Milan--what do you think?

Posted by merryvm on 10/23/23 02:31 AM

We are flying from New York to Milan; arriving Nov. 9 at 8:10 AM
Of course we'll be tired and I KNOW that we should be spending time outside; however, the things I want to see are INSIDE!
1, I would love to see Duomo and the Last Supper, and then I want to take an afternoon train into Rome and spend a two full days touring to boarding a cruise ship on the 12th.
I found City Wonders and GET YOUR GUIDE both offering tours starting at 10:30 for around $127.00@ offering both the Duomo and the Last Supper.
Will I be able to get off the plane and get to a tour by 10:30?
OR, do you have a better idea for trying to stay awake prior to departing on an afternoon train to Rome?

I'm assuming that I will need to take a train from Milan Airport to Milan Centrale, correct? AND, then can I walk to Duomo and the Last Supper from Milan Centrale? ( I will need to dump off my luggage in some locked lockers)

Posted by ChristineH

Gettysburg PA

10/23/23 02:39 AM

7057 posts

Getting to a 10:30 tour with a planned arrival at 8:10 probably isn’t going to happen

If on time, then time to get thru passport control, get your bags? And train to Milano Centrale (takes an hour), 30 min walk to Duomo…

I wouldn’t plan on being in Milan center til closer to noon.

Posted by Lola

Seattle, WA

10/23/23 04:10 AM

17253 posts

There are no lockers at Milano Centrale; you need to use a commercial luggage storage service. There are several (check Google). And neither the Duomo nor the Last Supper is reasonably walkable from the train station.

You do not want to spend $254 for two tickets on a tour that you may or may not make in time. I suggest that instead you make your way to Milano Centrale, store your luggage for 4 hours, and take a taxi or Metro to the Duomo area. Admire this amazing cathedral, and head up onto the roof. Also see the interior if you like, but we have not been inside. Also walk around the piazza and the Galleria.

Then look for a nice spot to enjoy lunch, and return to Milano Centrale for your train. The fast trains to Rome take 3-3.5 hours. Book one in advance for the best price; maybe a departure between 14:00 and 15:00.

Posted by N_Kingdom

10/23/23 04:48 AM

872 posts

Use the Trenitalia app for tickets, Malpensa Aeroporto to Milano Centrale after retrieving your luggage. I would buy tickets to Roma Termini with luggage in hand. If you buy them in advance you will end up on a later train.

https://www.kibag.it/en/deposito-bagagli-milano/deposito-bagagli-milano-centrale/#pll_switcher

I don't see the need for a tour. You'll need a reservation for the Last Supper; tickets to visit the Duomo and ride one of the lifts are available online.

Posted by TravelBug79

Indiana

10/23/23 11:05 AM

913 posts

I would advise you to book Last Supper tickets NOW. We booked ours months in advance as they sell out quickly. Hopefully there will still be some available for the time you want to visit.

Posted by shoeflyer

Chicago

10/23/23 11:36 AM

621 posts

You posted this same question a few weeks back and now you've posted it again and
are getting the same type of answers. Not sure what you're hoping to accomplish with
all of this.

I will say that Last Supper tickets are available for the afternoon/evening of the 9th as
of the moment I write this from cenacolovinciano.vivaticket.it. That's a rare situation.

I think that you're hoping to cram a lot (probably too much) into a short time and maybe
should consider trying to be a bit more pragmatic. You probably should not plan for
anything before noon, grab Last Supper tickets if that is important to you, and have
the ability to fill in the time around that at the Duomo.

Finally, if you try to cram in Milan and catch a ~6pm train to Rome, you will probably
crash on the train, which may mess with your sleep cycle and affect your wakefulness
in Rome the following day(s).

Posted by CL

Salem, Oregon, USA

10/23/23 04:07 PM

2624 posts

I suggest you skip visiting anything in Milan - just not enough time to appreciate the sites and it's IMHO simply too much to do on an arrival day. Consider you have at least an hour ride from the airport to central station (snooze inducing), then you have to find the private luggage storage, then get your jetlagged selves around an unfamiliar city, then get back to the luggage storage, then back to the train station in time to take a long train ride to a fabulous city you've only allowed yourself two short days to see. If it were me, I'd go to central station, take a midday train to Rome (get window seats and expose yourself to as much light as possible, given the dark season), get settled in a well located Rome hotel, have an early dinner, get a good night sleep, and hit the ground running to maximize seeing the historic sites there.