Milan Adventure Part 2 - Things to see and do in Milan!

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Read Part 1 of my Milan Adventure here!

Where to start?

The Shops! Of course ;)

If you are a dedicated follower of high end fashion or a particularly good window shopper you will love the Golden Rectangle.

Walk along Via Montenapoleone, Via Manzoni, Via del Corso, and Via Senato and you will be in designer heaven!

You'll find all the big names; Yves Saint Laurent, Dior, Valentino, D&G, Versace, Armani..... Every shop window had the most eye catching displays.

There is a really nice, if busy shopping centre between La Scala Opera House and Duomo Cathedral (map)

You may enjoy this little video....




The Sights!

I didn't need the regular tourist bus to get around town! I set my own agenda. I have used these buses before in other cities and they are handy for big cities when they cover a lot of ground and attractions.

Duomo Cathedral

Ask anyone who has been to Milan what you should see and I'll put money on it that they will tell you the Duomo Cathedral. And I'll tell you that too!

I'm not particularly into churches or cathedrals, but if there is an impressive looking one in the town or city I'm visiting I'm always drawn into having a look. It's not for the religious aspect, or even the history, but I do find myself amazed at the scale and architecture of these buildings and of all the cathedrals I've seen I would say the Duomo is one of the most impressive.

Every aspect of the outside of he cathedral is adorned with statues and gargoyles.

If you venture inside, then you can admire the stained glass windows...

Light a candle for loved ones and also.....

Check out the dead bodies on display! Archbishops I believe. It's ok, you can only see their hands

 I arrived at the cathedral at about midday on a Saturday and expected a long queue to get in as this place is on every Milan tourist’s must-see list. However the queue was short and moved quickly so I ended up waiting for about 2 minutes. And it's free entry.

What I would really recommend is a trip up to the very top of the Duomo's roof.

That was definitely one the highlights! It costs €10 if you are feeling energetic and take the stairs up. (There are 160 steps. I counted them for you) or €12 if you want to take the lift.

You need to buy your ticket first and you can get this from a souvenir kiosk at the rear, and to the right of the Cathedral. Then take yourself and your ticket to either the entrance for the stairs or the lift. They are separate from each other though you can find both on the left hand side of the cathedral on the outside.

If you get the lift, you can take the stairs down. I would recommend doing this. The queue for the lift to go back down was much longer than the queue for the lift going up and by the time you have waited for the lift you could have waked down the stairs and be enjoying a coffee at one of the cafes over looking the square.

Oh, and wear non slip shoes. Parts of the roof top are on a slope and are very smooth so watch your step!

Another video!




If you are looking for a place to eat around the cathedral, there are plenty of places to chose from.

If you are on a budget and want a good meal try the Autogrill (map). If you are facing the cathedral entrance, it's to the left. It's on the 2nd floor. The restaurant itself is called Ciao. It's a self service cafe with a wide range to chose from; pasta and pizza (of course!), salad, fruit, fish, meats and alcohol. You get a fast service and good food at a decent price. Grab a seat by the window over looking Duomo and the square!

Sforzesco Castle

This is the sight that greets you at the main entrance to the castle.

This is a large historic site that used to be owned by the Duke of Milan and it was built in the mid-15th century. There are four small museums within the complex and it's only €3 to visit them all. I didn't go into them so I don't know what they are like, but suspect they are full of old things as they have an archaeology museum and a museum of natural history too.

I was more taken with this family of wild cats living in the old moat!

Parks

The weather was so perfect that I decided to chill out in Sempione Park which is right next to Sforzesco Castle. The park was really well used by not only tourists but locals as well.

If you are looking to escape the busy city streets, there’s a lovely little park which is just a few minutes walk from Duomo called Public Gardens (map)

I went here twice and although it wasn't deserted, it was really chilled.

Monumental Cemetery

The quietest place in the city!

 If you really want to get away from the crowds and get off the tourist trail, head for the Monumental Cemetery. Yes, you read that right. A cemetery!

I made a little video here too!



I didn't find it a depressing place to be at all! I think because so much thought and care has gone into each grave stone. In a way, not only do these elaborate headstones and mausoleums show an individual tribute to the loved ones that have passed away, but it is also a way for the deceased to show off their wealth after they have gone! Only the rich can/could afford to be buried here.

