Milan is a user-friendly and decidedly beautiful city.
Train Travel in Italy is Easy
It is easy to take the Malpensa Express train from the airport to Milan Centrale station. As novice travelers, when sister Jackie and I came in 2007, we took a crazy bus ride from the airport to Milan to catch the train to Genoa. The Malpensa Express makes that journey much easier.
One of my favorite things about going through the Malpensa Airport to the train section is the marvelous little coffee shop just off to the right of the escalators.
We get fresh coffee and a pastry-served on ceramic plates and cups. It’s a great way to start our new journey.
Quick Tips for Train Travel
- You can easily use the ticket dispensing machine to buy your tickets for the train to Milano Centrale. Press the British flag, apply logic (forward = continue) and you’re good to go. Remember, always, to validate your tickets before getting on the train.
- Do not get cash from any place except a bank’s bank machine. The “Change” places will charge you too much. Another thing about money: in America you hand money to a clerk, in Italy and in most of Europe, there is a tray or dish. You place the money there, they return the proper change in the same fashion. This appeals to me as being very neat and civil.
- Speaking of change, make sure to get coinage immediately. If you need to utilize the restrooms in the train station (and numerous other public places), you have to pay E1.00. Don’t let the idea of that bother you—the restrooms are clean and tidy—worth the Euro after traveling for 24 hours.
Here, balcony and rooftop gardens spill over with various shades of green and petals in pink too far away for me to name that plant. Which buildings are old, which are new? Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference because the architecture blends together so well.
Milan is Crazy Busy
Walking around one of our first afternoons in the city, Alex remarked that there sure are a lot of stores here. I looked at him like duh, do you have three heads? but explained, Milan is the fashion center of the universe. To that end, ladies, it appears bell bottoms are making a comeback. Look for them in Pittsburgh in about four years. The boot thing is still reigning supreme here. We saw it in ’07 and it hit the ‘burgh a couple of years ago. Gauchos were also evident as were some weird Arabian Knights type pants that I saw more than once. I’ll keep my eyes open for other fashion trends so we can all jump on board before everyone else does.
Milan’s population is around 2.6 M versus Madrid at over 5M (too NYC-big for me). I felt comfortable walking around even though it is a very metropolitan place. People look at you and smile. I asked an elderly man for directions. He answered me in rich, accented English and pointed us in the correct direction.
I have said that Italians have no sense of personal space. But in retrospect, I have to rewrite that sentence to: Italians have no American sense of space. We keep a certain distance between us and strangers; between us and friends; as we walk down the street we watch out for people coming toward us. Not so the Italians. They bump, they jostle, they apologize and on they go. This time I let myself flow into that experience and found that getting gently knocked about by happy people wasn’t such a bad thing after all.
The Duomo
I went to Mass at the Duomo. It was interesting because I don’t understand Italian and I’ve been to Catholic Mass a couple times in about a million years. We did the whole stand up, sit down, recite, kneel. Repeat. The priest was elderly and had a gentle way of speaking and gesturing. Had I been able to “hear” him, I think I would have enjoyed his message. He was assisted by a woman in priest frocks and another elderly gent who looked like a giant next to the main fellow. I was touched when wo elderly men near me made the effort to shake my hand at the Peace-be-with-you, part. I had no idea what they were saying and thought it was: Howdy, How’s it going? Until the memory kicked in and I went, OH YEAH. I murmured something unintelligible, but smiled like I meant it. I did mean it!
The Duomo was started in 1386 and finished in 1809. There’s something about attending church in a place that’s been deemed holy for that many centuries. It’s humbling.
On a previous trip, our friend Lorenzo (his name had to be Lorenzo, right?) took us to the top of the Duomo. Having survived the 300 steps in the Cologne, Germany Cathedral, I intended walking this one. Glad I didn’t figure out how yesterday because it is twice that height. We took the elevator and it was minutes–minutes–going up! What a view! The architectural detail is stunning. There are statues on 135 spires and none of them are the same.
