A Day in Milan

Undoubtedly, Milan's most well-known building is the Cathedral, or Duomo, which is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. Located in the center of the city in the Piazza del Duomo, this massive church is rich with ornate details and a popular site for tourists.

Known for it's lengthy completion process, lasting over 500 years, this cathedral was began in 1386 and fits over 40,000 occupants inside. A free visit inside the church, this makes the visit even that much more appealing, as do the long hours that it remains open (daily 7am-7pm). Definitely a must-see for any visitor to Milan, this is probably most tourists very first stop, and the piazza is one of the central stops for the city's public transportation system and a great starting point for any other visits.

Approaching the entrance, once can notice the immense detail on the exterior, with sculptures and ornaments filling every space. The spires along the roofline reach higher and higher as you get closer. Then when you walk inside, the massive interior is almost too much to take in at once. With the large naves, huge pillars, and overwhelming stained glass. There are several spaces to explore inside (some extra fees charged), including the crypt with several notable remains, the baptistery
with the ruins of the older church once housed on this space, and entrance to the roof. Here visitors can get a view over this massive city and even on clear days, a view of the Alps in the distance.

One can easily spend a couple hours here depending on the extent of the sites they want to explore on the site, but even if you don't want to see all the extras like the museum, roof, or baptistry, just a visit into this massive and noteworthy cathedral is by far worth your time. It's Milan's most famous structure, and one that will make you wonder in the architectural detail.

• Piazza del Duomo
• Metro stop: Duomo
• Open daily 7am - 7pm
• Free admission (Roof: 4euro)

One of the most famous paintings in the world resides in Italy's northern city of Milan. Leonardo da Vinci's massive Last Supper is preserved and available for limited viewings by visitors. The Cenacolo Vinciano (Last Supper) is one of the must see sites for art lovers, and is a viewing that you won't forget.

Located in the Santa Maria delle Grazie church, this painting is housed in a very protected side area where the refectory used to be, surrounded by very high-tech preservation controls. Visitors are given specific reservation times to enter. Only small groups are admitted at a time, and for strict 15 minute visits only. The group walks through 3 separate climate-controlled compartments before entering the vast stone-walled space where the painting is shown. Protected by a guard and security cameras, visitors are kept several feet away during the viewing because of the super fragile state of this important painting.

Painted onsite between 1495 and 1497, the Last Supper has gained even more popularity since the best-seller, the Da Vinci Code, as it was the star of the novel. Buy a guidebook in the shop prior to your visit, or read up on this famous painting and its significance before taking the time to see it, as knowledge of its history will add much to your experience. When you've finished your short tour, take a look inside the church as well which was started in 1497. Designed in high Gothic style, the interior and exterior are both worth a gander.

Tickets are one of the harder things to come by on the list of Italy's "must-sees", and reservations most of the time need to be made months in advance. Although many tour operators offer tickets, the best way is to book through the official church/gallery website and reserve through their online booking calendar. We had to check multiple times each day for 2 months in advance. The calendar was sometimes completely empty (meaning no available times) and then updated if some tickets became available. If you see availability, act fast and grab them. You’ll pay online with credit card and get a confirmation page. *Tip: In case you don't get reservations, still try the ticket counter on-site at 10:30am or 3pm...sometimes you'll get lucky (even if there's a "Sold Out" sign).

• http://www.cenacolovinciano.it/
• Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie
• Metro stop: Cardona, Conciliazione
• Last Supper open: Tues-Sun 8am-7:30pm. Church open: Mon-Sat 7:30am-12pm, 3pm-7pm; Sun 7:20am-12:15pm, 3:30-9pm
• Admission (Last Supper) 6.50euros + booking fee, (Church) free

One of Milan's most famous buildings is that of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Hailed as one of the world's first shopping malls, this structure is a must-see for shopper, architects, and history buffs alike. Noted by it's glass ceiling and arched entry ways, one glance into this hall of shops, makes you feel like you've stepped back in time to a more glamorous and prestigious shopping experience.

Located just off Milan's main plaza, Piazza Duomo, the Galleria, is an easy stop during a visit to this bustling city. Designedby Giuseppe Mengoni in 1861, and finished in 1877, this shopping center is sandwiched in between two of the city's other famous architectural wonders...the gothic cathedral and Teatro della Scala opera house. It's a wonderful connector for pedestrians between these sites and allows you to stay engrossed in beautiful decor throughout the entire passageway.