The air is thick with the scent of flowers. If you wanted to pay tribute, you can buy bouquets from stalls outside the main entrance.

It’s something a little different!

Central Station

As I mentioned in my last post Central Station is worth spending some time in and has some great photo opportunities!

I think I packed quite a lot into my 2 day Milan adventure! It helped by Milan being so walkable and that it has a great transport system. And with such a short flight time of only 90 minutes from Gatwick Airport it's a great place for a short weekend break.

All too soon it was time to go home on my return Monarch flight to Gatwick Airport. When you book a Monarch flight you have the option of selecting a meal for £7.99-£8.99.

This was my breakfast on my way out on my early morning flight.

And  my dinner on my evening flight. Lamb Moussakka, bread, cheese and biscuits with onion chutney and an apple pie.

I liked the variety and for £7.99 I think it's good value for money, plus they catered to my wheat/gluten free diet. It’s handy if you are in a rush in the morning and skipped breakfast, and it will tide you over until you get off the plane to your final destination. If you don't want to book a meal then there are a selection of sandwiches, crisps and nibbles, chocolate, and a range of hot, cold and alcoholic drinks to chose from.

William, one of the cabin crew on the return flight! 

Monarch now operate new flights to Milan from Birmingham, London Gatwick and Manchester airports from March 2012 with fares, including taxes, starting from £35.99 one way (£60.99 return).

Thank you for a great time Gatwick, Monarch and Milan! :) 

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Milan Adventure - Part 1 - Travelling to and around Milan

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"Would you like to review our new route to Milan?", asked Monarch and Gatwick Airport.

Why yes. Yes I would!

My journey begin from Birmingham and I took the train to Gatwick Airport (with a change a Reading).

When you arrive at Gatwick Airport by train you are already right at the heart of the airport and it's simply a ride on an escalator (or take the lift or stairs) and there you are. Ta da! It's very hard to get lost at the airport as everywhere is so clearly signposted.

Due to a bright and early 7.30am flight, and a *gulp* 5.30am check in, I was booked into the Gatwick Hilton Hotel for the night. It's only a few minutes walk from the main terminal.

Approaching the Gatwick Hilton Hotel Entrance

Although the walkway leading up to the entrance of the hotel looks a bit bare, as soon as I stepped inside I was hit by excitement! I hadn't stayed in a Hilton before and I couldn't wait to see what was on offer.

The check-in was really friendly and professional and the duty manager even came over to greet me. I was given the key to my Executive Room on the fourth floor.

I made a little video of a tour of my room.




I found an envelope was waiting for me with a Premium Gatwick sticker, so I could go through Premium Lane security check.

Not only that, these gorgeous chocolate strawberries were waiting for me, along with half bottle of red wine!

I was almost tempted to just chill out in my room with my strawberries and wine, but I had been told that the Executive Lounge would be open until 9pm for complimentary drinks & food! That was very tempting too.....

First things first though. I was super organised and left everything I needed ready for the early morning start as I knew I wouldn't have time to dilly dally about.

Then it was time to find the Executive Lounge.

It was quite busy in there with a mix if solo people, like me, some working away on laptops and there were groups of travellers making the most of the drinks and food on offer. I sought out the bar and enjoyed a Southern Comfort (okay, maybe 2)!

I forgot the rule - ice first!

Whilst I was in the Executive Lounge I got a tweet from @gatwick_airport 

@karenstrunks we'd love to know what you think of our ladies toilets in South Terminal. Sounds strange, but they're definitely worth a peek!
— Gatwick Airport LGW (@Gatwick_Airport) April 19, 2012

Hmmm.....okay....now I'm curious. How good can the Ladies toilets be?!

Actually, pretty damned good! 

Wall of Mirrors

Lots of room. Nice glass doors. 

The best bit for me? Each cubicle has it own sink, hand dryer and mirror!

Every public toilet should be like this!

And they were nice and roomy too. Great for travellers with suitcases, plus people often like to change at airports so this was a perfect place to prepare for a flight.

Then it was time to venture further into the terminal for a late supper. I found a Weatherspoons pub called The Beehive. 

I got a friendly welcome there and enjoyed a warm chicken and bacon salad. 

