Known all over the world, the Italian city of Milan is an important business and fashion hot spot. Unfortunately, it is not as impressive as a touristic destination. Despite the high amount of visitors the city receives, there are only a handful of good attractions and this industrial area doesn’t feel as welcoming as other major European cities.
Milan was founded in the 7th century BC by Celtic tribes and was conquered in 222BC by the Romans. The city was then built up and became a major centre for transport and trading. Later on, in the 13th century, Milan was under the rule of the Sforza and the Visconti families. This allowed the city to flourish towards what it is today – the Italian fashion and finance capital.
Unlike many other touristic centres, Milan is not the type of place that can be wandered around to find attractions. There are a limited amount of sights here, although of those on offer, some are worth visiting the city for.
Milan’s main landmark is the large Gothic cathedral known as the Duomo. Admission to the 40,000 capacity building is free but there is a fee for climbing to the roof. Nearby to this is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II – a beautifully designed shopping centre that leads to the world famous Teatro alla Scalla opera house.
Other attractions around the city include the San Siro stadium – home to both AC and Inter Milan, which are two of Europe’s top football teams. Famous art pieces are on show in the city’s Pinacoteca di Brera and Cenacolo Vinciano art museums.
To fly to the city there are a number of nearby options. 50km northwest of Milan is the Malpensa airport which offers many international flights. Linate is around 7km east of the city and has domestic and European connections. North east of Milan, close to Bergamo is the Orio al Serio airport which offers many discount flights.
For rail travel into the city, the main hub is Milan Central which offers various connections to local and national destinations. The Stazione Porta Garibaldi and Stazione Nord offer regional trains to local towns and villages.
Milan is a place to visit for anyone wanting to spend a lot of money on clothes in the city’s many high street shops. For the regular tourist, Milan feels rather unsatisfying. The Duomo is spectacular and other attractions are around, but the city feels more industrial than touristic.
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