Milan

I guess our other thought was to take the train to Florence from Rome and stay one night there. Then, train to Milan, stay overnight, then home the next day? An idea? or, being at the end of our trip (we will be in London 3 days, France 7 days and Italy is our last venture)will we be too exhausted and ready for home?

I really like Milano even though it is often overlooked. Try using venere.com to find a hotel. Taking the train would be cheaper and much easier, but it will be a longer ride. I always prefer 1st class, but 2nd class is cheaper. I usually stay at the Hotel Berna on Via Napo Toriano, which is about 400 meters from Stazione Centrale.

The Duomo is interesting and also visit the roof. In the same piazza is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, which is a beautiful mall with really upscale shops. Make sure you find the ceramic torino (little bull) on the floor and spin on the bull's testicles for good luck. It is a Milanese custom. Every few years the piece of tile must be replaced because of the wear. The Leonardo Museum is also a good prospect as is the Castel Sforza. If you can secure tickets, the "Last Supper" is another nice venue. You did not mention when you were traveling, but for an evening activity I always go to the Navigli district for the evening passeggiata (after dinner walk). It was once a factory area now converted into clubs, bars, restaurants, and gelatorias.

I have found that visiting Italy is not cheap or inexpensive. i travel there every year and it is not the bargain it once was.

Buon viaggio,

RB

Definetly take the train to Milan, and spend the day there, and depending on what time of year you go, use the next day to day trip to Lake Como (Varenna & Belliago) It's only 1 hour by regional train from Milan Central.

Our travels will be late October to early November 2010. Thanks for the thoughts. Keep the ideas coming, please!

Jackie,

Regarding transportation, I'd definitely suggest traveling by train. Travel via EuroStar Italia / Alta Velocita will definitely be quicker than by air (travel time from Roma Termini to Milano Centrale is 3H:59M), and you'll see some great scenery along the way.

"What to see while in Milan"? There are LOTS of choices! One option you might consider would be to spend one of your days visiting the Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emmanuale or other sights in Milan. There's an extensive department store in the Galleria Vittorio Emmanuale (right side of the main entrance as I recall) that takes up about five floors and includes food shops and a restaurant on the top floor. Be sure to take lots of money as many of the shops are on the "pricey" side. It was nice to look at Giorgio Armani suits, but not something I could probably afford.

For your second day, you might consider a day trip to either Varenna (Lago di Como) or Stresa (Lago Maggiore). Both are about one hour from Milan by train. If you haven't been to Varenna, that would be a good choice. Buy your return tickets at Milano Centrale (DON'T forget to validate!).

"where to stay?" Given that you'll need easy access to the airport, you could either stay close to Milano Centrale or in the Via Dante area (closer to the Duomo). From Milano Centrale you can use the Malpensa Shuttle (Bus) to the airport, while from the Via Dante area you could use the Malpensa Express (train) which departs from Cadorna Station. The trip by train is about 30 minutes or so, and of course isn't affected by "traffic issues". Check the Italy Guidebook for suggested lodgings in each area in different price ranges.

Happy travels!

Thank you Ken. This is our first trip to europe so want to see as much as possible without totally exhausting us both. Thank you for the info. I do feel the train would be a great way to see the countryside, so the train, it is! What do you think of spending a day in Florence first, then on to Milan?

Jackie,

You're very welcome!

Given that this is your first trip to Europe, I'd also highly recommend a pre-read of the Guidebook Europe Through The Back Door. Read the "Rail Skills" section carefully! You may also want to download the free PDF Rail Guide from this website (click the "Railpasses" tab at the top and look in the lower right corner).

IMHO Florence is definitely worth a visit! However, I'm not sure that stopping there for a few hours on the way to Milan will really "do it justice". Spending at least one night would be worthwhile, so that you could tour at least one of the Museums (Uffizi or Accademia). You could also take a trip up to Fiesole for a look (as I recall, one of the Hop On/Hop Off Bus tours goes there). The Ponte Vecchio is beautiful at night! There's lots to see and do, and some nice restaurants.

Whether to stop in Florence or save that for a future visit will depend on what is most important to you. Lago di Como is also very beautiful and is an easy day trip from Milan. While there you could take a short Ferry ride to Bellagio for a few hours and have a nice dinner in Varenna before returning to Milan. That's what I did on a return visit to Varenna this June and the Ravioli was excellent!

