Travel

Milan

Milan, Italy is one of the most important and stylish cities in Italy and is full of history. There are countless impressive buildings in Milan that have tremendous character, in many different styles ranging from old Neo-classical Milanese palaces (palazzos) to ultra-modern towers and office blocks.

Milan accommodation
Milan is an expensive place to stay, with most Milan hotels geared for business travellers with expense accounts. However, hotels are usually efficient and comfortable. Budget options do exist, mostly located around the Stazione Centrale area (not a great neighbourhood, but acceptable and convenient for travellers). The cheaper hotels are always in demand, and the smarter hotels often full with visitors to conferences and trade fairs, so you should definitely try to book in advance.

Milan Transportation
Milan boasts long experience of public transport: its first street cars date back to 1841. Today, the wide assortment of trams, buses, trolley-buses and the three lines of the subway makes it easy to get to almost every corner of town. The Fiera Milano City, for instance, is on the red subway line 1 (direction Rho Fiera, Amendola Fiera stop).
Tickets are not on sale on vehicles: you can buy them at most newsstands and in bars. You can use a ticket for 75 minutes on as many trams and buses as you like, but only once on the subway. Special daily and two-day tickets are on sale at subway newsstands.
Public transport information is available from the ATM office in the Duomo subway station (Mon through Sat 7:45am-8:15pm), at the phone (Toll Free 800-808181, every day 7:30am-7:30pm) or at the ATM official website.

Best places to visit in Milan
Milan is mostly remembered for its fashion than its culture and this city is where one can stick to his itinerary. Well, this city has some of the most breathtaking architecture and some intriguing museums in Italy. Like most other cities in Italy, Milan can be seen by foot and also by sticking to the footpaths. Undoubtedly, Milan has some of the best places to see like the Il Duomo, Piazzo deil Duomo, Vittorio Emanuele II and the Museo Teatrale.
One can make his days in Milan an experienced memory by sightseeing some of the best places in Milan. This can be properly achieved provided he opts for a proper itinerary to a number of places which are nearby to each other.
Whether, the person is staying in Milan for a one day trip or for a few days trip, he can manage to see some of the must see locations of Milan history and culture through seeing the museums and theaters. Moreover, Milan is like a Heaven on Earth for shopping lovers too. So, one can actually take the advantage whilst in Milan and shop for hours.

When to go
Like most large cities, Milan has plenty to offer at any time of year. It’s worth bearing in mind though that winters can be cold and misty, and summers very stuffy.

Dining in Milan
Eating out can be very expensive. Expect to pay around 25 euros (£17) per person if you’re going out for dinner. Milan is not short of Pizzerias, which is the obvious choice for lunch, but most locals flock to the many fast-food outlets for a cold lunch on the go. But as in every Italian city, dinner is the time for large meals and 5 courses is the norm! Some great restaurants include La Topaia, Gibilterra and El Beverin.
The best nightlife can be found in the Navigli area where the canal is lined with bars, clubs, restaurants and evening stalls selling jewelery and souvenirs. Some bars have live music such as jazz or local bands performing. There is so much to see and do in this romantic city - make sure you give yourself at least a long weekend to soak up all that Milan has to offer.

Shopping in Milan
Shopping is what many of Milan’s visitors come to the city for, and few of them will go home disappointed. Famous for fashion and design, Milan is a shopaholic’s dream … and potentially a very expensive experience.For designer clothing and jewellery, head for the network of pretty streets around the Montenapoleone Metro station. The so-called ‘Quadrilatero d’Oro’ (’golden quadrilateral’), is the place to come for designer shopping. The area is bordered by Via Montenapoleone, Via Sant’ Andrea, Via Borgospesso and Via della Spiga (where the street smells of cloying perfume, expensively-clad shoppers sneer at you, and shop assistants posed outside the doorways look straight through you … probably an essential part of the Milan experience).
The fashion boutiques here are works of art in themselves, designed by leading architects and echoing with minimalist chic. Within these smart streets you will find Gucci, Prada, Armani, Moschino, Valentino, Versace, Cartier and just about every Milanese and European couturier you might wish to open your purse for.More affordable clothes-shopping experiences can be found along Corso Vittorio Emanuele, between the Duomo and Piazza San Babila, and around Via Torino, the other side of the Duomo. Around the hip Navigli area and up Corso di Porta Ticinese there are some interesting boutiques selling a mixture of retro, vintage and cutting-edge clothing and accessories. For a more classical shopping experience, try the historic Milan department store La Rinascente, next to the Duomo.
Milan is famous for quality design - showrooms are dotted around the central area, but there are concentrations around the San Babila (Metro Line 1) area if you want to wander and browse. Products to look for include lighting, home furnishing, interior design, silver, glass, mosaics. The Tourist Information Offices should be able to give you a map and list of design showrooms.