Travel Dates: December 2024
What to do in Milan
Duomo di Milano – A visit to Milan wouldn’t be complete without exploring the stunning rooftop terrace of the Duomo di Milano. To access the terrace, you can choose between taking the stairs or the lift. Tickets for the stairs are a bit cheaper than for the lift, though both options tend to have long lines. If you’ve purchased a combo ticket for both the terrace and the church, I recommend visiting the terrace first before heading inside the church.
The entrance to the stairs (Scala) is conveniently located directly across from the La Rinascente department store, while the lift entrance is further down towards the back-left of the church. The climb up the stairs takes only a few minutes, though the path is narrow and shared by both those going up and coming down, so be mindful of two-way traffic.
We arrived at the Scala entrance about 15 minutes before our 9:30am entry time and were able to enter quickly. When we reached the church entrance around 10:40am, we only waited about 10 minutes to get inside.
Please note that food and drinks aren’t allowed inside the terrace or the church. However, I managed to bring in my plastic refillable water bottle, while I did see someone being asked to discard their Coke bottle.
Be sure to buy your tickets online a few days in advance, as they can sell out quickly, especially if you’re aiming for a specific time slot. If you need to purchase tickets in-person and have a premium Mastercard (such as the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite card), look for the signs directing you to a separate line for members. Inform the staff that you have a premium Mastercard, and they will give you a ticket. A digital board will display ticket numbers and indicate which booth to go to, where you’ll receive assistance in purchasing your entry pass.
The Last Supper – For art admirers, you can’t miss Da Vinci’s The Last Supper. Seeing it in-person was mesmerizing given its immense size. They advise arriving at the ticket office 30 minutes before your scheduled entry time to exchange your digital ticket for a physical one. The ticket office also offers free lockers, as large bags and food or drinks are not permitted inside. Ten minutes before your entry time, you can head to the museum entrance, which is located to the left of the church, just a few steps from the ticket office. Inside the museum, you move through the building section by section. The staff controls when the doors open to let you proceed to the next area, so you’ll need to wait. It felt a bit like being herded. In total we probably spent about 15 – 20 minutes here.
Securing a ticket to see The Last Supper was extremely challenging. Tickets are released in 3-month increments and tend to sell out almost instantly. If you miss the first day they release the tickets, check the website daily to see if additional tickets are released for the date you want to visit. I tried for two months without success before finally resorting to third-party vendors like Viator and GetYourGuide, though their prices were significantly higher than the official ticket price. A few days before I wanted to visit, I found GetYourGuide offering tickets for €48 each, so I bought them.
Where to eat in Milan
Casa Savani Tartufi – This is the perfect spot for truffle enthusiasts. We had the spinach salad with manchego cheese and black truffle, the Irish fillet with truffle, and tiramisu drizzled with truffle oil. Everything was delicious, though the truffle oil in the tiramisu was a bit unusual for my taste.
Gloria Osteria – Visit here for the ambiance, especially if you’re in the mood to indulge at a more upscale restaurant. The drinks are delightful—we tried the Peachini and Mon Cheri cocktails. The Girella all’Ossobuco (pasta stuffed with ossobuco) was delicious, while the carpaccio was a bit underwhelming. The chocolate soufflé had a very mousse-like center, and was too much of a chocolate overload for us. The Anatra Arrosto al Tartufo (roast duck) was a bit too rare at first, but after sending it back to cook a little longer, it was much improved. One tip: avoid paying via the mobile and ask for the bill in person or you’ll be charged an extra $2 fee.
Miscusi – This quick and affordable chain restaurant lets you customize your own pasta, and you can order and pay directly through your phone. We ordered the Goloso (pesto pasta) and Boscaiola (pasta with mushroom), adding meatballs to the latter. The pesto pasta was decent.
Where to stay in Milan
Casa Brera – The hotel offers a great, convenient location in Milan city center along with excellent hospitality (perhaps a bit too much at times). We were greeted with a small welcome drink and cookies upon check-in, and had breakfast included in our stay, which was delicious. They also surprised us with complimentary mini delectable chocolate cakes for our birthday celebration and again on New Year’s Eve, which was a real treat. The rooftop pool area also offered great views of New Year’s Eve fireworks surrounding Milan.
While a good selection of toiletries was provided in our room, the only downside was that we requested no housekeeping, but they still entered our room and neatly reorganized our belongings—hence the “too much hospitality.” On the plus side, they were very quick to arrange a taxi for us when needed.
Do note, driving here can be slightly complicated as parts of the street seem closed.
Transportation tips in Italy
- Traveling by train – To and from the airport, we took the MXP1 (Malpensa Express) from Terminal 1 to Cadorna train station, which takes about an hour. And then to and from Cadorna to our hotel, we took a taxi for €11 – €15. We bought one-way tickets at the station for €13 (a round-trip ticket might be cheaper, but you’ll need to select your return date and time in advance). Be sure to validate your ticket before boarding by scanning it at the machines located just before or on the platform (there will be signs to guide you).
- A key thing to note: Google Maps will incorrectly show that the MXP1 from Cadorna requires a transfer to reach Terminal 1. Don’t rely on that information—Google Maps is incorrect. The ticket machines are accurate, and as long as you enter the correct destination, they’ll confirm whether the train goes directly there and display the schedule.
- Speed cameras – Be cautious of speed cameras while driving throughout Italy, as they are commonly found along roads and highways. There’s usually a sign just before the camera indicating “Controllo Elettronico della Velocità” (or something similar) along with a police icon to warn drivers. The cameras themselves are typically rectangular boxes in orange, blue, or white, located on the side of the road. On highways, they may be hidden behind large digital boards, which will often have a small sign below them with the “controllo” language as a reminder. Keep an eye out for these indicators to avoid any fines.
- Tolls – For tolls, look for “Biglietti” sign or a cash icon sign. “Biglietti” tolls are to pick up a ticket, while cash icon tolls are where you pay the toll with cash or credit card. In some cases, you’ll need to insert the ticket you received earlier as the toll is calculated based on the distance traveled.
- Gas Stations – If you use credit card to pay for gas, some gas stations will require a pin. In those instances, only an American Express credit card worked for us, otherwise we had to find a different gas station.
Other tips for visiting Italy
- Credit cards – Majority of the shops and restaurants take credit cards, though American Express is generally not accepted. Do keep some cash on you just in case, and also if you have to use a public toilet, which can cost €1 or €2.
- Restaurants – I recommend making reservations when possible to ensure you get a table. I’ve seen certain instances where restaurants will turn people away if they do not have a reservation. Also, many places will open at 12pm or 12:30pm and close around 3pm, and reopen for dinner at 7pm or 7:30pm.
Globe Trotter 