Dining in Milan is an Experience
On one trip here, we had dinner at a Tuscan cuisine ristorante named Bagutta. A Restaurant started in 1924 and at some point taken over by writers! They now offer a Bagutta Prize for literary works. The walls are covered by paintings, drawings, caricatures. The food was outrageous. I had shrimp linguine with the lightest sauce; a salad made from slivers of artichokes with slivers of cheese; sampled Lorenzo’s battered artichokes, finished with a bit of tiramisu and Limoncello. AH! I love Italy.
Saturday night, we had dinner with Lorenzo and Silena. They are two utterly delightful people to hang out with. We ate at Eataly. It is a new chain around Italy (one in NYC and in Chicago) and focuses on selling and serving food from the local area. So Milan’s restaurant foods would be different from Rome’s, etc. It is a store with multiple restaurants and floors. If you have been in a Whole Foods it is like that on super steroids. They have bands every Saturday night and we heard a cover group that had just won an award. It was a hoot because they were singing American songs. Lorenzo said that most music listened to/sold in Italy is English with Italian maybe being 30%.
Italian Women
Oh, and I continue to hate Italian women. Yep; hate them. HOW DO THEY WALK IN THOSE SHOES? Lorenzo and I had a big conversation about them. The shoes and the women. His wise girlfriend refuses to wear them except, like me, for special occasions. I followed a woman with the perfect hair, perfect chic, and 4″ stilettos yesterday. Followed her for about four blocks, me in my hiking shoes going at my usual fast pace. She kept ahead of me. Are they born being able to do that?
Just go…
In wandering the streets of Milan over the course of several trips, I have traipsed in and out of any number of churches, been to the Milan Castle Museum twice, marveled at the huge door men standing at the front of every designer store, and eaten incredibly well. It is a huge, busy city, but one that you can instantly feel comfortable in, letting yourself flow into the vibrance of the people and the age of the place.
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Read: Ah, the beauty of Italy
I always love seeing your travel pictures and remembered the ones from Milan so well that I recalled seeing places before while I was viewing Stanley Tucci’s “Finding Italy”!
Isn’t that fun? To see on TV some place we–or friends–have been? Love it.
The complexity, beauty of medieval architecture is incomprehensible It was not long before that the dark ages had wiped all true knowledge from Europe. To reclaim such knowledge and expand on it in a short period of time is truly remarkable. Now you know why I like to write medieval novels.
Love, Love Love Italy! I loved your fashion statement about Pittsburgh! So funny. Your post is filled with so much detail, I felt I was walking right besides you. I had an, “Italian” get-away right here in front of the computer. Thank -you, Rose
Glad to hear that, Pamela! If you feel that you were walking with me, then I am a very happy writer!
Many years ago I went to Italy and was amazed that you had to pay for the bathroom. Outside would almost always be a stout older woman with a stern look and a fierce moral compass to ensure all paid for the services she kept clean. So important to get coins because if you’re busting to go and have no change then you either out of luck or you will pay through the nose 🙂
Yes–so important to have change on hand!
Rose, I thoroughly enjoy your writing style and the subjects you choose. I chuckled about the young women with 4“ stilettos keeping ahead of you. It does make you wonder but then we wore those 3“ spike heels with the horrid pointed toes when we were young and managed (what pain for vanity). Your write-up of Milan is so good that don`t be surprised to receive a call from their tourism bureau – they couldn`t describe it better themselves.
Yes, I remember being that vain (Okay, I still have lots of other vanity issues) in the sake of fashion. Jacqueline Gum laughs at me because nowadays I’d much rather be in hiking shoes–all the time!
Lenie, thank you SO much for the great compliment. Coming from someone whose writing I always enjoy, I truly appreciate it.
Love Milano!
I love your articles about Italy. I hope to go again in a couple of years and your posts will be so valuable. Thanks for keeping us posted on the fashion updates! It has been funny seeing some women wearing bell bottoms again. About that lady with the 4 inch heels: How old was she?
Beth–the women are all ages on those crazy shoes. It is stunning to me. I think that person was at least in her 40s. And there I plodded along in hikers or Danskos. HA!
