Fashion, finance and football best describes Italy’s second largest city, Milano.
With a population of more than 1,300,000 and the highest GDP per capital it is no surprise to see Milan ranked as one of Europe’s most important business and financial centres and home to the country’s stock exchange.
A major player in global finance, Milan also showcases the best in fashion, sport and art.
Milan Information
Population: Approx. 1,310,320
Time Zone: UTC +1
Languages: Italian (official)
Currency: Euro €
Currency Exchange: Purchase your Euro cash and travellers cheques before you leave Australia with our preferred partner.
Milan Climate
Milan experiences a typical Mediterranean (subtropical) climate. Hot humid summers and cool wet winters which on occasion, may drop below freezing. The daily average for January is 1.4°C (34.5F) and in July 28.9 °C (84F) although temperatures in summer will sometimes exceed 30°C (86F).
January is the driest month and October the wettest. With an average of one-and-a-half hours of sunlight in January and just over nine hours in July it’s easy to see why the summer months are Milan’s busiest.
Heavy fog is typical during the cooler months and despite the reduction in industrial pollution and the removal of rice paddies from neighbouring regions, pollution remains high throughout the year.
Milan Airport
Name: Milan Malpensa Airport
Website: http://www.sea-aeroportimilano.it/en/malpensa/
Partner Airline: Etihad Airways
Car Rental:Exceptional mate's rates on car hire with our preferred partners
Football
Home to both A.C Milan and F.C Internazionale Milano, Milan is the only European city to boast two European Cup and FIFA World Cup winning football teams.
Games for both teams can be enjoyed at one of Europe’s biggest stadiums, the San Siro (Stadio Giuseppe Meazza) with a capacity exceeding 80, 000. The city also hosts the Italian Grand Prix. The Monza Formula One draws huge crowds and is infamously known as the quickest circuit on the Formula One calendar.
Architecture
Make your way to the main square of Milan where you can marvel at the gothic façade of the Milan Cathedral (Duomo di Milano). There are regular tours of the cathedral as well as the opportunity to visit the crypt and treasury. The rooftop tour gives you the chance to see the pinnacles and rooftop sculptures up close – all while taking in the breathtaking views of the Milan skyline.
Art
Leonardo da Vinci lived in Milan for 20 years and a visit to the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie to view his coveted masterpiece, The Last Supper, will have you in awe. The piece is of inestimable value.
Opera
No trip to Milan would be complete without a visit to La Scala Opera (Teatro alla Scala). One of the most prestigious opera theatres in the world, rooms are steeped in operatic history having been the home to the creme de la creme of premiers, including Giacomo Puccini’s Madam Butterfly in 1904.
The Westin Palace Milan
5 Star Property
Experience the exciting city of Milan while staying at The Westin Palace, Milan. Our downtown location is convenient to the city’s famous shopping and monuments, including The Church of Santa Maria Delle Grazie, which houses Leonardo’s Last Supper. Guests will find full relaxation and peace in our new fitness centre, housing two Turkish Baths, perfect after a long workout on our state-of-the-art equipment.
Milan Hilton
4 Star Property
This Hilton Hotel is located approximately three kilometres from the centre of Milan, thirteen kilometres from Linate Airport, and 52 kilometres from Malpensa Airport. Local attractions include the Golden Triangle district, and Sforza Castle and Art Gallery, both approximately three kilometres away.
Crowne Plaza Milan City
4 Star Property
The four-star Crowne Plaza Milan City in the business district of Milan feature a stylish, monochromatic colour scheme. Both the Central Railway station and the Sondrio Subway station on yellow line are very easily reached from the hotel and provide convenient access to the major city attractions and most popular shopping areas.
Marriott Milan Hotel
4 Star Property
The Marriott Milan Hotel is located in the city's Art Nouveau area, near the main business district, Central Train Station, and within walking distance to shops and restaurants. At the hotel, guests can stay in shape with the onsite fitness room. For offsite recreation, guests will find jogging trails, tennis, and golf nearby. For less strenuous exercise, there are plenty of places to explore in the surrounding neighborhood.
Dining
A dairy purists dream, Milan is the place to savour milk, cream, butter and cheese – the region famous for its gorgonzola, taleggio and stracchino varieties. Rice is used in dishes more often than pasta and cream replaces tomatoe as the base of most Milanese cuisine.
One of the best traditional Milanese restaurants is Trattoria della Pesa. The perfect spot to enjoy risotto alla Milanese (saffron risotto), you’ll find them at Viale Pasubio 10.
No risotto would be complete without a generous serve of dolce (dessert). The best gelato in Italy can be found at Il Massimo de Gelato, Via Castelvetro 18.
The world-renowned Lombardy wine (vino) region is on your doorstep and there are plenty of tours on offer to acquaint you with Lombardy’s finest. Alternatively visit Lucca’s at Corso di Porta Ticinese 51. The perennial favourite buzzes during summer so arrive early for a good seat or place to stand.
Shopping
Long held as the fashion and design capital of the world, Milan is home to Europe’s biggest furniture and design fair, Fiera Milano and of course Milan fashion week, which is held twice each year.
Many an Italian design house have their flagship stores based in Milan including Valentino, Gucci, Prada, Armani, Versace and Dolce & Gabanna. You can shop these internationals as well as the likes of Christian Dior, Missoni and Louis Vuitton at the Quadrilatero d’oro. The square (made of four streets) is the perfect place to people watch but be warned, even the coffee comes with a designer price tag.
For the budget-conscious, fashion in all forms can be enjoyed at the Serravalle Outlet. Here you can shop designer outlets for seconds, samples and the remnants of last season at up to 70 per cent off recommended retail. The Viale Fauche markets held each Saturday are a fashionistas dream with discounted clothes and shoes from some of Italy’s leading stylists.
