With some planning and time management, it is possible to cover some of the best things to do in Milan in a day! Yes, you read that right, I took a day trip to Milan and was not only able to fit in some iconic sights but was also able to have a lot of delicious food in Milan. This is just a suggested itinerary and like always, please do your own research as well as per your preferences and be updated before you visit Milan.
Decadent Diaries Tips:
Using the Milan metro was one of the most important things that made my excellent day trip possible. It got me from point to point in an efficient and timely manner. I got the twenty-four-hour ticket and luckily they had an official app from where I could buy and maintain my tickets from my phone itself. The official app also helped because I could see the map and the closest metro stations to the places I wanted to visit. (please note that a random QR code is generated for your ticket every few minutes, so having internet at all times on the phone is essential)
Secondly, of course, marking all the places I wanted to visit and eat at on Google Maps and the reviews and photos of the restaurants helped me shortlist where I wanted to go and chart out my action plan and be my own guide.
It is advisable to be aware of pickpockets at all times and take care of your belongings since as there is a lot of rush during even the shoulder season in Italy. It is prudent to be aware of the famous tourist scams, read and research about them before you visit.
It is easily possible, like we were able to, to take a day trip to Milan from some other place close by due to excellent train connectivity. We were able to go on a day trip all the way from Zurich as it was only three hours away by train.
So our day started with us taking the train to Milan from Zurich and reaching at around 12:15 PM. The Milano Centrale station was beautiful and grand and was a perfect welcome to Milan.
The first thing we wanted to do was get something authentic to eat and after a lot of research on google maps and reviews of restaurants, we decided to go to Napiz Milano for their Neapolitan-style pizza pies which were so highly rated on Google Maps.
We went with a reservation and were promptly seated and enjoyed some of the best pizzas we've ever had. They had some homemade chili oil which was a regional Italian recipe that added even more flavor to the pies.
The atmosphere was also so amazing with everyone who has dined here having left their signature or names on the walls and we were encouraged to do the same.
We then went back to the nearest metro station and headed to our next location which was the iconic Duomo Di Milano. The moment we stepped out of the metro station we were awestruck by the beauty of this structure and overwhelmed with the huge amount of rush that was in this square!
We took our pictures and headed to the next attraction close by which was the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. This nineteenth-century arcade is one of the most beautiful structures you will see. It is lined with high-end boutiques, cafes and restaurants.
Here along with generally exploring and taking in the grandeur, I also had marked a pastry shop I very much wanted to visit called Marcheli 1824. There was a small line ahead of us which quickly passed and I got to choose from an array of delightful pastries. I went for the signature tiramisu as well it's Italy! And I wasn't disappointed, hands down one of the best tiramisu I have ever had and the view of the galleria made it even more memorable.
I then wanted to try some gelato and I suggest instead of standing in a huge line at Amorino for the same at the Galleria, head to one of the other spots. We went to Grom close by and enjoyed pistachio and hazelnut-flavored gelato.
After this, we wanted to definitely check out the most beautiful Starbucks in Europe, the Starbucks Reserve Roastery. It was within walking distance from Duomo. It has been my dream to go there since it opened, and it was worth it. I was absolutely overwhelmed by the beauty of the historic building called Palazzo delle Poste that the Roastery was situated in. When we entered inside it's like we entered a portal into an alternate steam-punk reality.
The central highlight being the giant green Scolari roaster, roasting fresh coffee right in front of your eyes and an intricate network of pipes transporting the roasted coffee throughout the roastery.
Then there is the “dancing lady” - a twenty-two-foot bronze roasting cask that periodically unfolds and rotates. Everywhere you look the interiors fascinate you with their futuristic feel. And then the entire room is filled with overwhelming aromas of fresh roasts and delicious treats.
My favorites here were the Princi pizzas, the foccacia bread and “maritozzo” i.e. Italian sweet cream buns.
We then headed to our next stop by foot which was the iconic Apple store at Piazza del Liberty. Being fans of the Apple brand and unique designs of some of their stores I just wanted to have a look. One could have used the metro also but we just wanted to explore the city a bit on foot.
The next stop was the Quadrilatero della Moda, the upscale shopping area to check out the fashion scene that Milan is famous for. It was quite impressive and we did a lot of window shopping. Mainly it was nice to just feel the city's vibe and its strong influence on world fashion.
After which it was time to head back to the station, but not before I went to All'Antico Vinaio, the famous Italian sandwich shop from Florence which has opened up its branches here. The one in the city center is said to be usually crowded during lunchtime. So I instead chose to go to the outlet near the station. After already having eaten so much during the day, I decided to take away one of their famous Vegetarian sandwiches with pistachio cream for my train ride back.
We got the 5:43 PM train to Zurich with one connection at Lugano. Had a wonderful train picnic on the way back with the All'Antico Vinaio sandwich and the treats we had picked up from Starbucks Reserve Milano.
Overall was able to do so much in just a day trip to Milan, I was pleasantly surprised. It also didn't feel rushed as such and I was really happy. One thing more I would have liked to cover was the Last Supper painting viewing at Santa Maria delle Grazie, but I felt it would become too rushed. You can however check that out if you have the time. Tickets on the official website sell out months in advance but you can buy tickets for trusted third-party websites. You can also months in advance plan out and book your tickets from the official website on time.
With a little bit of planning, there is so much possible in a day trip! I look back at the fantastic day I spent in Milan with great fondness.
Thank you for reading❤️
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