as noon and carry on until 4pm!
BUON APPETITO!
It’s Italy, so obviously pizza and pasta are widely available and consistently delicious. The tiramisu was also a safe option, even when it was just a takeaway slice in a plastic cup.
For a quick coffee and baked treat on the go, pop into Princi – everything was very affordable (€1.20 (about R25) for an espresso, €2 (about R42) for an americano, €3–€3.80 (about R62–R80) for chocolate- and hazelnut-creamfilled croissants), and there were loads of interesting pastries to choose from.
According to my Airbnb host Lodovico, you can’t say you’ve visited Milan if you didn’t try a panzerotto (a savoury dumpling) at Luini. There is a perpetual queue outside, but it moves quickly.
If you want to try authentically Milanese cuisine, order the risotto alla Milanese. Personally, I found it to be alarmingly yellow – saffron gives it its trademark colour – and rather bland, but if it’s served with a generous sprinkling of grana cheese, and maybe a helping of osso buco (also a local speciality), it’s apparently luxuriously creamy and moreish. Fun fact: Italy is the largest producer of rice in Europe – it is mainly grown in the Po Valley, also known as the ‘rice bowl of Italy’, where Milan is located.
The other local speciality is panettone, a quintessential Milanese cake that has been around since the 15th century. It’s typically served at Christmas, but don’t let that stop you from ordering a slice with your morning cappuccino.
Pasticceria Cucchi in Porta Genova is renowned for its soft, fluffy panettone.
A heads-up: Don’t bother trying to order a cappuccino after 11 am. They’ll give it to you in the more touristy areas, but usually with a sigh and an overt eye roll.
I tried a few hole-in-the-wall restaurants, but ate most meals at the Mercato Centrale Milano inside the Centrale station. This local market lets you sample all kinds of Italian favourites, from pastries and pastas to authentic pizzas. Or you can drop in for a sandwich and a coffee. Plus, they have wine and Prosecco by the glass – and cocktails.
SALUTI!
Navigli is at the centre of Milan’s nightlife, with dozens of bars lining the canals. Lodovico informed me that this is a good spot to have a ‘suggestive aperitif’ (a sexy sundowner?), and since Milan is the birthplace of Campari, that seemed like a good choice. Or you could try a spritz (bittersweet liqueur of your choice, wine and soda water); the ever-trendy Negroni (gin, sweet vermouth, Campari); or the eventrendier Negroni Sbagliato (sweet vermouth, Campari and Prosecco), which was reportedly invented in Milan. Legend has it that Mirko Stocchetto, the owner of Bar Basso, was making a Negroni when he accidentally added fizzy spumante instead of gin – and so the Negroni Sbagliato (‘mistaken Negroni’) was born.
ACCOMMODATION
I made the dubious choice to switch to a different Airbnb midway through my trip, mainly because I thought it would force me to see more of the city and get out of my comfort zone. Which it did. But you also lose at least half a day hanging around waiting for your next check-in slot – and then you have to start all over in terms of finding the nearest supermarket, learning the route to the metro and just generally settling in. I’m not convinced it was the best strategy.
The first Airbnb was a stone’s throw from the Centrale station, which was very handy – but after a few days, I did feel like I had seen everything worth seeing within walking distance. The second was on the outskirts of Navigli, which was quite gritty and graffitied in parts, with some amazing street art. The Navigli canals are just a few minutes away, and the flat was lovely; my only real gripe was the self-appointed landlady/aggressively helpful nonna downstairs. My Airbnb host had sent me a very detailed, step-by-step video explaining each part of the self-check-in process, so I really wasn’t looking for help – but she was having none of it. I was accosted the moment I set foot inside the building, and judging by her exasperated tone, she clearly thought I was hopelessly lost and quite possibly a halfwit. Eventually I scuttled off to the lift as she gesticulated wildly and shouted instructions at me in Italian.
Both flats were quite expenny at around R1 800 per night (keeping in mind it was the dead of winter), but I’m guessing that’s par for the course with our dismal exchange rate.
GETTING AROUND
The metro is affordable at €2.20 (about R46) for a 90-minute ticket. If you’re hopping on more than twice a day, there’s also a €15 (about R315) ticket, which is valid for three full days.
On the last day, the metro was mysteriously closed, so I had to resort to getting on a tram, destination unclear. There were a million people crammed inside – and at one point the conductor just announced ‘Finito’, and everyone got off. I have no clue why. I walked the rest of the way to Centrale, where I could (thankfully) catch a shuttle to Malpensa airport – for just €10 (about R210).
