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Can you think of a place where you’d happily go back to just for a day to revisit all your favourite food spots? Well after three trips to Milan we think we’ve found that place…
Our first trip to Milan was during our Christmas break two years ago. It didn’t take us long to discover some favourites and we knew we would be visiting again. Only a few months later we returned just for a few hours on our way to Cinque Terre and those precious hours were spent revisiting those same spots. Our third trip was a year ago and was meant for a shopping weekend, but after realising that Italy doesn’t tend to stock clothes tall enough for Brendon we gave up and went on the hunt for more food spots (not to mention at that point I had already bought more than enough).
If you’re planning a trip to Milan, whether it’s just for a few hours or a weekend then keep reading for some of our top spots!
Getting to Milan
If you have the choice of flight or train into Milan then definitely take the train. Taking the train from Zürich takes three and a half hours and brings you into the Central Station. From there it is only a short Metro ride to the Duomo.
If you take a flight into Malpensa Airport like our first visit then you need to take a bus into town. We took the Malpensa Express train to Piazza Cadorna which takes half an hour (the train to Central Station takes an hour). From here it is also a short metro ride into town. The train runs from Terminal 1 and you can buy tickets at the top of the platform that cost around EUR 10.
During our stays, we used a combination of the metro and trams (but we ended up doing a lot of walking). We downloaded the “ATM Milano” app and bought daily passes for around EUR 5 which can be used on the metro, tram or bus (you can also buy these from the machines at the Metro stations).
Sleeping in Milan
Whenever we visit Italy we stay at Air BnB spots. If we are visiting a city we tend to find an apartment which is very central so we are within walking distance to everything. It also means you get a small taste of local life (we always ask our host for the cafes and restaurants that they go to).
The last place we stayed was a cute two-story apartment in the Guastalla area and we would definitely stay here again if we came back. It’s in a nice, quiet neighbourhood but still walking distance to everything (see https://www.airbnb.com.sg/rooms/118210699).
Definitely stay within the SP11 ring (see map above) but try to stay as central as possible, especially if you are only visiting for a day or two.
Eating in Milan
The first thing you should do when you get to Milan is hit up the “triangle” beside the Duomo. We discovered three delicious food spots by chance on our very first day which we nicknamed the “triangle” and we’ve been going back ever since…
The first spot is Luini’s on Via Santa Radegonda that sell panzerotti – pillowy fried doughnuts stuffed with tomato and mozzarella. They are takeaway only and there will always be a long queue down the road, particularly at lunchtime, but it’s definitely worth the wait. Opt for one plain mozzarella and one salami (perhaps share, you’ll want to leave room for the next spot).
The second spot is Spontini’s and is literally a 40-metre walk away. This is a pizza chain around Milan and we have tried a couple of different locations but this one’s our favourite. Again the line may be out the door but its definitely worth lining up for. You buy the pizza by the slice (it’s served cut into bite-size pieces to share) and there are only a couple of flavours to choose from. Share a piece of prosciutto and margarita.
To finish the triangle head to Cioccolatitaliani, the most amazing gelato place. They literally have a chocolate fountain that they use to fill the bottom of the cone. Our favourite is the Happy Cone – chocolate, vanilla and salted caramel ice cream topped with a swirl of Nutella. After visiting these three spots you may need a lie-down, but it’s a great chance to stretch the legs and wander the streets.
Another couple of great food spots that we discovered on our last trip include Pavè, a cafe down the road from the Air BnB place serving great coffee, pastries and toasted sandwiches. We may have loved it so much we went back three times in one weekend. If you go then try the ham and cheese toasted sandwich. For a nice Italian dinner then visit Ristorante Trattoria La Vecchia Guardia. This was recommended to us by our Air BnB host and serves local Italian cuisine.
Seeing in Milan
Even though we spent most of our time eating, there are definitely a few great spots around Milan, including:
Duomo di Milano – it’s hard not to miss being one of the largest cathedrals in the world taking over 600 years to complete. You have to line up for the entry ticket (situated to the right of the main entrance) but make sure you get access to the rooftop terrace by lift. During our visit, the line to take the stairs was over an hour long but we paid a few extra euros to take the lift and the line took ten minutes…The terrace is absolutely breathtaking (especially at sunset) and you can walk all the way around.
Make your own Magnum – these are popping up all around Europe now but this one is very central. You get to choose the flavour of ice-cream, coating and toppings. Yum!
Stroll the streets of Corso Vittorio Emanuele and Via Monte Napoleone for some great shopping.
Naviglio Grande – a lively area lined with bars and restaurants.
If you’re interested then there are many museums worth visiting including Il Cenacolo which houses Leonardo Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” (however you will need to book tickets to this many weeks in advance which we missed out on).
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The rooftop terrace -
The Duomo -
The rooftop terrace -
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II -
The Duomo -
Luini's -
Spontini -
Cioccolatitalian -
Pavè -
Make your own Magnum
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1 comment
Comment by Jocelyn Watkins
Jocelyn Watkins November 10, 2017 at 7:35 am
Thanks again True Routes for another informative insight into a city worth visiting. Your restaurant recommendations will make our holiday planning much easier.