Milan Cultural Travel Guide

Milan is a city that had to reinvent itself after the devastation of war. Today Milan is anew, buzzing with the creativity of a marvelous fashion industry. Behind all the ephemeral glamour, you can find the pillars of the culture. Come along and discover the past, and the present of this magnificent city.

Top 10 of what to see
Duomo Cathedral
The Last Supper at Santa Maria delle Grazie
Michelangelo’s Pietà Rondanini at Sforza Castle
Brera Art Gallery
Ambrosian Art Gallery
Triennale, Design Museum
Palazzo Reale
Teatro alla Scala
Spazio Oberdan
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele

Events in Milan
Fashion Week
February/March and September/October. The whole city celebrates fashion in one way or another. The official fashions shows are by invitation only, but there are many alternative events in which a visitor can participate.
Furniture Fair
Early April. Designers converge to the capital of high design to showcase their work. There are satellite shows that run parallel to the official fair.
Festival Latinoamericando
Every summer, the sounds of Latinamerican music take over the city. Events, concerts, and fairs happen all over the city.
Word Press Photo
May to June
Teatro alla Scala Opera Season
Opens December 7th, with the celebration of Milan’s patron saint: Saint Ambrose.

Milan's typical Food & drink

Risotto alla Milanese
It has been said that cooking Risotto alla Milanese is best left to the Milanese, so if you find yourself in the fashion capital, please do try some of this fabulous dish. Risotto alla Milanese is made with Arborio rice, broth, onion, saffron, white wine, beef marrow, butter and Parmigiano cheese. What is there not to like? This risotto is usually paired with veal ossobucho, another wonderful dish from the area.
Milan is also well known for its Salame di Milano, Mascarpone cheese and of course the famous Gorgonzola cheese.

Spotlight on Sforza Castle and its many treasures
One of the oldest standing structures dating from the late middle ages. A historic monument restored in the 1900s to its magnificent state. Not to miss is a visit to the Rondanini Pietà, Michael Angelo’s last and most moving masterpiece. The art galleries include collections of everyday objects from a bygone era, and great works of art by Mantegna, Bellini and others. Just walking around will transport you to another era.

How to arrive at Milan
Milan is a large metropolitan city in the north of Italy, easily accessible by plane, train, or car.
By Plane: Milan is serviced by three major airports: Malpensa, Linate and Orio al Serio. Most international flights fly into Malpensa, but some budget airlines fly into Orio al Serio (which is close to Bergamo). Linate is the closest airport to the city center. All airports have available bus and/or train connections to the main Central station in Milan.
By Train: Most international trains pull into the beautiful and monumental Stazione Centrale (Trenitalia). The station is served by MM2 and MM3 metro lines.
Another major train station is Cadorna (Ferrovie Nord) served by MM2 and MM3 metro lines, as well as the Malpensa Airport Express.
By Car: Milan is linked with the rest of Italy by many major motorways.
A1 links Milan with Bologna, Florence, Rome, and Naples.
A4 Westbound links Milan with Turin, the western Alps, and France.
A4 Eastbound links Milan with Bergamo, Brescia, Verona, Padua, and Venice.
A7 links Milan with Genoa, the Cinque Terre, and the Ligurian coast.
A8 links Milan with Lake Como, Lake Maggiore, and Switzerland.
A9 links Milan with Varese.
By Bus: Milan’s new bus depot is located in front of Porta Garibaldi train station and it is connected with MM2 metro line.