This four-story building is home to dozens of upscale shops from some of the world's famous fashion designers like Prada, Gucci, and Vuitton, as well as several high-end restaurants and cafes. As most of the places were out of our price range, we just enjoyed a walk through the lovely space, and of course a spin on the balls of the bull of Torino. Yes, that's right...one of the fun tourist things to do here is to find the mosaic design of Milan's neighboring competing city of Turin (Torino) whose symbol is the bull. Then put the heel of your foot on the bulls unmentionables... and spin! You'll notice right away that you're not the first one to do this, as a sizable indention has been left in the floor here.

• Piazza Duomo-Piazza della Scala
• Metro stop: Duomo
• free admission
• hours vary by shop

Attention dieters: Don't even think about reading any further, as this may make you want to leave your rice cake at home and hurry over to indulge in creamy chocolate.

If you only have a day in Milan, yes see the main sites like the cathedral or Leonardo's Last Supper...but as in any other Italian city, a stop for gelato should also be on your schedule. So it was during our day in this big bustling city, and after a few recommendations by locals, we decided on Chocolat Gelateria. Located near the Castello Sforzesco, and less than half a kilometer from Santa Maria delle Grazie (the church where Leonardo's masterpiece is), this is an easy stop between sightseeing in Milan.

As soon as we approached the outside of this gelateria, we noticed many business men and women in suits going for an afternoon treat as well. It's in a nice area of the city with offices and the outside is very modern looking. When you enter, it's a small space, but tastefully laid out with glass balcony areas on the sides for small tables and the lovely display of gelato and other sweet treats front and center. Their logo is a cute milk cow, and besides food, you can buy mugs, bags, and shirts sporting the brand as a souvenir.

But enough about the space, let's talk about the most important thing - the gelato. Specializing in exotic flavors...and of course, chocolate varieties, Chocolat offers high quality gelato flavors from balsamic vinegar and anise to cinnamon and basil lemon. Don't forget to taste many of their unending varieties of cacoa...from white to the darkest dark. All made fresh from seasonal ingredients, none are touched with preservatives or artificial additives.

If you're looking for something different, you can also pick from a selection of sandwiches and breads during the lunch hours or choose from many coffee creations at their bar area. For chocolate lovers of all ages, and even those just looking for a quality dessert to sweeten the palette, Chocolat is a great place to visit.

• http://www.chocolatmilano.it/
• Via Boccaccio 9
• Metro stop: Cadorna
• Open daily 7:30am - 1am

A surprisingly refreshing stop during a visit to Italy is one to a very modern gallery in the city of Milan, the Forma. Fittingly, this gallery is a modern space in one of Italy's more modern cities, and it's a nice change of pace from the multitudes of historic art that one can see in abundance in this country of ancient masters from Roman times to the Renaissance. The Forma is an "International Center for Photography" and offers visitors a quality collection of artists' works throughout the seasons.

During a visit to the city of Milan in 2008, we were able to visit an exhibition at the Forma highlighting the works of famed photographer, Richard Avedon. As he's one of my favorite photographers, we completely enjoyed the exhibition of two floors of photos from his American studies and also large print celebrity portraits from Andy Warhol to Francis Bacon, and even a nice quantity of his fashion photography studies.

Founded in 2005, this gallery is housed in a renovated tramway warehouse, and is quite an amazing space in itself. Still situated near the current tram station, and near the canal district in the Ticinese section of Milan, this space offers various exhibitions year round. Dedicated to the advancement, preservation, and honor of past and present photography, this gallery also offers exhibitions and lecture for many student groups. There's even a cafe there to enjoy a small lunch or coffee during your visit.

If you're looking for a little break away from the older art of Italy, take a detour to the Forma and enjoy one of the many quality displays they have going on. Check their website for the full calendar of exhibitions and events.

• http://www.formafoto.it/
• Piazza Tito Lucrezio Caro, 1
• Tram 3, 9, 15, 29, 30, Bus 59,79, Filobus 90,91
• Open Mon - Wed, Sat: 11am- 8pm, Thu - Fri: 11am - 10pm
• Admission varies based on exhibition