Milan: Best things to see and do

Milan may not be the first city that springs to mind when you're dreaming of a holiday in Italy: the charms of Venice, Rome and Florence are way too tempting for most tourists to make the detour. But if this city has passed under your radar as a destination for a short break, you're definitely missing a trick.

OK, so this is the commercial hub of the country, and yes, much of its ancient and original architecture was bombed to bits in the war - neither of which helps its reputation as a must-see. But the fact that it's a city in its own right (ie, not completely driven by tourism) makes it a welcome change from many Italian holiday destinations.

In fact, Milan has such an array of attractions that a weekend or more here will come as a pleasant surprise. With wide cobbled boulevards, the soaring spires of the Duomo, rattling trams, streets bustling with opera-goers, deal-clinchers and fashionistas, and the beckon of some of the country's most attractive scenery a mere hour away, it's difficult not to fall for this city's allure.

Getting around
The trams in Milan, many of them still running from the 1920s, are an experience in themselves. Buy a ticket from a tobacconist or Metro station, and when you board, make sure you get your ticket stamped at the machine at the front.

Arrivals
The best way to get from Malpensa airport is the Malpensa Express, which will get you to Cadorna Station in the centre of the city in around 40 minutes for 12 Euros.

Where to stay
The city is famous for its designer hotels, not least the Bulgari, Italy's only seven-star hotel (with prices to match). For a real treat, stay at the magnificent Four Seasons Hotel, a 15th century convent converted into an oasis of luxury and comfort set in a lovely quiet street in the fashionable shopping district. The service is impeccable, the rooms sumptuous and La Veranda restaurant is arguably the top hotel restaurant in the whole city, while the recently renovated spa area boasts a lap pool beneath 19-century vaulted ceilings along with modern treatment rooms and a well-equipped fitness centre.

If you do one thing here make sure it's...
Seeing the Duomo, one of the world's largest cathedrals and an extraordinary work of art: it took six centuries to build. The statistics are mind-boggling: it's adorned with 3,159 individual statues, the majority of which are on the exterior, and 135 spires. Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, who designed the Statue of Liberty, spent many years studying in Milan, and the story goes that he used to sit and gaze at the Duomo facade. Two of the figures bear a certain resemblance to the statue in New York.


Going to Milan? See our favourite things to see and do in the city, below.

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