Milan is very different from Rome. The capital is a stronghold of ancient architecture and centuries-old traditions. Milan is the modern face of Italy. He conquers with impeccable style, dynamics and energy. At the same time, it does not at all look like a gray dusty metropolis chained to concrete. Milan is vibrant and green. The city is buried in parks and squares, waking up to the singing of birds. What to see in Milan for an independent traveler? Let's figure it out!
Where to begin
Any sightseeing trip in Milan involves a visit to the legendary Duomo, a trip to La Scala, a visit to the Vittorio Emanuele gallery. And the city is replete with magnificent palaces and temples. The best shops and restaurants of Italy are concentrated on its streets, and aromatic coffee and delicious pastries are served in chamber confectioneries.
How to get there
Milan International Airport accepts direct flights from Moscow and other Russian settlements. Independent tourists recommend the railway connection. In the country it is established at the highest level. But getting around by car is not very convenient. In the metropolis there is a public transport system. It connects the central neighborhoods with the surrounding area.
What to see in Milan
If there is not much time, then acquaintance with the metropolis can be limited to visiting its historical areas. They are compact and are located within walking distance from each other. In the heart of Milan is the art gallery of Vittorio Emanuele II. The Duomo rises immediately. In the north is La Scala. Behind it begins ownership of the Brera shopping district.
What to see in Milan, being in the north of the city? In this part of the municipality is the university building, the famous San Lorenzo, the lush Torre Velazca. The northern regions are dotted with canals, along which a huge number of bars and taverns are concentrated. In the west stands the Science Museum, the Santa Maria delle Grazie complex. A little further - the ancient castle of Castello.
What to see in Milan, being on the outskirts? Outside the inner city ring, which surrounds the tourist area, you can find a lot of interesting sights. We are talking about the beautiful Sempione Park, which is located on the territory of the Triennale. Outside the ring are the gardens of the Giardini area. And in the north-west, tourists will get acquainted with the architectural ensemble of Villa Reale.
Train Station
The central station of the city has long claimed to be one of the sights of Milan. However, in the evening and at night it is highly not recommended to visit the station. Brilliant in the daytime, the area after sunset turns into the abode of the underworld. Thieves and beggars take to the streets. Shops and park alleys are occupied by urban homeless people.
Another thing - in the afternoon! The building of the railway station is a full-fledged architectural monument, the inspection of which can be safely allocated one hour. Around the station are hotels of international chains and private hostels.
City
If you go south, after a few minutes walk you will find yourself in the busy business district of the metropolis. It also claims to be the landmark of Milan. In the afternoon it is noisy and crowded. After 21:00 the quarter is completely dying out. Its streets are becoming dangerous for lonely passers-by. Therefore, at night no one looks into these places. But at dawn, he turns into a real anthill. Everyone is in a hurry somewhere, an unimaginable cacophony reigns on the roads.
Porta Nuova
Another business quarter of the metropolis. Its symbol is the perfectly preserved triumphal arch, which was erected in honor of Napoleon Bonaparte at the beginning of the XIX century. The Porta Nuova area is something that even the most leisurely tourist can see in one day in Milan.
The lion's share of buildings in this quarter was erected twenty years ago. To date, the area has more than twenty-five skyscrapers. The quarter is growing and actively developing. Tower cranes can be seen everywhere. The most popular Porta Nuova attractions:
- stately towers "Pirelli";
- Unicredit Bank building;
- the Palazzo of Lombardy;
- High-rise "Vertical Bosco".
The business quarter consists of a number of municipal areas:
- Isola.
- Port of Garibaldi.
- Varezine.
Transport accessibility is provided by the railway station.
City Life
The modern quarter, acquaintance with which is far from always included in the overview programs of excursions in Milan. It is small, so you can easily see it yourself. The area is replete with skyscrapers of glass and concrete, intricate architectural forms and creations of modern sculptors. The quarter is still under construction. Today it boasts the highest skyscrapers in Italy.
Of greatest interest are the buildings of Il Dritto, Lo Sorto, Il Curvo. The peculiarity of the City Life area is that it is completely exempt from traffic. This is the largest pedestrian zone in Europe.
Therefore, a trip to this quarter is usually advised to those who are interested in the question: "What to see in Milan with a child?" Of course, kids will be bored here. But schoolchildren and teenagers will be delighted with the urban panorama and the views that open from the observation platforms of skyscrapers.
Gallery Ambrosiana
The collection of the exhibition hall has hundreds of priceless artifacts. This is Italy's first art gallery. It contains canvases written by Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio and Titian. The exposition occupies the halls of the luxurious palace of the archbishop. Gilding and crystal everywhere, colorful mosaics and massive wooden furniture.
A visit to the Gallery Ambrosiana is a great leisure option if you do not know where to go in Milan in the evening. In addition to paintings hung in the inner part of the palace, the archbishop's garden in the courtyard is of interest. It is generously decorated with sculptural compositions. And here you can see gloves that, they say, used to belong to Napoleon Bonaparte himself. Also on display are the jewels worn by the illegitimate daughter of Pope Lucretius Borgia.
Santa Maria delle Grazie
What is a must see in Milan? Of course, the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Its walls were erected in the distant XV century. The architectural ensemble of the building is crowned by an elegant dome. Red brick walls are cut with narrow windows.
The abundance of geometric decor gives the church an unusual look. The fresco "The Last Supper" is stored under its arches. In Milan there is not a single person who does not know the legend of its creation. Nevertheless, the mural still causes a storm of emotions.
