Stylish and industrious, elegant shops and streets invite you to stroll. There are days they are full of pleasure. If then the glass lift rises from the green of the Parco Sempione, you can get a first glance from the top of the sunlit Castello Sforzesco and the tops of the Alps behind. Today, Milan, with around 9 million visitors per year is after Rome the most visited city in Italy. 60 percent of the visitors are coming because of buisness reasons. This has unfortunately influence on the prices in restaurants, hotels and shops. With Paris and New York is Milan a capital of fashion, which you can see in the Quadrilatero della Moda, the fashion district behind the cathedral, and it can be experience. Even phenomena of mass culture and advertising to football (Inter! Milan! San Siro stadium!) are here at home. In the cafes and music clubs it swings, sounds and dances throughout the year as in the discos of Rimini but there only in the season.

Sant'Ambrogio
The church of the city's patron Ambrose rises above his grave. It is the most important medieval monument in the city and a kind of prototype of many romantic church buildings of the Lombardy. Mon-Sat 7am-12pm and 2.30pm-7pm, Sun 7am-1pm and 3pm-7pm Piazza Sant'Ambrogio Metro: M 2 Sant'Ambrogio, Bus 50, 58

Castello Sforzesco
The castle of the ruling families of Milan (first Visconti, then the Sforza) was created to protect them from their own population - and not the city from external enemies. daily 8m-8pm. entrance free, museum 3 Euro. Piazza del Castello Metro: M 1 Cairoli, Cadorna, M 2 Cadorna, Lanza

Duomo Santa Maria Nascente
Milan's Cathedral, whose cornerstone was laid in 1386, has grown through many centuries. Despite a long construction period until the 19th Century, it remains a great testimony of the Lombard Gothic. With an exterior length of 158 meters and a floor area of 11 400 sq meters belongs the Duomo to one of the largest churches of the christians. entrance free. Piazza Duomo Metro: M 1, M 3 Duomo

shopping
La Rinascente
Luxerious Departementstore on seven floors with brunch restaurant (terrace overlooking the cathedral). Clothing, perfume, accessories, but also design housewares. Piazza Duomo/Via Santa Radegonda 3 Metro: M 1, M 3 Duomo
Armani
A special kind of department store: clothing and electronics, furniture and books. Focus fashion and design. Via Manzoni 31 Metro: M 3 Monte Napoleone.

Every top designer name can be found on vias Montenapoleone, della Spiga, Sant’Andrea and Manzoni, with Gucci, Vuitton and Tod’s having recently taken up residence in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele – where the original Prada store has been since 1913.

where to stay
Albert
Near the train station on a busy street where you would not expect such a pleasant house. The friendly service is increidible. 62 rooms. Via Tonale/Via Sammartini Metro: M 2, M 3 Centrale
Bed & Bread
Dreamlike: A biologist opens house and garden. You forget that you are in Milan. 3 rooms. Via Vetta d'Italia 14 Bus 58, 61
Antica Locanda dei Mercanti
A charming, traditional hotel with pension character in a baroque palace in the center. 14 rooms. Via San Tommaso 6 Metro: M 1 Cordusio                                                                                                                                                                      The Ariston (largo Carrobbio 2, €230) is a hotel with a seriously eco-friendly agenda                                                                 The Gran Duca di York (via Moneta 1A, from €110) is conveniently located in the centre.

food
Super Pizza
41 types of pizza, but only ten tables. Viale Sabotino 4 Metro: M 3 Porta Romana
Osteria Grand Hotel
A miracle: top kitchen and acceptable prices in this Slow-Food restaurant. Great cheeses, great wines. Monday close Via Ascanio Sforza 75 Tram 3, Bus 90, 91                                                                                                                                           Masuelli San Marco                                                                                                                                                                                           The best of Piedmont meets local Milanese cuisine at Masuelli San Marco (viale Umbria 80, closed Sun).                                         Al Merluzzo Felice (via Lazzaro Papi 6, closed Sun) is your best stop for Sicilian fish dishes.

Trains
Direct connections with Milan's Stazione Centrale consist from Vienna via Tarvisio, from Munich and Kufstein over the Brenner and from Basle via Como.

Plane
International flights usually land in Milan-Malpensa, occasionally Milan-Linate (otherwise mainly for domestic flights from Italy). Cheap airlines use the small airport at Orio al Serio Bergamo. Linate and Malpensa are directly connected with the Stazione Centrale. Linate: every 30 minutes 5:40am-9pm, journey time 40 minutes. Malpensa: every 20 minutes 5:10am to 10:30pm, journey time 60 minutes, or with the train Malpensa Express from/to the North Station (Cadorna) every 30 minutes between 5:50am and 11pm, journey time 40 minutes. Orio al Serio: Buses to and from Milan (Stazione Centrale) 7:15am-8pm, journey time 90 minutes. Public Transport A single ticket costs 1 Euro. A dayticket costs 3 Euro a twodayticket 5,50 Euro.