Just this past weekend I was in Milan with my friends. I highly recommend visiting, and when you do, consider the following six items:
1. Shop. If you don’t know already, Milan is a central hub of fashion and design. It’s full of designer brands, like Versace, Gucci, and Prada, which are, without a doubt, very expensive! Being a broke college student studying abroad, I didn’t buy anything there, but it’s still fun to window shop.
2. Stroll through the Parco Sempione. Parco Sempione is a park in Milan, right in the city’s center. It has a convenient location, very close to the Porta Sempione (a large arch similar to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris) and the Sforza Castle.
3. Visit the Sforza Castle (Castello Sforzano). Built in the 15th century, the Sforza Castle is now home to many of Milan’s museums, such as The Museum of Ancient Art. It’s also worth seeing merely for its architecture!
4. Visit the Milan Cathedral (Duomo di Milano). Just like how you can’t go to Rome and avoid seeing the Colosseum, you can’t go to Milan and avoid seeing the Duomo! Located in the city’s center, the cathedral is breathtaking, both on the inside and out! I went on Sunday, and managed to watch a service being performed, which was really cool!
5. Walk through the Museo del Duomo Milano. To the right of the Duomo is the Museo del Duomo Milano, or translated as “The Duomo Museum”. I’ve been to many art museums, including the Prado in Madrid, but this one is simply astonishing. Like many art museums, the Museo includes historical sculptures, but also stained glass works. Additionally, it has a wooden version of the Duomo, which like the actual one, is intricately detailed.
6. Go to the Crazy Cat Cafe. Although this one isn’t in the center, it’s still worth going to! There is a queue outside, but waiters will offer you a cup of hot tea while you’re waiting. The interior looks like a typical coffee shop, but is full of pet beds and cat toys! The food is excellent; I ordered a hot chocolate, which was served to me in a cat shaped mug! They offer mugs as a souvenir, which I got at the end of my visit yesterday! I recommend this place for anyone who likes cats and/or is in need of pet therapy. Being away from home makes me miss my dog, and the cats made me feel better!
What was your favorite thing to do in Milan?