Milan In A Weekend

When I first sat down to contemplate where I wanted to go on my first solo trip (more on that later) I was instantly drawn to Milan. With it's stunning buildings and the promise of incredible food it wasn't long before I had booked my flights for mid-March and was planning my itinerary. I did the research of where to go, what to see and how to make the most of my 48 hours there but I still wasn't quite sure what to expect. As with so many places, there's a low-level hype surrounding the city, just the Duomo alone seems to have queues of people waiting to get *that* shot. As soon as I landed I felt comfortable in the city, and I spent the next two days exploring the best that I could. 

The city of Milan is small, most places are within walking distance and the tram network is not only iconic but also easy to navigate. Everything was much closer together than I expected and if it hadn't been for the awful weather I would have spent a lot more time on foot. There are adverts everywhere for walking tours so if you aren't drenched by the rain in the same way that I was then I'd reccomend picking one of these up. It really is the best way to explore the streets and get a feel for the city. If walking isn't for you thought, or you have equally as bad weather as I did, they also offer a bus tour of the city. For around £20 you can ride all three routes of the bus with the commentary telling you about the city. It wouldn't have been my chosen method of seeing the city initial but given the circumstances it worked well. As the city is small you can easily fit in all three routes within 24 hours with a bit of added exploring time included. 

You can't go to Milan without exploring the Duomo. The stunning merigue-like architecture is even more spectacular up close and if you can then you must climb the terraces. Not only is the view of the city incredible but you are able to see the intricacies of the building from a whole new perspective. Climbing the stairs (approx 250) takes about 10 minutes or so and if you're able to I would recommend this, for £12 you can spend as long as you wish on top of the terraces. They open at 9am but get queueing early (around the left hand side of the Duomo, opposite the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele) to ensure that you are one of the first people up there. When I arrived at 8.50 I was one of the first in the queue, but I do suspect that was due to the torrential rain, on a brighter day I would suggest getting there much earlier. Wear sensible flat shoes and enjoy climbing across the terraces and roof to your hearts content. If you would prefer to take the lift then this is also an option for a few euros more. Later on in the day I also went inside the Duomo, now, full disclosure, I'm not sure I would do this again. I'd take the terraces again in a heartbeat but honestly I found the interior of the Duomo slightly underwhelming. It was grand and impressive but it wasn't quite inspiring enough for me, given the 90 minute wait I had undergone to get in. If you have the time then brilliant, but if you're short on time it wouldn't be at the top of my priority list. 

When you're in Milan you have to take a walk through Galleria Vittori Emanuele, the undercover shopping centre is simply stunning. From the floors to the ceiling, everywhere you look there is something stunning to be seen. For me, this was strictly window shopping territory but the atmosphere alone was enough to inspire any fashion lover. If you do wish to purchase something inside then there is a gelato stand that does brilliant Chocolate Ice Cream. It's hard not to be inspired by the latest designs and extravagant window displays on offer as you walk through the centre. Of course, if you're suersciticous then you can spin in the bull that is located to the left of the entrance, you'll easily spot it with everyone else spinning around hoping to bring good luck. 

Another area worth visiting in Milan is the Navigli district. This stretch of canal is lined with coffee shops, restaurants and shops along the brightly coloured buildings. In the warmer months I imagine this would be the perfect spot to grab a bite to eat, enjoy an Aperol or take a wander with fresh gelato. All of the intriguing shops could keep you entertained for hours, as could taking photos of the picturesque canal and peaceful side streets. Hop on the tram for 10 minutes and you're at the top of the canal and you can pick up another tram at the bottom quite easily to take you back towards the city centre. If you're short on time or don't fancy stopping you can walk the length of the canal in about 15 minutes and still soak up some of the atmosphere. 

Shopping in Milan seems like a no brainer, it hadn't been a priority for me though, despite loving all things fashion. By Saturday afternoon when I had explored the city, drank plenty of hot chocolate (Italian hot chocolate is the best) and still had a wait for the restaurants to open for dinner I couldn't resit taking a peak. They have all the stores you would expect and could find along Oxford Street but not only were the interiors more stunning the assortments seemed to be far superior to anything I've seen in the UK stores. If I could have then I would have filled my case with all of the clothes, sadly I couldn't but just wandering through the stores was enough to inspire my and my spring summer wardrobe. If you are in anyway creative then Milan is a place that is hard not to be inspired by. 

There is no denying that Milan is a beautiful city that is certainly worth visiting if you are looking for a weekend away or are in the region, however, 48 hours is all you need to explore the city and take it in. It is perfect for a weekend getaway, with enough to leisurely fill your time but not so much that you feel as though you have been on a manic whistle-stop tour of the city. Flights are reasonable and go from all major UK airports and finding accommodation is easy. As I was travelling along I stayed in the Queen Hostel and I'd highly reccomend the service, it was clean, everyone was friendly and the bar area was cosy and welcoming to relax in. Hotels and Air B'n'B's are easy enough to come by though and with such a reliable transport network it is easy enough to get into the city centre quickly. 

For me, Milan was a perfect fit for my first solo trip. It was small enough that I could get my bearings relatively quickly but there was enough to do to keep me entertained. Have you visited Milan yet or is there another city within beautiful Italy that you can't reccomend enough?