Hi Steemit friends! Welcome to my newest HannahHopsTheGlobe post. Topic of the day: Visiting Milan, Italy!
During a trip to Europe a few summers ago I chose Milan as one of my destinations. I only spent a few days in the city, but felt it provided a good amount of time to enjoy some of the history and culture that the city has to offer. Milan is actually the second most populous city in Italy after Rome, however the city manages to maintain a low-key and relaxed vibe.
Enjoying A Drink At One Of The Canals In The Navigli District - More On This Below!
After arriving at the Malpensa airport my travel partner and I were able to easily take a train to the city center and make our way to our hotel. I was immediately struck by the warm colors and earthy tones on many of the surrounding buildings. We stayed at the Gran Duca di York hotel, and were pleased with the location and the cleanliness of the room. It was small and not super modern, but this is not uncommon in Italy (or Europe in general). The hotel is, however, in a wonderfully central location. Only a few steps from the Duomo!
Initial Views After Arriving in Milan
Partial View Of The Outside Of Hotel Gran Duca di York (Sorry About The Poor Photo Quality)
Of course if you are in Milan, it would be crazy not to visit the Duomo (which happens to be the fourth largest in the world and took half a millennium to build). Women be warned: the dress code to get into the Duomo is on the stricter side, so if you find yourself visiting in the summer, pack an outfit that covers almost all of your skin! While there is a dress code for both men and women, it seems to affect women more than men in warm months.
Duomo
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is located right next to the Duomo, and is worth passing through once even if you do not plan on making any purchases.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Since I was only in Milan a limited amount of time, a good portion of the trip was spent walking around and taking in some of the marvelous sights the city has to offer. I always appreciate the elegance and the beauty of the old buildings in European cities.
Beautiful Details
Obsessed With The Colors And These Winding City Streets
One of the highlights of the trip for me was spending time in the Navigli neighborhood. The neighborhood is named after the Naviglio Grande canal, the oldest canal in Milan that was built between 1177 and 1257. Historically the canal was used to transport goods, but has since transformed into more of an up-and-coming neighborhood lined with small shops and excellent restaurants serving authentic Milanese cuisine. It is considered a hip and artsy neighborhood, sprinkled with art studios and little galleries hidden on side streets.
One Of The Canals In The Navigli District
There are a variety of fun activities offered in Navigli, such as a two and a half hour beer tasting tour and an hour long boat tour along the canal during the summer months. It is also perfect to enjoy a pleasant walk, have an aperitivo Milanese, and then feast at dinner at one of the many delicious restaurants along the canal (which is what I ended up doing - and loved every minute of it).
One Of The Canals In The Navigli District
Melt In Your Mouth Pizza...Soo Good
While I could go on and on, I will wrap up this post by saying Milan is a lively, fun, and interesting city and I would definitely recommend spending a few days exploring all that it has to offer. During my stay I was able to visit a number of other important sites that I didn't mention (viewing The Last Supper, the Monumental Cemetery, etc), so although they were not included in this post - know that you would have time to see all of this in the span of a few days! Also, be sure to save some room for gelato :)
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed my Milan ramblings. Until next time...
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HannahHopsTheGlobe: Tasting Wine in Mendoza, Argentina (Part One)
HannahHopsTheGlobe: Tasting Wine in Mendoza, Argentina (Part Two)
HannahHopsTheGlobe: Dining in Brussels, Belgium