The evening was going too quickly. I really had to think about getting to bed. I normally get off to sleep straight away but it took me a little while as I was just so excited about my weekend in Milan! 

A cacophony of alarms woke me and I had just about enough time to grab myself a quick breakfast at the hotel before I checked in for my flight. There was soooo much choice! I wanted to sample everything on offer

A quick check in with Monarch and no queue...

...and then it was through security via Gatwick Premium; by invitation only! That's what I like! ;) 

I whizzed through the security check and had just enough time to have a very speedy browse of Gatwick's World Of Duty Free and managed to fall in love with almost all of Kurt Geiger's shoes. 

I'll take the red, silver and black please!

Before I got carried away in all the shops, my Monarch flight was called. 

Everyone got a warm welcome from Sharon and Natalie as we boarded our Monarch flight. 

I got comfy in the roomy seat in Row C (lots of legroom too!) and by the time I had read Monarch's magazine...

....had my tasty (second!) breakfast (£7.99)...

...our pilot told us all to look out of the window as we were going over the Alps. Stunning!! 

The 90 minute flight went so quickly! 

Getting to Milan from Malpensa Airport

I had done a bit of research before I jetted off so I had a good idea of how to get to the city centre. 

Here's a few tips!

You can catch a public bus, the Shuttle Bus, or the train, all of which will taken you to Central Station, Milan's main transport hub. 

Or of course you can catch a taxi (they are white cars). 

If you catch the train, get your ticket before boarding as it works out cheaper. 

I opted for the Shuttle Bus. 

The buses leave from Exit 4 of the airports terminal for International flights. As soon as you step out of the terminal you will see the Shuttle Bus stop just to the left and the Public Transport Bus to the right. 

There were queues for both buses, but because there was a 20 minute wait for the public bus I chose the Shuttle Bus as one bus was pulling up after the other. 

This is the Malpensa Airport Shuttle Bus outside Central Station, Milan

It costs €10 one way and is a comfortable coach. 

I'd say allow 90 minutes travel time to get from the airport to Central Station as it stops twice along the way. However it only took 60 minutes from Milan to the airport as it didn't stop. Either way, just relax and enjoy the journey! 

Central Station is a sight to behold! If you have the time take the chance to have a look around and take some photographs of the stunning architecture. 

Central Station Milan

There is a Tourist Help Point were on the train platform area. 

Tourist Information Box at Central Station

Accommodation

Unfortunately I can't recommend somewhere for you to stay in Milan. However, I can tell you where not to stay - Hotel Gonzaga on Via Vitruvio. I'm not even going to link to it. It was the worst hotel I've stayed in. It was filthy and smelled awful and was overall a horrible experience. At the very minimum it was a roof over my head, and was only one step away from sleeping on the streets. At least that's what it felt to me whilst I was there. I advise you to give this hotel a very wide berth.

Still! I don't want to taint my lovely blog with negativity, so let's move on!

I was in Milan after all and I still had a whole afternoon in front of my to explore the city!

Milan City Centre Map

Got my shades! I'm all set :)

Getting around Milan

Walk! The city is just the right size for walking. From the Central Station to the city centre is about 25-30 minute walk, and there is the Bus, Metro and Tram too. Milan has a fantastic public transport system. 

On my first afternoon I walked in and out of the city centre. I only got a teeny bit lost, but it was quite easy to get myself back on track again. 

On day two I bought a 24 hour ticket for €4.50. 

You can also get a 48 hour ticket for about €8.50. They are available from most newsagents and the news kiosks that you see dotted around the city streets. They are valid from the time you first use them, not the time you buy them, so you can buy your tickets in advance even if you are not going to use them for a day or two, and they can be used on the bus, tram and metro for journeys up to 90 minutes at a time. 

Or you can pay as you go of course. A single ticket on the metro costs €1.50. 

On day two I decided to save some time and catch the Metro around all my destinations. 

The Metros are really wide and spacious

Waiting for the Metro...

I had a lot to pack in and a busy Must-See list. The Metro is easy to navigate and there are 3 lines that run around and in the city which are colour coded red, yellow and green. I caught 5 metros on day two saved money over buying single tickets and it saved time and effort buying tickets one buy one.

Coming up next week in Part 2 - Things to do in Milan! :) 

You can catch all my tweets, photos and videos of my Milan adventure in my Storify!

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