The church is open for tourists from Tuesday to Sunday. Monday is a day off. Travelers are expected from 08:15 to 19:00. The entrance is closed at 18:45. You can go to the complex for free. But to inspect the fresco you will need to buy a ticket to the refectory. Its cost is 700 rubles. You can stay in the refectory for no more than fifteen minutes.
District Ingrosso
Interested in what to see in Milan on your own? Feel free to go to the shopping district. Ingrosso is called the center of the fashion industry in Italy. It is located on the territory limited by the Respublika metro station and the city's railway station. Ingrosso is the epicenter of the attraction for shopaholics.
On its not the most well-groomed and fashionable streets, a huge number of fashion boutiques and stores are concentrated. They offer products of world famous brands at the lowest prices. Ingrosso is the best place for those who love shopping and do not know where to go and what to see in Milan on their own.
You can wander through the maze of shopping galleries for hours. Collections of young designers are on display at local shops. The clothes that had just come down from the fashion catwalks of European capitals are immediately hung up.
Gallery Vittorio Emanuele II
The famous passage is recognized as the oldest shopping center in the world. It is located in the historic city center. And it is a kind of bridge between the square of the Duomo cathedral ensemble and the theatrical stage of La Scala. Date of construction - the second half of the XIX century. The Italian Giuseppe Mengoni acted as the chief architect.
Numerous gallery boutiques sell collections of clothing by leading designers. And the restaurants serve delicious dishes at fabulous prices. Shopping at the Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery is entertainment for a solid and wealthy public. True, the shopping complex is of interest from a completely different perspective.
Its architectural feature is a fully glass roof dome. The complex is replete with mosaic paintings, sculptures and elements of gypsum stucco, which provided him with the glory of the priceless pearl of Lombardy. Another feature of the Gallery Vittorio Emanuele II is its own fashionable hotel. “Town House Seven Stars Gallery” is located in the passage. The minimum cost of a night in it is 350,000 rubles.
Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci
Probably the most beloved and popular exhibition center for children. Within its walls are collected all kinds of vehicles. And those that did not fit in the covered pavilions are located right on the street, in the courtyard. There really is something to see here! Museums in Milan cannot boast so many artifacts created by Leonardo da Vinci himself. But in the Museum of Science and Technology there are hundreds of them.
The exhibition complex is open from Tuesday to Sunday. Monday is the day off. The museum opens its doors at 09:30. The last visitors are escorted at 16:30. Saturday and Sunday is open until 18:30. The cost of admission is 700 rubles. The museum occupies the building of an ancient monastery.
Duomo
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Nasente impresses with its grace and scale. This is a magnificent Gothic palace, which rises in the central square of Milan. Its hall can accommodate up to forty thousand parishioners at a time. Finding the Duomo is easy. Absolutely all the ancient streets of the metropolis will sooner or later lead to the walls of the cathedral.
The foundation stone of the ensemble was laid in the 14th century. But finally the construction of the cathedral was completed only in the XVIII century. The Duomo today is rightfully considered the best example of Gothic architecture. Its walls are crowned with a hundred sharp spiers. It is decorated with a huge number of sculptural compositions, frescoes, mosaic paintings and marble sculptures.
The decoration of the inner chambers of the palace to match its majestic appearance. The Duomo captivates with its tall ceilings, dizzy with endless colonnades, and captivates with unusually beautiful stained-glass windows. Inside the complex is a monument to the patron saint of all fishermen overlooking the sea. Saint Bartholomew received martyrdom. The tombs of the monks, covered with carved wood slabs, are right here.
A spiral staircase leads to the roof of the cathedral. If desired, the observation deck can be accessed by a regular elevator. It has been installed recently. A ticket to enter the cathedral is not required. The museum complex is open from 09:00 to 18:00. The lunch break lasts two and a half hours and starts at 12:00.
La scala
The glory of the opera house is booming throughout the world. La Scala is the meeting place of the Italian intelligentsia. Connoisseurs of beauty buy a ticket to the opera a few months before the planned date. For three centuries, the theater has been very popular. However, ticket prices are affordable today. The minimum price is 1,400 rubles. Tariffs for premieres can reach 15,000 rubles.
Of course, you can come to La Scala in jeans and a shirt, but in this case you should not wait for approving glances. The local public dresses up in evening gowns, complementing them with a scattering of diamonds. La Scala - the kingdom of furs, velvet, silk and precious stones. Everything here screams about deliberate wealth and luxury.
At the same time, the building itself is unremarkable. Its facade does not stand out from other ancient Milan mansions. The fact is that the theater occupied the premises of the ancient church of Santa Maria della Scala. Since the Milan public was rushing the architect, he did not redo anything. The exterior of the building remained the same as it was at the end of the 18th century. The hallmark of the theater is unique acoustics. It is believed that in order to hear the most subtle nuances of the music performed on stage, you need to get a place in one of the upper boxes.
Piazza del Duomo
Milan Cathedral Square is a great place to start or end your acquaintance with the Italian metropolis. Not only the ubiquitous tourists flock here, but also local residents. It serves as a meeting place for old friends and couples in love. On its cobblestones, concerts, music shows and theater performances are organized. Around the Cathedral Square is concentrated a lot of attractions that are within reach.
To find Piazza del Duomo on your own, you need to move to the center of Milan. From Sforza Castle to Cathedral Square for about twenty minutes, a leisurely step. Throughout the journey, tourists are entertained by street musicians and dancers. Numerous cafes invite for a cup of coffee. Shops beckon discounts and sales.