When they tell you Milan is the fashion capital of the world, you’ll never quite understand how true the statement is until you’re there.
In Italy’s second most populous city after Rome, everything is fashionable. The people, the place, the shops, the civility, the monuments, the restaurants—all have a chic sophistication that’s worth taking in.
The pros? You’ll drink in the beauty of all that is Italy, hopping on and off the old school trams to get where you’re going. You’ll eat the pasta, drink table wine that’s better than some fancy wines you’ve had at home, you’ll have a chat over aperitivo (that pre-dinner period where you’ll sip alcoholic beverages with well-priced lite bites) and you’ll wonder why life can’t be lived this richly everywhere.
The cons? You may very likely spend all of your money trying to capture some of the style, the fashion, the packaged fresh pasta and the truffle oil and the sauces and whatever else your suitcase can hold. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
If you’re planning a trip to Milan, here are some things to see, eat and do in the city. Also, your two most important Italian words to know: buongiorno (good morning, good day) and grazie (thank you).
Duomo di Milano Terrace
Anything that took 426 years to build from start to finish is certainly worth seeing. I’m pretty sure there is nothing in our generation that has demanded such dedicated attention for such a long, long period of time. The Duomo di Milano is the city’s famed grand cathedral that sits in Piazza del Duomo, Milan’s central square, where you’ll find restaurants, shopping and more tourists than you care to encounter. The detail on the Duomo borders on mind blowing, and while you can peruse the inside of the basilica, it’s from the Terrace where you’ll take the most in. From the terrace, you really get to see the details of the cathedral’s spires, which will make you wonder how they did it and also fully understand why it took more than 400 years (construction started in 1387, by the way). Plus, you’ll get a supreme view of the city from up there. You can get separate tickets to the terrace, which has a separate entrance and much shorter line than the one for heading inside. Details here.
Antica Pizza Fritta da Zia Esterina Sorbillo
A short walk from Piazza del Duomo, you’ll meet the Italian treat of your dreams. At Sorbillo, which has been serving up heavenly deliciousness since 1935, you’ll experience fried pizza. You’ll know before you reach that it’s worth it by the people lining the street outside of this tiny shop with standing room for just five people. There’s no description that will quite do this justice, but it’s essentially fresh dough filled with ricotta, provola di bufala (smoked mozzarella) and pressed pork or salami, that then gets deep-fried. It’s a little like a calzone if it was fried instead.
Pizza Fritta is what you’re ordering, don’t bother looking for much else. We were told by a local in line ahead of us, that the most typical is Completa al Cicoli so we had that and the Completa al Salame and both were so good that just writing this is bringing tears to my eyes since I don’t know when I’ll be blessed enough to sink my teeth into it again.
If you head there anytime between noon and 2:00 p.m., be prepared to wait 40-ish minutes. The pizza is made so fresh and with such care, that there’s only one guy making it at a time. Details here.
Brera for shopping
Now that you’re well fed, it’s time for some shopping. In Milan, there are places to spend your money on fashion everywhere you turn, and just like anywhere else, some areas are better than others. Of course, there’s Via Montenapoleone, a key street that’s part of the city’s Quadrilatero d’Oro (or golden rectangle), it’s main fashion district. Then there’s the gorgeous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, but we’re talking Prada, Gucci, Fendi, Balenciaga in these locales. If you’re up for more regular people shopping, head to the Brera district. You’ll get a chance to stroll cobblestone streets for cool finds, like the vintage fashion shop Cavalli e Nastri, or the antique jewelry shop Demaldé, or L’ Artigiano Di Brera for really, really well-made Italian shoes. Details here.
Vintage Tour Milan0
I don’t always do sightseeing tours, but when I do, I prefer them to be in a classic red Fiat 500 from the 1960s. Call to reserve the car—which is so cute and quintessentially Italian that it will draw looks from locals and visitors alike—and it will pick you up at the meeting point and drive you around town to tour the city’s highlights. You can choose the duration of the tour, from one hour up to three, depending on how much you’d like to see and what you’re willing to pay. Luca, our tour leader, knew so much about the city that it informed things we did in the days after our ride with him. It’s a fun, and completely non-traditional way to tour a new city. Details here.
Granaio for gelato
One of the beauties of Italy is that there’s gelato everywhere. As in everywhere all the time. And because of that, you really can’t go wrong with a gelato shop. But because I made it my mission to have gelato almost every day of my trip (sometimes twice a day), I also know the deliciousness is just extra delicious at certain places. In Milan, try Granaio from the walk up window on the street. It’s creamy and rich and light and wonderful, all at the same time. Details here: Via Giuseppe Mengoni, 2 I-20121 Milano Italia