Cheers!

Steve, I think your hotel list may be outdated. The Hotel Gritti and the Speronari have closed, I believe.

I too would leave Florence for another time. If you wanted another day trip out of Milan, Bergamo is an easy train ride away. It is a fifteen minute stroll from the train station to the funicular that takes you to the Citta Alta, the old walled city. Great little restaurants there, wonderful walks, and a perfect amount to see and do for a day trip. It's not in the Rick Steves Italy book, so it's a true "back door" to northern Italy.

Wow, such great suggestions and ideas. We have time to think on it and maybe, just stay in Milan for the 2 days so as not to feel so rushed for time. We want our trip to be enjoyable and relaxing. Keep the suggestions coming. They are greatly appreciated.

Jackie,

There are plenty of things to do in Milan for 2 days and two nights...I vote that you stay in town and try to do as much as you can...certainly, the Last Supper, the Duomo (and go up to the roof top for a world class view of Milan), see the original shopping mall (the Galleria Vittorio Emmanuel II) and the see the Castello Sforzesco...if you can get tickets, be sure to see an opera or a ballet. Even if you don't get tickets, do yourself a favor and take the tour of La Scala to see the worlds most famous opera house. Above all else, use the time to visit some of Milans great restaurants (they need not be expensive to be really good). And don't forget to spend some time at the Stazioni Centrale (Train Station). For a reasonably priced hotel, I think you can't beat the Hotel Star...located just 2 blocks from La Scalla and 4 blocks from the Duomo, you are in the center of old Milan...check out the prices and the reviews on trip advisor.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187849-d237297-Reviews-Hotel_Star-Milan_Lombardy.html

Thank you for the recommendations. I will check Hotel Star right now! Thank you.

Jackie

I may be in the minority here but I don't think Milan is worth more than half a day. The duomo is neat and if you can get a reservation to see the last supper that is worth it as well. But those two things together take about 3 hours (15 minutes of which is the last supper). After that I don't think Milan has much to offer, unless of course you like to shop, which I don't. I'd rather stop in Cinque Terre even if it is for just a day and spend a day there and then head to Milan to leave. If you have never been to Cinque Terre, a day there is much better spent then a day in Milan.

Scott,

I'm not sure you're "in the minority" regarding Milan. I was there again in June and tend to agree with your assessment (although I think it's worthwhile to spend more than half a day). I'd prefer to spend a few days in Varenna and around Lago di Como or in Stresa, as I'm not really not too keen on shopping either.

Cheers!

Oh, I like Milan and do not understand when people think it isn't worth their time. Maybe it doesn't have the smack you in your face tourist sites, but it has many things of beauty to see. You just have to go find them. Simply strolling around the side streets, popping into little stores and restaurants, finding old churches to step into. This is doing Milan the back door way. Get off the beaten track and just explore. We really liked the Duomo and the Galleria, but we also liked the massive open air produce market we walked through, that was next to some sort of castle (sorry, don't remember the name). The Science/Leonardo Da Vinci museum was fantastic and we spent hours there. It has a huge transportation exhibit connected to it too.

I would rather spend 2 days learning about just one town, rather than racing off to another more "worthy" town for a few hours visit. But that is just me. Others may feel different of course.

Jo,

I really appreciate your "European" perspective on many of our comments...I am always surprised when I see a comment such as "Milan is only worth a 1/2 day"...I don’t understand it but there it is. It seems that there are people who like NY City and there are others who do not. I have seen you defend Frankfurt numerous times from those who think Germany is only about the Black Forest, the Rhine River cruises, and Bavaria. For some reason, Frankfurt, Berlin and Hamburg do not warrant spending any time there as they are not “sufficiently interesting destinations”.

Keep posting your observations...I always look forward to your views (much like Claire in Bergamo and Ron in Rome)

I enjoyed my time at the Castello Sforesco in Milan.

I expected to see scenery on my train travel in Italy and found that much of the time, either the scene wasn't scenic or there were trees lining the tracks preventing any view of the scenery.

That is not to say not to take the train, just don't expect too much.

To get some change from cities you can stop at Cinque Terra. It's right on your way from Rome to Milan. Some expresses even stop in Monterosso. Otherwise you would have to change for slow train in La Spezia.

Be careful in the Milan train station is a large kiosk full of Italian cookies & pastries to die for.