A weekend to Milan with your partner? Erika went on a city trip to Milan and is happy to share her tips with you. I myself went to Milan a few years ago with children, during our holiday at a campsite on Lago Maggiore, super cool!
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On a city trip to Milan. Is that only for art connoisseurs, culture lovers and fashion icons? Or also for people like us? Without an exploded, hip Instagram account, who have no real art on the wall and failed in history?
My love gave me a city trip to Milan as a gift. A real city trip. Almost three days away just the two of you! So a long weekend to Milan, in our beloved Italy. A weekend away together for some quality time! Do you ever do that too? Gone together, without children? My love and I went out together and I would like to tell you more about it.
We flew from Brussels airport. It took us over an hour to get to Milan-Malpensa. A small, well-organized airport. Shuttle buses run from Malpensa to Milan Central Station. This bus takes you to the heart of Milan in an hour. You buy a return ticket (open ticket) for only € 14.00 per person. You can consider taking a taxi, then you pay around € 100.00. The choice was made quickly for us.
We stayed in a hotel outside the center, in the suburb of Niguarda. A simple hotel with neat, clean rooms. Of course we would have liked to be right in the center, but the difference in price is such that a simple hotel in a suburb is fine for a weekend in Milan. There are many hotels with great offers. It pays to look around on the internet if you want to book a city trip to Milan, or any other city.
There we were, at 10:00 in the morning in the heart of Milan. Sunny Milan. Our hotel was still a bit away and we couldn't check in until 2:00 PM. We didn't want to lose time and discover the city! You can leave your luggage at Central Station † Your luggage is safe for € 7.00 per suitcase/backpack. So you can go on an adventure without any hassle. Ideal!
To be honest, we didn't really have a plan beforehand. Yes, we did some reading beforehand, but that's about it. We hadn't really thought about how to get from point A to B now. The city map from Michelin's “The green travel guide” showed that some sights are a very far walk. Fortunately, public transport in Milan offers a solution. For only € 4.50 you can buy a day ticket with which you can use the bus, tram and metro for 24 hours. It takes a while to look and read, but everything is clear. I have to mention that I was happy that my love is very handy with metro schedules and Google Maps. He knew exactly where to go and how. Otherwise I would probably still be at the Central Station in Milan 😉 #dorpsmeisje
We found this way of travel very pleasant. You really immerse yourself in the city. Between locals. We love it. If you don't like this, or if you don't have a sweetheart with you who sorts this out, you can rent bicycles, for example. With those tram tracks, speeding scooters and spirited motorists, this didn't seem like a good plan to us. A good alternative is "hop on hop or buses". These drive fully in the city, are affordable and take you to all the sights.
There is so much to see in Milan. Especially if you like art, culture and fashion. We are not fashion dolls, we don't care much for history and we certainly aren't art connoisseurs. We do love Italy, good food and drink and above all, we love to enjoy it. We really wanted to see three things. Milan Cathedral, Leonardo Da Vinci's “Last Supper” and, of course, the chic shopping street. Now that we have arranged the transport, we should be able to do that.
Even before we had finished lunch, we wanted to see the “Last Supper”. In good spirits we went to the church “Santa Maria delle Grazie”. In this church, with an adjacent cloister, you can find the famous mural 'The Last Supper' by Leonardo Da Vinci. And I wanted to see it. At home we had read that an entrance ticket for this is very difficult to get. Yet we had not ordered tickets online, because we knew a lot about what time and on what day we would be there. It would come loose right?! In good spirits I went to the cash register but got no answer. No tickets, not even for tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow. And it's not even peak season yet. So take my tip to heart:order your ticket for “The Last Supper” online in advance so that you are assured of a ticket.
We dropped off in awe. Then do something that makes you happy and doesn't need tickets:food. With a good glass of wine! And that is possible everywhere in Milan. From tasty sandwiches to delicious pizzas, pastas, but also meat dishes. Prices vary quite a bit. At the hotspots you pay much more than if you walk a few streets. But sometimes it is also just as wonderful if you are right in the center. With a cappuccino of € 5.00 and a piece of "tarte" of € 8.00 you can imagine yourself to the jet set of Milan for a while. And how nice is it to watch people unabashedly!
The beautiful Duomo is located on the Piazza del Duomo. A huge cathedral. The Duomo museum is also located here, but we only had eyes for the Duomo. So impressive. You really wonder how they were able to build all this in the past. We bought a ticket on the spot with access to the church, the archaeological center and the terraces. The cathedral is also beautiful inside. A beautiful floor, beautiful sculpture and great stained glass. Here you can marvel at all the splendor. A must see if you are in Milan for a weekend.
What you should not miss are the terraces of the Duomo. We went up by elevator. The 165 steps I found quite a bit. Although the small elevator is not very nice either. Fortunately, there is always an elevator attendant. Secretly I was hoping for real terraces. You know, with cozy seats and good wine. But that is of course not the case. From the roof of the cathedral, between the pinnacles and statues, you have a breathtaking view over the city.
Wow! No real terrace can compete with this. I'm glad that, despite my fear of heights, we made the trip up. And that this was not in high season. Because I honestly wonder how long you have to wait for the narrow passages to enjoy the beautiful view.
After all the splendor of the cathedral, it's time to discover the fashion city of Milan. We have our eyes wide open. What a luxury, what money. Galleria Vittoria Emanuele II † You should be there. It is located next to the Duomo and these two sights can therefore be easily combined.
Galleria Vittoria Emanuelle II has a gigantic gallery. Extremely chic and hugely expensive. Prada, Luis Vuitton, Versace. They are all represented. Beautiful dresses adorn the shop window. Beautiful dresses with spicy prices. We didn't go inside. I don't know if that should be either. I don't exactly look like a Milanese millionaire woman in my jeans and sneakers… Anyway, it was great fun to see this during our weekend in Milan. In addition to shops, there are also trendy restaurants, great wine bars and "see and be seen" terraces. The prices here are a bit more expensive, but certainly not unaffordable.
But there is more to Milan. We also went to the Castello Sforzesco. A large castle, with a beautiful park. Here you can enjoy a nice walk and you can really relax after the hustle and bustle on the Duomo square. The “Bosco Verticale”, green skyscrapers, were also great to see. Love art and culture? Then visit the many museums in the city. We skipped these, and didn't miss them at all. Even if you have no knowledge of art, culture or fashion, Milan is just a very nice city for a city trip.
We enjoyed the weekend in Milan during our city trip. Plenty! The beautiful buildings, the beautiful people, the beautiful streets. And the good food, drinks and the beautiful weather. Because what a gift that was:a blue sky and the sun that was shining. But most of all we enjoyed each other. That quality time together was wonderful! As far as I'm concerned, that was the most beautiful thing about Milan!
