Travel to Milan will involve arriving at Milan Malpensa Airport, MXP, the Milan metropolitan area’s — and Northern Italy’s — largest international airport. In addition to serving foreign customers, the airport and its terminals serve millions of residents in Italy’s nearby Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria provinces (as well as those living in the Swiss Canton of Ticino). The airport lies about 30 miles northwest of Milan’s city center, along the Ticino River (it divides Lombardy and Piedmont).
It’s true that, in terms of number of passengers handled, Malpensa Airport is only Italy’s 2nd busiest (after Rome’s Fiumicino Airport). Still, it remains the 26th busiest airport in Europe for passenger use.
The airport offers Various entertainment and play areas for both adults and children. Most venues provide free recharging of computing devices, such as smartphones and tablets, not to mention the airport’s free Wi-Fi-to-Internet connection. For shopping, there are three great open spaces or piazzas of shops or stalls with bright interiors and contemporary design offering exclusive airport shopping experiences. There is also Piazza del Gusto (Taste Square) located in the departure area of Terminal 1, which provides a high quality selections of the best domestic food & wine products. The “Piazza del Lusso” shopping gallery is a new addition at the airport that pays homage to Milan’s significance as a center of design and fashion, taking its cues from Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, in central Milan.
Travel to Milan
Getting from Malpensa Airport to Milan City Center is easy and can accomplish by train, bus and taxi. A train station is locate in Terminal 1 on level -1 and there are free shuttles from Terminal 2 24 hours a day. The Malpensa Express train service can connect airport passengers with Piazza Cadorna (red metro line 1, Cadorna stop) or Central Station (Centrale).
The Cadorna option is the fastest, usually takes around 30 minutes verses nearly an hour for Central Station, with stops. Several companies provide easy bus service to Malpensa from Milan center. A bus departs every 10 minutes from Malpensa to Milan Central Rail Station. It does not matter which bus company you ride with. Just buy a ticket for the next departure at the stand. Taxis are another option, locates in front of arrivals in both terminals. Travel time is around 50 minutes and cost is flat rate of €90 to Milan city center.
Travel to Milan: Top Things to Do
II Duomo di MIlano
One of the most striking and famous cathedrals in the world is Milan’s Il Duomo, aka the Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of the Nativity of Saint Mary (or, in Italian, Il basilica cattedrale metropolitana di Santa Maria Nascente). It’s a large church with a capacity of tens of thousands of worshippers. It has been design and built in a particularly flamboyant and arresting Gothic architectural style, deriving from the 14th century. The cathedral’s roof boasts magnificent carved stones.
As well, stunning marble statues adorn the building’s exterior. Fifty-two ornate pillars support the interior, which is elegantly dim but not so much to obscure it decorative features, such as its lovely ornate walls and stained-glass windows–themselves from the 15th century. There is also the tomb of Gian Giacomo Medici, brother of Pope Pius IV, both of whom were so important among those who first stewarded the cathedral’s conception and construction.
Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper: Travel to Milan
This artwork — also known, in Italian, as Il Cenacolo and L’Ultima Cena –has certainly over the centuries been battered by the forces of time and erosion. Yet it is one of the most seen and recognizable artworks of all time, the world over. It’s a mural from the late 15th century by hugely influential Italian artist, architect and inventor, Leonardo da Vinci (this particular work commissioned by his patron Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan). The work is housed by the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie’s refectory.
It was most recently restored in 1999. The painting was commission as part of overall renovations to the church and its buildings in the very late 15th century. The painting depicts the scene of Jesus’ Last Supper with his 12 apostles, according to the Gospel of John, 13:21. During it, he announce that one of them would betray him, causing great chaos among them. Tickets must purchase in advance and costs €10 plus a handling fee. Close Mondays.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Named after Victor Emmanuel II, Italy’s King from 1861 to 1878, the Galleria is Italy’s oldest operational shopping mall and one of its best-known landmarks. Basically, it’s a four-story double arcade in the center of Milan, built in the 1860s. Here you can find elegant cafes and luxury shops amid highly stylized antique construction. It’s a good example of early Industrial Era architecture, with well integrated iron and glass.
Castello Sforzesco
This is a tall tower that was own by the Sforza family in Milan from 1277 to 1447. It is now a museum that houses sculptures of that era. However, one of the most important marble sculptures there dates from a somewhat later period: It’s the famous Rondanini Pieta by Michelangelo upon which he start working in 1552 (and continues working upon until his death in 1564). Other decorative arts, artifacts and antiques at this site wonderfully flesh out the rich history and culture of Milan.
San Maurizio Church and Archaeology Museum
The San Maurizio church was build for Benedictine Nuns and so has an unassuming exterior. But its interior is incredibly lively. There are works, especially a variety of paintings, from 16th century artists. Because the monastery portion was originally built by the Romans, there’s an onsite Archaeology Museum, too.
Travel to Milan: Visitor Tips
Culture: Travel to Milan
Northern Italian culture and society, with Milan at its center, is famously different from Southern Italian culture and society, whose center is Rome. It’s a good idea to think in these terms as one encounters people, especially native denizens on the streets of Milan. Yes, all Italians are famously warm and emotional people. And all are so possessed, if not obsessed, by good cuisine. And so many Italians have worked so very hard, and continue to do so, to maintain their blessings. Hence, one may experience Milan as faster in pace and busier than Southern cities like Florence and Rome.
Bars and Cafes; Bars as Cafes
Keep in mind that, when the Milanese mention bars, they actually mean something along the lines of a café — that is, a place where you can order, say, an espresso coffee and a sandwich. Remember, the mention or suggestion of going for or drinking a coffee means, for Italians, obtaining a small shot that can be enjoyed over the space of a half hour or an hour or so.
Bring Rain Gear–Raincoat & Umbrella
Some might say Milan is suffering its rainy season all year long. While that is an exaggeration, it is a city with nearly 40” of precipitation annually, and even its typically driest months are characterized by precipitation. So do make sure you check the weather and, in most instances, head out with a raincoat or umbrella.
Language: Travel to Milan
A large portion of Milanese do not speak English so a little proficiency in Italian will come in handy.
Transportation Tickets
There is a sign of “T” sign at almost every café. There, you can purchase the tickets for transport on the city’s metropolitan network. They are also available at newspaper or magazine stands. You can also obtain them, of course, from metro stations at reasonable times of the day.
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