I’m going next year again–this time hiking in The Cinque Terre. It’s so gorgeous! Let me know where you head to.
Oh I love your stories about Italy Rose! I’ve only been once but it was marvelous. We focused on seeing the many historic sites in Rome and fulfilling one of my childhood dreams – visiting Pompeii. I know what you mean about the personal space issue, but I gotta say that the Koreans have the nudging thing down pat – in fact they have no problem just pushing you out of the way. I’ve been to Korea 3 times on business and have never warmed to the country. MUCH prefer beautiful Italy!
Thank you, Marquita! I’m glad you enjoyed my snippets of Milan.
Rome is on the list, but I keep shying away from the size of the city. Pompeii…I can only imagine how spectacular it was to see that place.
I always laugh as I readjust to the personal space issue. The Italians are such gracious people!
Wow Rose! I’m ready to buy my ticket to Milan now! That was a great tour! I can’t remember why I only passed through there and didn’t take the time to explore the city! But I’d be so happy to go back!
“Leaving on a jet plane…” Go for it, Jacquie! You deserve an Italian break.
Great insight into Milan! I would like to venture there someday.
I like the sound of coffee and pastries!
Interesting that you mention the Italians are more “touchy feely”. I believe them to be warm people.
In my opinion, Italian women are and always will be chic. They appear to like sharp lines and classic styles – minimum fuss but yet so effective!
Phoenicia, I hope you get to experience Milan, too! Coffee, pastries…oh the walking I have to do to keep ahead of the calories and it’s so worth it! The Italians are very warm people–not so touchy feely as just different from Americans with our personal space size. Oh yes to the Italian women having a flair that I can only dream of!
Great advice. Thanks for sharing! I haven’t been to Milan in years. Hope to take my kids there some day.
Sabrina, I’m sure that you–and your kids will love and enjoy the place.
Wonderful look at life in Milan. I feel as if I’d been there – wish I had. I laughed about the time lag for fashion to get to Pittsburgh – we say the same thing in Winnipeg. I’m not quite sure what you meant by weird Arabian Knights type pants. If there are like harem pants, I came across harem pants in the stores in Vancouver this spring when shopping with my daughter.
Yes, Harem pants! That’s what they were–all sorts of prints. Glad I could give you a mini tour of Milan! Check out “I’m not a fashionista.” That ought to make you chuckle!
Milan is calling me! You describe it in such a sexy and yummy way! I want to go in the highest of heels, clingy dress and eat like a beautiful pink swine:)
You’d fit right in for fashion week, HQ–plan it for September!
Wouldn’t that be FUN!
Ahhh… this is one city that I missed. Our travels took us through the airport, but not into the city. So I relished this read, Rose! It was a great tour:) But as to hating those Italian women in their 4″ stilettos…I LOVE them! I am a stiletto girl myself:)
I missed the city on the Cinque Terre trip that Seester and I took. It was a bummer because I’d read about the Duomo. Novice traveler mistake. Okay, so Jacquie, some day when we meet in person, you can teach me how to walk in those buggers! If you have time, pop over to the blog: I’m not a fashionista. We were in Milan for fashion week and took pictures of all the shoe art being sported about. Amazing!
Miss Rose you bring Italy to life between the people, scenery, and food descriptions – love it and can’t wait to see a piece of Italy!
It’s so gorgeous! So much to see and it’s all great!
You are SO right, Ken. The train station is stunning. Wait until you see the expanse of the Bologna one. On the surface it looks nice and pretty enough, then it surprises you. Yes to the top of the Duomo–I have another blog on here, “Mesmerizing Milan,” with pictures from up there. Wasn’t that something to see?
How about Meetups for Milano? Nah, that’s boring. Need more coffee. Your turn!
First of all I thought Stazione Milano Central was spectacular. Makes our train stations look like bus stops. I also thought the Duomo was one of the most magnificent things I ‘ve ever seen. Did you get up to the roof? I have a post I’m doing about it next week. There should be a word for this, virtually meeting in Milan through our blogs.