Happy New Year, everybody! I haven’t written since November – I needed some time off. Now, I’m back! I just returned last week from two and a half weeks traveling around Italy and Ireland. Buckle up and enjoy the ride!
My first stop over the Christmas period was Milan. After a small snag (my parents and grandmother getting stuck at the airport and not making their connection at JFK), things were smooth sailing from there. Even when my family wasn’t in Milan with me, I still made the most of it.
Milan is known as the fashion capital of the world, but it offers so much more than expensive designer shops. Really, it’s full of history dating back to the Roman Empire. Only a few ruins remain from this period; Barbarossa sacked the city after a failed uprising. That’s how it usually goes, I guess.
Il Duomo
The main sight of Milan is definitelyBasilica cattedrale metropolitana di Santa Maria Nascente, or better known as the Duomo. The cathedral is different from other cathedrals in two ways: there is no bell tower and it’s made of white marble. There are also over 3,000 statues on top and inside the cathedral. These statues are made in the likeness from everyone from Napoleon, Virgin Mary, and Mussolini.
In my opinion, the best time of day to see this Duomo is at sunset. The marble is not only white, but it is made up of pinks, greens, browns, and more. When the sun begins to set, all of these colors are brought to life. It looked half pink and half white for us. So cool!
There is no need to buy tickets in advance to see the Duomo, but there are a few different tracks you can buy. For €25, you get “head of the line tickets”, meaning you just kind of walk up to the elevator and go up to the top of the cathedral. From there, you can walk around the roof. Be careful, though, because it’s not flat. It’s quite slanted and can be difficult to move around. Another option is to just go into the cathedral. Personally, I think the roof is the most exciting part, so definitely go for that option.
The Last Supper
One of the main reasons I had wanted to go to Milan was to see The Last Supper. I mistakenly thought it was inside the Duomo. Thankfully, I did my research ahead of time and found out how to be able to see it. In reality, it’s located in the convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. You have to buy tickets WAYYYY ahead of time – basically the day they go on sale. You can buy the tickets here.
In case you live under a rock, this is quite possibly one of the most famous paintings in the world. When Leonardo da Vinci painted it, he did not use the fresco technique. For this reason, the painting has had to be restored several times, and parts of the painting were lost. Some of the monks created a doorway and cut off Jesus’s feet. How rude!
You are allowed 15 minutes to look at the painting. While you are in there, a guide will tell you the symbolism behind the painting. (Hint: Dan Brown was very wrong.) We also got a glimpse at some of the original sketches done by da Vinci and some of his students.
On the other side of the hall, there is a fresco painting done by a local Milanese artist from about the same time. He painted the crucifixion in the fresco style. To really see what we lost, the fresco painting looks like it was painted yesterday, except for two characters. On each side, there are two highly deteriorated people. These two were the artist of the crucifixion and his wife; however, they were done by da Vinci in the non-fresco style. Ugh! Why didn’t you do the stupid fresco style, Leonardo!
Chiesa de San Maurizio
If you want to appreciate the beauty of fresco work, look no further than the hidden gem of the Church of San Maurizio. It’s free to enter, which is always a plus. On the outside, it doesn’t look like much. Inside, however, it is frescoed from floor to ceiling. It really is an amazing site.
I don’t have much to say about this place, but it is the perfect way to spend 15 minutes or so, admiring the frescos and how amazing and beautiful they really are. The church is still in use today, as well.
Wow … that’s a lot of churches.
I think Milan has some amazing churches and some great art. Aside from visiting churches, you can visit the Teatro della Scala, just down the road from the Duomo. We never had the chance to go inside because it was closed for the holidays, but if you have the chance, you might even be able to see an opera there.
No trip to Milan is complete without a walk through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. It’s like a giant tunnel-shopping mall. It’s very grand and full of shops you can never afford. Every shop is required to have their name written in gold on a black background. When McDonalds had property there, they were not happy about that! Be warned: this is a tourist hot spot, so you might get pushed through the Galleria, rather than walking on your own accord.
Another place we stopped by was the Palazzo Reale. Since Italy is no longer a monarchy, it’s no longer in use. Instead, the palazzo offers a selection of art exhibitions. It was open on Christmas and it had a Picasso exhibition. After watching the Geniusseries on National Geographic, my parents were excited to see this exhibition … and they were not disappointed.
Beautiful Milan
Milan is full of so much history and secrets. I think I learned the most about the city when I did a free walking tour on my solo time. I learned about the history of the city and its coat of arms to the giant middle finger in front of the Italian Stock Exchange. Milan definitely has the feeling of northern Italy, which is much different from the South. Still, it has something for everyone from art to shopping to churches and cathedrals. You could even check out a soccer match. Make sure to add Milan to your “must-see” list!
