Milan – a small quaint city on the northern region of Italy is the home to Gelato, Da Vinci’s The Last Supper as well as Expo Milano. Milan doesn’t boost a large city centre but is one rich in architecture and culture.
Sforza Castle houses some of Milan's museums and art collections.
Milan has lived through several occupancies as well as wars. Some of these remnants can still be seen around Milan and one the most obvious is the Arco della Pace (Arch of Peace). When Napolean conquered Milan in the early 18th century, he erected the Arco della Pace to celebrate his victory. The location of the arch corresponds with the location of the Roman Walls and the Porta Giovia. The arch itself looks similar to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris with its Neoclassical bas-reliefs and statues celebrating historical and mythological events of Italy and Europe.
Duomo di Milano is one of the most iconic buildings in Milan.
The Milanese are warm, welcoming and are most certainly one, if not the most, loudest people I’ve come across. The only comparison I could make is to the Hokkien speaking (sub-Chinese dialect or clan) people in Malaysia, where the tone and manner of speaking is loud and almost obnoxious. As if the two people engaged in the conversation are going to go to war but in actual fact they are just having a friendly chat. They are also rather expressive with gestures that make it all the more entertaining watching a conversation between two people take place, especially if you don’t understand the language at all! But in all honesty, they are friendly and passionate group of people.
*I don’t just think its only the Milanese that are friendly, but Italians in general are warm and passionate people.
*I don’t just think its only the Milanese that are friendly, but Italians in general are warm and passionate people.
French Design at Fuorisalone Milano Design Week.
Milan is a rather industrial city therefore is doesn’t boast in tourist attraction like Rome. In less than 5-days you’d be able to see the city, at a leisurely pace of course. The city comes to life during Fuorisalone Milano Design Week (Milano Design week), which is held every year, mainly in Zona Tortona that has now spilled over to the districts of Brera, and a few other locations. It takes places at the same time as the Salone Internazionale del Mobile and last only a week.
*Salone Internazionale del Mobile is for traders only but is open to the general public on the weekends. Tickets need to be purchased before entry and its cheaper to pre-book them online compared to buying it at the entrance.
Fuorisalone Milano Design Week in Milan takes place approximately 2 weeks before Expo Milano kicks off. The Expo Milano is usually held from May to October. This year’s theme and exhibitions focuses on Food and the well being of the planet. About 140 participating countries took part in this year exhibition. This duration is most likely the only time Milan receives its highest number of visitors that gives the city its buzz.
*Think the best part about this particular Expo is that it was all do to with food as visitors get to taste and sample food from around the globe. Clearly my eyes lit up when I heard this.
*Salone Internazionale del Mobile is for traders only but is open to the general public on the weekends. Tickets need to be purchased before entry and its cheaper to pre-book them online compared to buying it at the entrance.
Fuorisalone Milano Design Week in Milan takes place approximately 2 weeks before Expo Milano kicks off. The Expo Milano is usually held from May to October. This year’s theme and exhibitions focuses on Food and the well being of the planet. About 140 participating countries took part in this year exhibition. This duration is most likely the only time Milan receives its highest number of visitors that gives the city its buzz.
*Think the best part about this particular Expo is that it was all do to with food as visitors get to taste and sample food from around the globe. Clearly my eyes lit up when I heard this.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is beautiful piece of architecture that houses restaurants, designer boutiques as well as a hotel.
Cafés are my hauntings and I love the Italian cafes. As peak hours of the morning start, you’d see a line of people standing at what seem to be a ‘bar area’. There are no bar stools, just a high-long counter top with a bartender at the back of it dishing out coffees during the morning rush. In contrast to how in general we are used to sitting down for a cup of coffee r do a take-away for work, the Italians have them standing over a counter. This scenario is some-what like the following:
This is how Italians generally have their coffee. The whole ordeal takes no longer than 15 minutes. Coffee is seen as a daily morning beverage shot, made at a perfect drinking temperature that makes it easy to be consumed within minutes.
*Coffee here are of strong and rich body of flavours and they are cheap, nothing more than 1.30 Euros for a cup.
Gelaterias here serve some of the best gelatos I’ve ever had. For the price of one scoop, you get a choice of two flavours. And its not so much a scoop in the literal sense but rather a generous helping of two flavours. Unless you’re greedy, think the one scoop is more than enough. Plus its so cheap that you can have it every day, 3-times a day if you wish!
*The gelato scoops are not the semi-circle scoops you see at the ice-cream parlour but rather mini shovels that ends up being an equivalent to 2 to 3 scoops of the ‘general’ ice-cream scoop. All depends on how generous your server feels that day.
- Order coffee
- Strike up conversation with person next to you
- Knock coffee back
- Say goodbye, head to work.
This is how Italians generally have their coffee. The whole ordeal takes no longer than 15 minutes. Coffee is seen as a daily morning beverage shot, made at a perfect drinking temperature that makes it easy to be consumed within minutes.
*Coffee here are of strong and rich body of flavours and they are cheap, nothing more than 1.30 Euros for a cup.
Gelaterias here serve some of the best gelatos I’ve ever had. For the price of one scoop, you get a choice of two flavours. And its not so much a scoop in the literal sense but rather a generous helping of two flavours. Unless you’re greedy, think the one scoop is more than enough. Plus its so cheap that you can have it every day, 3-times a day if you wish!
*The gelato scoops are not the semi-circle scoops you see at the ice-cream parlour but rather mini shovels that ends up being an equivalent to 2 to 3 scoops of the ‘general’ ice-cream scoop. All depends on how generous your server feels that day.
La Scala is one of the best Opera houses in the world, plus it is certainly one of the most affordable to watch an opera at.
Italian food is sublime and the wine of the region is red so it’s a must to sample their red wines at lunch and dinner. The restaurants at the Duomo area, you can give them all a miss! It is not only filled with tourist, the food is dreadful and disappointing. I’d suggest talking a 15-20 minute walk from the Duomo to the district of Brera. Along the way, you should indulge in Gelato as the gelateria along this walk is one of the best in Milan.
The restaurants and café in the Brera area are some of the best I’ve been to. The food is amazing and the raviolis are to die for. As the book Eat, Pray, Love suggests – when you’re in Italy eat! Have their pastas and even pizza, as it’s where it originates and its simply sinfully divine. Forget the carb free diet, for once be kind to your body and indulge.
*Unless you’re going to be living in Italy for more than three months the rule above does not apply.
The restaurants and café in the Brera area are some of the best I’ve been to. The food is amazing and the raviolis are to die for. As the book Eat, Pray, Love suggests – when you’re in Italy eat! Have their pastas and even pizza, as it’s where it originates and its simply sinfully divine. Forget the carb free diet, for once be kind to your body and indulge.
*Unless you’re going to be living in Italy for more than three months the rule above does not apply.
At the Piazza del Duomo, people watching can be rather entertaining, but do watch out for touts.
Milan is general is a quaint place to take a chill pill and catch up on people watching, writing and sampling good coffee and gelato. If you’re a fan of Leonardo Da Vinci, this is the place to be. To sit and awe in his work – the Last Supper – is indescribable, especially if you’re a fan of the arts. Milan is definitely proud of Leornado da Vinci, after all he began his career here. His spent his early years here, perfecting his skills and learning the human anatomy by ways of autopsy of unclaimed bodies.
*Autopsy or dissection was largely not allowed in the Middle Ages by the Christian world and Milan’s morgue was one of the only few that allowed it for the means of human anatomy study. There are many museums and galleries that exhibit Da Vinci’s work.
Milan from the exterior may not look like much but one would have to dwell deeper to discover its local hauntings and its gems. I would suggest staying in Milan for a minimum of 4 days to really enjoy the city and what it has to offer. Do not rush through Milan, take your time, sleep in, wander through the galleries, indulge in wine and watch people from the cafes. It’s a beautiful-laid back city at heart.
View the gallery for more photographs.
*Autopsy or dissection was largely not allowed in the Middle Ages by the Christian world and Milan’s morgue was one of the only few that allowed it for the means of human anatomy study. There are many museums and galleries that exhibit Da Vinci’s work.
Milan from the exterior may not look like much but one would have to dwell deeper to discover its local hauntings and its gems. I would suggest staying in Milan for a minimum of 4 days to really enjoy the city and what it has to offer. Do not rush through Milan, take your time, sleep in, wander through the galleries, indulge in wine and watch people from the cafes. It’s a beautiful-laid back city at heart.
View the gallery for more photographs.